Advocates teach refugees about child abuseBy Vincent T. Davis - Express-News
Friday afternoon, several Somali Bantu women stepped from the drizzling rain into a Northwest Side apartment complex clubhouse for a class concerning the toddlers clinging to their brightly colored dresses.
They passed a cluster of men and women from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, leaving a class sponsored by the Family Services Association about American laws and child abuse.
As the Somali Bantu women took their seats, a Burmese child wiggled in her mother's arms. She peeked at a Somali girl who gazed back, clad in a Spider-Man jacket, knee-length skirt, black tights and pink sneakers.
When Hawa Noor was asked if she knew why they were assembled, she answered, “Yes, of course.” Noor, a mother of seven and pregnant with her eighth child, said she doesn't physically punish her children.
“If the kid gets in trouble we talk,” she said as one of her daughters held her leopard-print dress. “They stop when I talk to them.”
Cell phones buzzed and vibrated as Noor translated for Pamela Andrade, a parent advocate from Family Services Association who works with the Head Start program for refugee children in the Northside Independent School District.
Andrade called the refugees from Somalia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Iraq and Nepal together because of recent events involving the welfare of the children.
She held four 30-minute sessions attended by more than 60 refugees. At each session, she told the parents her agency decided to offer the classes after Child Protective Services opened cases in which parents allegedly hit two refugee children.
“When you came to our country, no one explained how things are done here,” Andrade said. “Unfortunately, there are things happening to your families because you didn't understand our laws. What might have been customary in your country won't be customary in America.”
She described three types of child abuse: physical and emotional mistreatment and neglect.
A woman winced as interpreter Nabindra Ghimiray read a list of unacceptable actions that included burning, biting, hitting or slapping children.
Kul Chimariya, a father of three, raised his hand above his red baseball cap embroidered with “Merry Christmas” in gold across the front.
“If they don't listen to me, what I should do?” he asked.
“I'm a mother of four, and I know it can get frustrating,” Andrade said. “We have people who can talk to you about what to do when kids won't listen. We use time out; we tell children to sit for two minutes.”
“We practice this too,” Chimariya replied.
At another session, an Iraqi man who declined to give his name said his people were proud to protect their children.
“One of the main reasons we came to the United States is to protect our babies,” the man said. “We will follow the law.”
Before each class ended, Andrade passed out her phone number, encouraging the parents to call her if they needed to talk.
“I've noticed the great words you all speak to your children,” Andrade said. “And I hope you continue this. In America, you're not allowed to harm anyone, and no one is allowed to harm you.”
Friday afternoon, several Somali Bantu women stepped from the drizzling rain into a Northwest Side apartment complex clubhouse for a class concerning the toddlers clinging to their brightly colored dresses.
They passed a cluster of men and women from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, leaving a class sponsored by the Family Services Association about American laws and child abuse.
As the Somali Bantu women took their seats, a Burmese child wiggled in her mother's arms. She peeked at a Somali girl who gazed back, clad in a Spider-Man jacket, knee-length skirt, black tights and pink sneakers.
When Hawa Noor was asked if she knew why they were assembled, she answered, “Yes, of course.” Noor, a mother of seven and pregnant with her eighth child, said she doesn't physically punish her children.
“If the kid gets in trouble we talk,” she said as one of her daughters held her leopard-print dress. “They stop when I talk to them.”
Cell phones buzzed and vibrated as Noor translated for Pamela Andrade, a parent advocate from Family Services Association who works with the Head Start program for refugee children in the Northside Independent School District.
Andrade called the refugees from Somalia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Iraq and Nepal together because of recent events involving the welfare of the children.
She held four 30-minute sessions attended by more than 60 refugees. At each session, she told the parents her agency decided to offer the classes after Child Protective Services opened cases in which parents allegedly hit two refugee children.
“When you came to our country, no one explained how things are done here,” Andrade said. “Unfortunately, there are things happening to your families because you didn't understand our laws. What might have been customary in your country won't be customary in America.”
She described three types of child abuse: physical and emotional mistreatment and neglect.
A woman winced as interpreter Nabindra Ghimiray read a list of unacceptable actions that included burning, biting, hitting or slapping children.
Kul Chimariya, a father of three, raised his hand above his red baseball cap embroidered with “Merry Christmas” in gold across the front.
“If they don't listen to me, what I should do?” he asked.
“I'm a mother of four, and I know it can get frustrating,” Andrade said. “We have people who can talk to you about what to do when kids won't listen. We use time out; we tell children to sit for two minutes.”
“We practice this too,” Chimariya replied.
At another session, an Iraqi man who declined to give his name said his people were proud to protect their children.
“One of the main reasons we came to the United States is to protect our babies,” the man said. “We will follow the law.”
Before each class ended, Andrade passed out her phone number, encouraging the parents to call her if they needed to talk.
“I've noticed the great words you all speak to your children,” Andrade said. “And I hope you continue this. In America, you're not allowed to harm anyone, and no one is allowed to harm you.”
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