Communicating Respect

I am having difficulty raising my son. When he came to the States from Cameroon, he was doing well until one of his teachers told him he can do what he wants. Since then, he has no respect for his parents nor any other family member.

He is just ten, and with this type of behavior, I do not think it is going to work out well for him as a black boy in America.

—Wondering Mama, USA

Dear Wondering Mama,

Ask for a meeting with the principal and your son’s teacher. Explain how the teacher’s advice has resulted in your son’s lack of respect for his family. He’s been steered down the wrong path.

Using kid gloves with your son because he is black is simply wrong. His future is on the line. If this teacher won’t back off from the ill-advised guidance, it may mean asking for a different teacher or going to another school.