Greek Parents
Why We Gave Our Children Greek Citizenship
Written By: Penelope Conomos Benis
I’ll admit that at first, the little voice in my head was screaming “Όχι!” when my husband suggested we obtain our children their Greek citizenship. At the time, my three sons were aged seven, eight and nine. Internally, I went back and forth with myself about the possible benefits and risks. Externally, we began to initiate the process. My father, who was a first generation Greek-American originating from Kythira, strongly objected.
Raising a Family in the Spirit of Hellenism
Written By: Penelope Conomos Benis
As parents, we have a profound influence over what we expose to our children. It’s a big responsibility, and oftentimes a challenge given the surrounding forces of social media. With respect to our Hellenic heritage, we are tasked with the onus of teaching our children its multifaceted composition: Orthodoxy, culture, and stewardship. As a mother of three sons – now college aged and beyond – I often reflect on the parental decisions my husband and I made: both positive and regretted, amid raising our children in the intended spirit of Hellenism.