Lack of Somali Foster Parents: Crisis in the Somali Communit

[SummerRain]

I agree with you every step of the way. Like I said before it all comes back to if those relatives are willing to become devoted guardians to these children. Which in return, more or less, becomes in the same line as the whole kin/qaraabo system breaking down. Even if they were taken in by the relative, what gurantees a successful relationsip between them, assuming these kids have troubled past. It becomes more complex and thats when the foster care/child services comes to the picture. The question is can that system (kin/qaraabo) be successful in this culture we live in? And are more Somalis willing to set up and take control of their kids before they fall into the hands of gaalo?

[Advocatar]

hey I have a question, let's say a lady raises a child who isnt related to her, as the kid grows up and reaches puberty, does she have to cover-up and does he break her waldu/weeyso?

[SummerRain]

[quote="Advocatar"]hey I have a question, let's say a lady raises a child who isnt related to her, as the kid grows up and reaches puberty, does she have to cover-up and does he break her waldu/weeyso?[/quote]

HELL YEAA, simple that is not her biological son.

[e!]

where the fuk do you ppl live where somali kids are taken away from their parents

[gedo_gurl]

Advo, yes, unless she gets there in time to give him her breastmilk.

[Gedo_Boy]

Ismahan,

There's no guarantee that foster parenting will be any better than parents or relatives. Each case is probably unique so we can't overgeneralize.

Some kids could have had wonderful relatives they were staying with, but the kid just happens to be a problem child who is always in and out of trouble due to a wide variety of things that may or may not be his/her fault. Maybe they're bipolar, maybe they have other psychological issues. Maybe they are just naturally troublesome kids.

Every messed up child isn't the product of a bad environment, but some are........and a parent or a relative can only take so much and as human beings maybe they reached their tipping point with the child; if a child insists on becoming a screw-up, well there's no societal remedy for that.

Each case is probably unique........sometimes it's the kids fault, sometimes the parent's or relatives, sometimes a combination of both.

[SummerRain]

You have some valid points there bro. Its just agonizing to see some parents or even guardians sometimes be afraid to talk or decipline their kids. They are paranoid of the system, they think its out there to get them in jail for torture or negligence. I see parents who dont even tell their kids to do their homework, in fear that the kids might retaliate against them. Its a very very complex problem and I think its mainly a cultural clash between the parents and the kids that is causing this. I think we need to have more Somali community organizations for such kids, in order for them to atleast help them stay in their communities and have a role model, rather than being in the streets or FC.

[Warya_dude]

[quote="Ismael_ax"]Qabiill..........[/quote]

^I have an adopted Habar Gidir 'sister'...so some Somalis do adopt totally unrelated people

[Madmadoobe]

Somalis have got a lot of problems of their own to deal with. Helping an unfortunate somali child out of somalinimo is something, but signing up for foster crap and taking on other responsiblities is quite another. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to deal with such a problem by all means do something about it. Otherwise dont fukcing look for it, let the white people do it, it will be better for him/her anyways, unless they are child abusers in which case the poor lil skinny is fukced

[Gedo_Boy]

Ismahan,

This is something that is characteristic of 1st generation immigrants from war-torn nations........a lot of times the parents find themselves in situations where as long as the kid has a roof over their head and they are eating regularly, they feel that those are the needs of the kids because that is what used to happen in Somalia....a lot of times the society played a big role in raising you...the culture, relatives, extended family played a big role in helping the kid discover what was good and what was bad.

I already see Somalis taking positive steps, so it is not a completely horrible sitaution........the community centers and masjids play a big role too b/c the kids need faith-based values or just at least be exposed to them.


Living in a community with a lot of Somalis can be a double-edged sword........considering a lot of times it is in low-income areas where there are gangs and criminal behavior, the 'crowd' can have a negative impact. But on the positive side it has the benefit of Somali kids being in touch with their peers, language, culture, and positive aspects of extended family.

Hillary Clinton said it best when she said: "It takes a tuulo to raise a child"

However, some kids who don't grow up with a lot of Somali presence end up like you speaking like a suburb girl, wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, listening to music like TheFray, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Ironically, sometimes those are the types that discover their Somalinimo in college-age years and overcompensate so that by their mid 20's are fully comfortable w/ their Somali side and embrace it

[SummerRain]

You wrote:

"However, some kids who don't grow up with a lot of Somali presence end up like you speaking like a suburb girl, wearing Abercrombie & Fitch, listening to music like TheFray, Dave Matthews Band, U2, Ironically, sometimes those are the types that discover their Somalinimo in college-age years and overcompensate so that by their mid 20's are fully comfortable w/ their Somali side and embrace it :lol "

Holly crap...I mean Istagfuruallah, you just bloody described someone very close to me. I very much enjoying getting in touch with my Somalinimo lately. I do feel connected with it and quite optimistic for Somalia than many others who actually did grew up in that beautiful country. May be I'm just over my head. How could you mistaken GREEN DAY for TheFray though?

[AbdiWahab252]

Gedo,

Dude, U are a regular at the A&F store at the Landmark mall so stop pretending that Alexandria is a hood

Ismahan,

Embrace your Somalinimo.

[SummerRain]

Who said you cant be connected with your Somalinimo and still listen to Green Day and U2 and shop at A&F?

[AbdiWahab252]

Ismahan,

No, U need to be Somali and shop from MArshalls, TJ Maxx and AJ Wright

[SummerRain]

I cant be bothered with those stores, its like where do you begin. I'm cool with holister, Express, bebe and A&E.