Sadiya Hashmi is a third culture kid. Born in Pakistan, raised in Bahrain, and earned her MBA in the US. She and her family now call Canada their home. And they homeschool.
In this episode we talked about;
- Why she chose to homeschool and the beliefs she overcame to do that
- The reasons why she is helping her children to grow up multilingual.
- How she created her Fusion Baking style
- What it’s like being on The Great Canadian Baking Show
- The Importance of Self Representation in the media
Talking to Sadiya felt like sitting down with a friend over a cup of tea. My first introduction to her was season 2 of The Great Canadian Baking Show where she was a contestant. As a fellow homeschool mom, and woman of colour in Alberta, I wanted to connect with her immediately.
Sadiya grew up in a culture that valued rigorous education from a very young age. In Bahrain most 3 year olds are expected to be reading and writing. Your education reflected your status. What would happen if she let her kids be? What would happen if she allowed them to learn and develop naturally? We dove into the beliefs homeschool tested for her and her husband. What it means to learn. If the report card defines how smart you are. What she felt school did not give her that she gained later in life. Sadiya is candid and gives a great perspective. One that we don’t always hear from in the homeschool community.
Fusion Baking and The Great Canadian Baking Show
Sadiya has experienced many cultures, ideas, and tastes. She says you can learn a lot about a culture through food. Baking has been a way for her to bring these experiences together. And a way she can introduce these worlds to her sons. It were her boys that encouraged her to go on the show. They fell in love with the British version of the show and wanted her to audition. She promised her sons that if it ever came to Canada she would audition. And guess what? It came, she auditioned and she made it on! It was her international fusion baking that sold it.
Sadiya says The Great Canadian Baking Show is an impactful experience. Her presence is impactful for her boys to see her follow a passion. It is nice to see a homeschool mom well represented. But it is also impactful for girls that look like her to see themselves on TV. We spoke more about the importance of self representation in the media we watch and in the literature that we introduce to our children. I’ve linked some of her recommended writers at the bottom of the page.
Listen to the episode to hear much, much more and watch her journey on The Great Canadian Baking Show.
You can find the The Great Canadian Baking Show on CBC television or online. You can find Sadiya and her delicious baked goods on Instagram @sadiyahashmi_
Sadiya’s Recommendations
Authors
Children’s Books
