The seeds we sow in the home grow roots, perhaps
stronger roots than any other kind. This is especially true
when it comes to accepting people who are different from
us. Kids seeks the approval and acceptance of parents. So
they also want to think like us. Even by remaining silent
on the inequities of race, we remain complicit to the status
quo, and could possibly be sending the message that it’s not
accepted in our home to raise a big stink on the issues of
race, prejudice and other injustices.
Perhaps you’ve never made a racist comment or joke at a
dinner table. But not being racist is not enough if we are to
raise the next generation of tolerant leaders for a more just
society. Here are some ways to increase racial and cultural
literacy in our children.
Start early. Children as early as 2 begin to notice
differences and similarities in people from hair color to
habits to physical ability. As parents, we perhaps have the
greatest impact on our child’s perceptions and notions about
differences during this early stage in their life. The biases we
hold, tell our child who is innocent and who is criminal, who
is intelligent and who is less smart, and who is beautiful and
who is unattractive. To counteract racism and other forms
of injustice, it’s important to start now.
Be open. Too often, we shush our kids when they have
questions or make observations about people. Rather than
seizing a teachable moment, we discourage their comments
because they make us uncomfortable or we underestimate
their ability to understand complex issues. But all complex
issues can be whittled down to simple truths.
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