by Emma M. Talbott Black Belt Press, 1997 Montgomery, Alabama 190 pages Softcover: $15.95
Emma M. Talbott paralyzes her parenting guide, The Joy and
Challenge of Raising African American Children, with a negativity that
is antithetical to the philosophy she advocates for nurturing African
American children. She instructs the parent “to affirm” the Black
child, but overlooks the need “to affirm” our Black parents, heritage
and culture.
It is especially unfortunate that Talbott belabors the desperate
circumstances of our past and present, apparently to stress “the
challenge” in rearing a Black child. Our present circumstances include
more crime, drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, crabs-in-abarrel syndrome
mentalities and unhealthy lifestyles. Accentuating specific, less
published accomplishments of African Americans and proven interventions
would provide a more affirmative, instructive and motivational context
for presenting the parent guide.
Most detrimental, Talbott belittles her target audience, the Black parent. For example:
“Overindulging your child is a serious breach of common sense.”
“No clearthinking parent can afford to leave the education and
development of their children totally in the hands of formal educators
and educational institutions.”
“No matter how tired you are after working all day or night, you still need to spend quality time with your children.”
