11 ways growing up with African parents makes you remarkable

Growing up in an African household often means you kind of have to live your life in between two worlds.

On one side you’ve got your African parents who are trying to raise you the best way they can, in a different country whilst maintaining their cultural identity. And on the other side you’ve got the outside world telling you’re parents are too tough, that you should be allowed more freedom, etc.

Looking back, whilst these were confusing times, the benefit of growing up with African parents and in between two cultures is that it teaches you valuable life lessons. These are lessons that continue to be useful as an adult, no matter where I live in the world.

Here are 11 ways growing up with African parents makes you a truly remarkable person:

You’re flexible. You know how to adapt to any situation.

Growing with African parents makes you very versatile. Like I mentioned earlier, from a young age it forces you to learn how to adapt to various social settings. Without realizing it, you start learning very quickly how to adapt in all situations. This has come in very handy to me as I lived in various countries, somehow always knew how to adapt.

2. You’re generous. You understand that sharing is caring.

Many of us growing with African parents would have seen them hosting huge family gatherings, and boy when you have guests at home you know you better look after them. From vacating my room for weeks at the times to family members to attending to their every need. African parents teach you that sharing is the only way to go.

3. You’re tenacious. You know nothing good comes easy.

If you are a first-gen African immigrant like me, you’d have probably witnessed how hardworking you parents were. Seeing my mum working nearly every day, from 9 am to 8 pm so that we could have a nice lifestyle and afford holidays every year taught me discipline and tenacity.

4. You’re respectful. You value the elders’ experience.

Elders are sacred. Growing up in an African household you’d have noticed that your grandparents are basically semi-gods. Actually so is anyone older than you. For instance, it’s not unusual to call anyone older than you “uncle” or “auntie” even though they are not related to you. This is a sign of respect. Respect is a core value that every African parent tries to instill to their kids from a very young age.

5. You’re emphatic because you know what’s like to be “different.”

If you were raised in Europe like me, or outside of the African continent the feeling of being “different” would have been familiar to you. Actually, in many cases, your parents may have even reminded you that as a Black person you were not like your white friends. That somehow you’d always need to work harder to prove your worth. Being the underdog means many of us have developed this intense feeling of compassion for others.

6. You’re driven because you know we have to make it.

This basically goes hand in hand with my previous point.

7. You’ve got a thick skin because you expect nothing but the best from yourself.

If you grew up with African parents, you were probably pushed to the limit when it came to school. Being second or third was never good enough. Your parents always expected only the best from you. Because of this, I tend to have high expectations for myself. Although this can be both good and bad.

8. You’re a family person because you have no other choices (haha).

For most African parents family is everything. I remember when my mum and I used to go get some international cards for her to call our family back in Africa. Even though she moved to France at a young age, she always had (and still have) a close relationship with all her family members. I still have fond memories of our weekends, Christmas break, Easter, and holidays with cousins and uncles.

9. You’re a people person. You know that if you want to go far, go together.

Again, growing with African parents forces you whether you like or not to become a people person. Even though I am to a certain extent I am an introvert and like to spend time alone, I love a good family gathering and feel at my best in social environments surrounded by people I love and trust.

10. You’re brave. You know the sacrifices your parents did for you to succeed.

The chances are, if you were raised by African parents you don’t give easily. Seeing both my parents leaving Africa to come to France to seek a better future is something that has shaped me in many ways.

11. You’re generous. Because when there’s enough for one, there’s enough for everyone

I remember growing up when family members would come and stay in our small flat for a few weeks and my friends would say “but where are they going to sleep?”. This was actually never a problem for my mum. Somehow she would always manage to make some room for anyone that would stay over. The same applies to food. I don’t think I have ever witnessed a day where my mum turned down someone for lunch at ours because there wasn’t enough. Growing up with African parents shows you there’s always enough.

Because of all of this, you’re a truly a remarkable person

Even if growing with African parents can be intense, I am so grateful for my family. Though I am not perfect, my parents brought me up to be a truly remarkable person in my own way, thanks to all the life lessons they’ve shared with me since day one. For this, I couldn’t have wished to have been raised by anybody else.