When I saw my sister-in-law called today, I was anticipating her to say that she was in labor and before even picking up the phone, I became all nervous thinking that I did not have my camera and I didn't know of a near-by florist. I instantly realized my thoughts were insane, but I was grateful she was not in labor yet. After all, I was not prepared! Maybe I need an overnight bag too? Maybe not.
While I am obviously over excited for us to be a first time aunt and uncle, I am even more excited to see how our niece will be raised. Since my sister-in-law is Sikh and my brother-in-law is Muslim, it is a great opportunity to see how they blend their traditions and create new ones. I have asked her in the past about her feelings of raising the baby in one or more faiths, but it is really a personal decision for each family. Some people, like myself, try to plan to a tee and others prefer to plan as needed. With raising children in an interfaith family, I feel that is necessary at minimum to have a discussion with your significant other about their feelings. With all of our planning, I am positive there are situations we cannot even predict, which is why I am even more interested to see how my sister-in-law tends with these issues. Since she is a more "go with the flow" type of person, she definitely has a good impact on me.
I just finished watching this week's episode of All American Muslim on TLC and there is a couple featured on the show where the newlywed husband converted from Christianity to Islam. There was debate whether he did it for his wife or for himself, but regardless of the reason, it was important to him and his family to raise their children in one faith. In my relationship, there was never a conversation of conversion, simply because I am and always will consider myself Jewish and the same with Sikhism for Dev. In our family, we consider our household both Jewish and Sikh with neither dominating, but for other families this would not be possible.
This subject of pre-planning an interfaith family made me really want to write another article for Interfaith Family. Hopefully, I can finish before the New Year!
The next time I post, I will hopefully be holding a newborn baby!
Love & anticipation to be a chachi!
Juliet
While I am obviously over excited for us to be a first time aunt and uncle, I am even more excited to see how our niece will be raised. Since my sister-in-law is Sikh and my brother-in-law is Muslim, it is a great opportunity to see how they blend their traditions and create new ones. I have asked her in the past about her feelings of raising the baby in one or more faiths, but it is really a personal decision for each family. Some people, like myself, try to plan to a tee and others prefer to plan as needed. With raising children in an interfaith family, I feel that is necessary at minimum to have a discussion with your significant other about their feelings. With all of our planning, I am positive there are situations we cannot even predict, which is why I am even more interested to see how my sister-in-law tends with these issues. Since she is a more "go with the flow" type of person, she definitely has a good impact on me.
I just finished watching this week's episode of All American Muslim on TLC and there is a couple featured on the show where the newlywed husband converted from Christianity to Islam. There was debate whether he did it for his wife or for himself, but regardless of the reason, it was important to him and his family to raise their children in one faith. In my relationship, there was never a conversation of conversion, simply because I am and always will consider myself Jewish and the same with Sikhism for Dev. In our family, we consider our household both Jewish and Sikh with neither dominating, but for other families this would not be possible.
This subject of pre-planning an interfaith family made me really want to write another article for Interfaith Family. Hopefully, I can finish before the New Year!
The next time I post, I will hopefully be holding a newborn baby!
Love & anticipation to be a chachi!
Juliet
If its dev's sister's baby you'll be holding, then u will be a mami, not a chachi!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing that out! I am so used to hearing chachi and I've near heard mami in his family be used before. I have heard massi though! I just want to be called Aunt or Auntie!
ReplyDelete