Tessie’s Two Cents

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Dear Tessie,
I worry so much about teaching my kids about the culture they’re surrounded by because it is not the culture that belongs to us. There’s so much about cultural appropriation and racism that I’m afraid to really address it at all because I don’t want anyone to be offended. Help!
Julia

Dear Julia,
Growing up, my best friend did not look like me. We played together, walked together, and spent many afternoons together. She lived four doors down from me on the same block. Despite that, she looked exactly nothing like me, and it was very obvious.
Do you know how much attention I paid to her skin color? Absolutely none. What I remember is the beautiful dresses that her grandmother made her, and the warm tortillas that we would sneak from her kitchen. I remember watching her mother’s skilled hands making those tortillas, as well.
Those memories have lasted me a lifetime, and are the stories that I share whenever I get the chance. Worry a little less about who will have an opinion about it, and a little more about making sure you raise well rounded, caring, and kind human beings.
Love,
Tessie

Dear Tessie,
I have become so overwhelmed lately that I’m almost unable to function. I have anxiety, and it’s just gotten much much worse. My husband has no respect for my mental health, and just stays angry at me all the time for not doing what he wants. How do I get him to understand?
Shelly

Dear Shelly,
I want to remind you that any time you or a loved one is suffering a problem like this, the best decision you can make is to visit with a medical professional.
However, what you asked is how to get your husband to understand you. Now, the only way I believe you can explain something like that is by having a serious sit down discussion. Some folks don’t have a lot of respect for mental health in the world.
If you don’t get a response from him that shows some caring and compassion, or he continues to be rude about it, then you might need to consider that he is refusing to understand, and if that is the case, you can’t be worried about his opinion.
Love,
Tessie