Sample Essay On Should Immigrants Americanize Their Children Why Or Why Not And Does Americanization

Adaptation is one of the topics, which is being discussed among the scientists of all ranges. The main cause of the topic popularity is the fact that the development process that takes place in nature and society is aimed at adaptation to the changing life conditions. However, the transformation of society at the turn of the XX and XXI centuries led to very dramatic changes in society, and the modern theory and practice of adaptation needs serious rethinking. As part of transformation processes, one can talk about the transition from one qualitative state to another, what eventually leads to the replacement of one culture type by another.
During the last couple of decades, scores of people have left their homelands, and moved to the US. They had different reasons, hidden behind their decisions to move, but almost all of them face same problems as soon as they get to the new country. In my opinion, the main problem, faced by all of the immigrants, is the difficulty to assimilate with a new culture, a new society. Some might argue that immigrants can remain faithful to their own cultures and traditions; however, I will never agree with such point of view, and here is why. In order to blend it with a new culture, immigrants have to accept all the rules and traditions of the country they have moved to. And it does not concern the US immigrants only; it is applicable to all the immigrants all over the world. And the first thing they have to do, in order to blend in is to learn the language of the country; otherwise their existence in the new country will be impossible.
The problem of assimilation and adaptation becomes acuter, when it concerns children. Children are vulnerable, dependable, and they need adults’ support not only for physical survival, but also for psychological and social welfare, successful adaptation in the new environment. It is also important to emphasize, that one of the main conditions for the optimal entry to the new environment is the process of an active assimilation of an individual to a new social environment, in other words, sociopsychological, and socio-cultural adaptation. For that reason, it is tremendously important for immigrants to Americanize their children, so they don’t look any different to children at school. Everyone knows that elementary- and middle-school children are very complicated, and sometimes even hostile, and can create hard times for immigrant children. Therefore, Americanization is very important part of the development processes for immigrants’ children. However, it is also important to remember, that these children have to be aware of the history and culture of their motherland. It also concerns the native language. Immigrant children have a great chance to be bilingual, and such a chance cannot be lost. While speaking English with friends at school, they should speak their native language with parents at home, so they do not forget it, and so the parents don’t lose control over their children. Some might wonder what does control have to do with the language, but there is a very simple connection between these two things. Very often one can observe situations, when adults, who immigrated to the country long ago, do not know the language of the country they are living in, while their children have learned the language at school, and on the streets. Very soon, children forget their native language, as most of the time they spend talking to friends, and not using it. And at some point, children simply stop understanding their parents, because of the language barrier, and the control over them is lost. Therefore, immigrants should be aware of the possibility of such consequences, and should not allow them to occur.
Having moved to another country, every immigrant family need to have strong ties within their own community in the US, as it will help them to save their national identity. Even though, the process of assimilation and Americanization is inevitable, families need to do everything possible so save their roots and national origins.