Conscious Parenting for the Culture: Embodying Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams
In Kindred’s recurring column Conscious Parenting for the Culture, Parenting Coach Yolanda Williams explores embodying our ancestors’ wildest dreams by decolonizing our parenting and learning how to navigate the intersections of fear and freedom to raise the next generation of emotionally well, confident children.
The Power of Our Ancestors’ Dreams
As you scroll through Instagram, you may notice many posts captioned with #myancestorswildestdreams. People are often portrayed as beautiful and happy, showcasing their achievements in front of their house, car, or with their diploma. However, there may be something about those pictures and that hashtag that makes you pause and question.
Expanding Our Perspective
It seems that many of us have a limited view of what our ancestors’ dreams for us might be. These dreams are often rooted in the same systems that oppressed and enslaved them under white capitalist patriarchy. This is not to steal anyone’s joy or discourage pride in personal accomplishments. Instead, it’s a call to dream bigger and shift our focus towards the well-being of our children.
Redefining Our Approach
It’s unlikely that our ancestors’ wildest dreams included treating our children as they were treated by their enslavers. Rather, it’s more plausible that our ancestors, who were treated as property and had their children forcibly taken away and sold, would dream of us raising our children non-violently, with compassion, respect, and dignity. Given the history of stolen bodies and children, it’s difficult to believe that our ancestors would be filled with joy at the current state of Black children, who experience disproportionate rates of systemic oppression, abuse, and suicide. It’s clear that the children are not okay.
Creating Change for Our Children
If we want to change this grim reality, we must examine whether our dreams, both personal and for our families and communities, perpetuate the systems that are harming our children. It’s time to become the gatekeepers and advocates for change.
Embodying Our Ancestors’ Vision
Our ancestors dreamed of liberation, of being seen as fully human, respected, and treated with dignity. They longed for agency and the ability to advocate for themselves without fear of repercussions. They dreamed of freedom from toiling for someone else’s gain. It’s my belief that our ancestors’ wildest dreams revolve around how we perceive ourselves, nurture our children, and care for one another.
Embracing Our Birthright
I believe our ancestors would want us to fully embody peace as our birthright, to create a loving home, to experience joy as our natural state of being, and to recognize abundance in all aspects of life. They would want us to acknowledge and embrace all parts of ourselves. This is what I believe my ancestors dreamed for my family and me, and I am honored to make their dreams come true.
A Call to Conscious Parenting
Our children need us to dream bigger, to introspect, and to transform our pain into peace. It’s crucial for us to learn about decolonizing our parenting and embark on a journey of healing, both individually and collectively. Becoming a more conscious and intentional parent is challenging, but it’s necessary for the well-being of our children and the betterment of our culture. Join me on this transformative journey as we break generational chains and embody what it means to be our ancestors’ wildest dreams.
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