My Daughter Natasha tells of an inspiring father-daughter learning and unlearning journey. With the city as the classroom, Arthur teaches her 5-year-old daughter Natasha practical urban wisdom and survival skills while walking the streets. Eventually both discover life’s hard truths as they exchange questions and answers while visiting various places and people. They discover profound life lessons in a museum, park, zoo, bus station, subway train, aikido dojo, police station, chess match, church, wedding, funeral, factory, shops and restaurants.
This father-daughter bonding story offers parents valuable insights on how to help their children understand and cope with this increasingly estranged, alienated, faceless and regimented society.
- Learn how to answer childish yet inconvenient questions from Natasha like “Why eat lunch at 12 noon? Why mourn the dead? Why drive on the right side? Why tip waiters? Why the dog is man’s best friend? Why the lion is the king? Why not speak to strangers? Why jail people as punishment? Why no 13th floors? Why a simple artwork is expensive? Why not settle fights? Why no stars in the night sky? Why do married couples argue? Why an interesting class should end? Why learn so many things in school? Why women wear perfume?”
- Rediscover and redefine common sense. Unlearn and relearn the meaning of love, charity, kindness, justice, work, happiness, freedom, education, art, expertise, marriage, death, loyalty, friendship, passion and success.
My Daughter Natasha also helps teens and young adults better understand their parents and other grown-ups and discern when to listen to them, when to learn from them, and when not to. It can better prepare them in confronting and coping with the risks and challenges of modern society.