Historical American Inauguration and Life Lessons for Children

This inauguration was historic. Regardless of who you wanted in office, it was historic.  It was a milestone of firsts BUT not the last!  The FIRST Woman Vice President, The FIRST Black Woman, The FIRST Indian Woman, The FIRST Asian Woman, The FIRST Woman of Color.

Seeing pictures of Madam Vice President with her mother reminds me of mine.  We are from the same part of India, speak Tamil, and eat dosa (South Indian crepe)! 

I can relate when I hear stories about her mother, an immigrant who left all her family in India to come to the land of opportunity, the United States.  The journey of immigrants is an integral part of America’s history which some people forget or choose to ignore.  I was 4 years old when we arrived to the US with only a dream of seeing someone like me being elected as a leader in my lifetime.  Madam Vice President Kamala Devi Harris represents that dream becoming a reality.  Historic.

The lessons taught by my immigrant mother are forever etched in my mind- people always come first, kindness, work ethic, determination, and not forgetting our cultural roots.  

Here are some life lessons we can take from this inauguration and instill in the next generation.  

• Believe in yourself to be the best you- While there are thousands of people doing amazing things around us, you too can achieve greatness! 
  • Teach your Children:  Always try your best, be the best you can be, and be true to yourself.
• Break the glass ceiling- So many of us have been trained to "go with the crowd".  Even I have been molded that way. It's not a bad thing, it just means that you become risk averse and sometimes are fearful to dream big. However, to rise above the crowd, you have to break that glass ceiling as we saw in this election with various positions and appointments.  Think bigger, think broader, be bolder. 
  • Teach your Children: Do not let others assume your path because of perceptions based on what you are (gender, color, etc), show them who you are... your character.  That will shine bright when you are bold to show that to the world!
• Teaching Diversity and Inclusivity Matters- Seeing two very different individuals as President and Vice President, and then the broader cabinet and staff - you see diversity.  Just like the American population is also diverse!  This matters not only for different perspectives, but also gives others' hope for their future.  When you see people that are like you, you feel a sense of belonging.  
  • Teach your Children: Be inclusive of others, welcome others thoughts and perspectives.  After all, you learn so much when you surround yourself by people from all walks of life. NOTE- Diversity and inclusion involve much more than race/ethnicity and will be ongoing areas of discussion.
• My daughters sing the Spar Spangled Banner every day- their morning school routine which makes me proud!  They also want to know if Kamala Auntie speaks Tamil like them?  Hope to find out soon!

With that said, while our children may not understand the depth of this election and inauguration, they too can learn from them.  Everyday and even more today, I am so proud to be an Indian- American immigrant and woman of color! 

Let's reflect on this historic moment and more importantly, let's focus on the path ahead.  We have a lot of work to do and we will do it together!