I found our discussion on black maternal identity on the notion that whether we belong to our parents or do they belongs to us to be very interesting. In my opinion I believe its a combination of both. As children our parents care for us and teach us values that they believe and essentially we as children cannot survive without someone providing for us. So in that sense I believe we belong to our parents but as you grow up and become your own person you begin to break away. While you become more independent your parents get older and will eventually need you in some way to help them and your roles will switch.

The Passing Down of Pain

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/23/debate-stirs-viral-video-trinidadian-mother-disciplining-daughter/

There has been a viral video going around of a Trinidadian mother punishing her daughter for posting an inappropriate photo on a social network. I've found in my personal life that the pain that black mothers experience often gets passed down to their daughters in one way or another. In Beloved, Sethe feels her mother's pain, and Sethe's children feel hers. I feel like the mother in the video was acting out some previous pain she had experienced by choosing to discipline her daughter in this way.

While we were in class, I found it very interesting to hear the mother to daughter dynamic for the women in the class.  With that being said, I instantly knew what my final post would be.  This spoken word piece embodies the mother daughter dynamic to me perfectly.  I believe many of you would agree after watching.  It is a POWERFUL piece, so proceed with caution lol.

In class the question was asked, Do mothers own their children or do children own their mothers? I believe that mothers own their children and children own their mothers. In Beloved both Sethe and Beloved claim each other. Mothers own their children because, they simple give birth to them and raise them. Children also give their mothers a since of freedom, and power. Children own their mothers because they have the power to make their mothers do anything to make sure they never have to live the way they did ow make the same mistakes.

"Thick Black Love"

"It ain't my job to know what's worse. It is my job to know what is and to them away from what I know is terrible I did that" (P. 194).

In my opinion, I believe it is wrong to kill your children, but a mother will do anything for their child, even if it results in death. I think this is a form of "thick black love" and Sethe did what she felt was right for child, so she did not have to go through the oppression, abuse, and torture that was involved in being a slave. Sethe felt as if she was going to do what it took to be the best mother, she thought she could be with for her children. Her aspect of protecting her children might of been un-ruling, but that is all she knew since she did not have a strong relationship with her biological mother. She did not have a relationship with her mother, which lead to her not being attached to hers. African American women have a different way on doing things for their children or reflecting what they learned and using that method with their children, which either helps or hurts them.

Maternal/Child Claiming

I believe that everyone has a different outlook on this subject. I grew up in the church and from my understanding we are all God's property. I own not my mother nor does she own me. Yes we introduce each other as "my mother" or "my daughter" but in actuality we are all God's children. I apologize, but then again I don't, for bringing in my religious view about the topic but as discussed in class I had no relationship with my biological mother and the mother that raised me was unaffectionate so all I really had we my religion and The Lord.

Do Mothers Own Their Children?

My answer to that question is no.  I believe the children own the parents. From a biblical prospective, children are only given to parents temporarily.  Psalms 127:3 teaches that "children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward."  Parents have an obligation to raise their children in a manner parallel to biblical standards—and ultimately in a way that gives us back to Christ. Our parents raise us, teach us, and nurture us. As we get older, we move on and we move away. We are then in a sense given back to the world to discover things on our own and to become our own missionary.