What do I tick for DS on the ethnicity question?

[Purplelooby]

So far I told the HV 'I don't know' and she kept in blank. I know that ethnicity is considered to be a choice which is why it is now used in place of race, but I can't ask my baby what he chooses to be!

Basically, DS is 3/4 white 1/4 Chinese by genetics (I'm white). In fact his Grandad is from Indonesian and has never been to China, so whilst DH is very proud of his heritage (and wants DS to be too) he has always found it confusing to answer the inevitable race questions (he looks fully Chinese).

DS has a Chinese middle name that has been proudly chosen by his Grandfather. Er, anyone with children who are 3/4 White 1/4 Something Else - have you ticked 'Mixed Race' or 'White'?

I'm "any other mixed background"

Tick Mixed, I don't understand not liking the form, its just a form! If he is mixed then tick that, they usually have chinese/white on some forms i have found.

There is nothing wrong with being proud and defining all aspects of DS ethnicity. It what makes us who we are after all

I don't know what to say - I am a quarter Indian, but all our side of the family come out sheet white. I have got a UK Passport, as has my Indian-born mother who could have got the Timotei girl gig in her heyday.

Is there a box for "Somewhat Paler than Expected"?

If not, why not - it makes as much sense as the other options.

Interested in this thread as I am currently pregnant with my first child - I'm white British and my Husband is of Chinese origin. Haven't even thought about this, although I guess it's quite simple as my DC will be half white half Asian. I don't think I mind filling in a form and ticking "other" or "mixed" as that is what he/she will be - I want them to be proud of their mixed heritage :)

I'm white British, husband is Japanese, for the kids I always tick "mixed - other" as there's no Japanese option, then stick a note next to the box saying half white/half Japanese, just for them to be aware of any illnesses etc that may be more prevalent in Japanese (not that I know of any!)

islingtongirl I think I've seen "mixed - Chinese" on the forms, if that helps, I remember almost ticking that thinking, "well, close enough!!"

I hate those bloody forms and how they always seem to have 'white british' at the top of the list. Grrr.

I dont like the forms because the classifications are nonsense, for example how can someones ethnicity be Bengali if at the time when their grandmothers were born Bangladesh didnt exist? and how can Pakistani/Bengali be an ethnicity, yet Sri Lankan/ Afghanistani isnt?

and what about Other African? in some forms you have Somali, Nigerian, Other Black African. So what if you are Asian African? Or WHite African? and what does a whole continent have in common anyway? what can it really tell you? and why do 2 countries get a separate classification?

I tick prefer not to say, on the basis I dont feel a sense of belonging or identity based on ethnicity.

anee how does ethnicity make us who we are exactly?

I just fill in the basics on these forms. As far as I am concerned all the school needs to know is my children's names, date of birth, address the family live at and contact phone numbers for dh and myself and any other family member who could collect them if necessary if dh and I unavailable. I also give name and address and contact number for GP and details of any medical conditions - one of my children is asthmatic. It is obvious they are mixed race. Most of the extra details schools ask are just for govt. statistics. Sod that !