I told them [the producers] I couldn't compound the lie that Black fathers don't care about their children. I was proud of the family life I was able to introduce to television.
Esther RolleRead
My mother grew up with each of her children - whatever your age, that's the age she'd be when she listened to your stories. She never belittled our problems. It made for something permanent and reliable.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the deep connection and understanding a mother has with her children, validating their experiences regardless of age.
In this quote, Esther Rolle reflects on the unique bond between a mother and her children, highlighting how her mother actively engaged with each child's experiences at their individual levels of maturity. This approach not only fostered emotional support but also created a sense of reliability and permanence in their relationship, allowing for open communication and validation of their feelings without judgment.
In practice
During a Mother's Day speech reflecting on the impact of mothers.
I told them [the producers] I couldn't compound the lie that Black fathers don't care about their children. I was proud of the family life I was able to introduce to television.
I had a wonderful father, and I couldn't bear that television virtually ignored black fathers.
Talk with your daughters, Play with your sons. You need to be a better friend to them than anyone else. This society offers lots of evil friends. Before they make those kinds of friends, they need to find their best friend in you.
And now I also see what part of me is Chinese. It is so obvious. It is my family. It is in our blood.
It's just so wonderful to have someone in the house like a child to turn your attention to. It's not about you anymore, it's about this lovely little human being.
Womenfolk raised me and I was full-grown before I knew I came from a broken home
People see I am a mother and head of a household. Today in Chile, one-third of households are run by women. They wake up, take the children to school, go to work. To them I am hope.
Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
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