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Race
Apr 17, 2014 13:45:17 GMT -6
Post by sharon on Apr 17, 2014 13:45:17 GMT -6
Do you talk about Race with your children? If so, in what context? What sort of discussions have you had? Is it comfortable or uncomfortable for you? This article touches on some of the pitfalls of White parents NOT talking about Race. link
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Race
Apr 17, 2014 15:40:58 GMT -6
Post by ladyandrearose on Apr 17, 2014 15:40:58 GMT -6
I was very adamant about wanting my child to be "color blind" in regards to people and carefully choose her school and daycares to be multi-ethnic. It wasn't until she was around 2.5 that I realized she recognized a difference in skin colors. I was reading her a book and the picture had a white girl and black girl, she said, "Mama, it is me and Eva!" (Eva was in her daycare.)
We still have not directly addressed raced. (DD is 7) Her best friend (for the moment) is black. I have felt that by drawing attention to different races could have an adverse affect on her acceptance of all kids and people for who they are. Right now the only negative things she points out are kids who she thinks are being mean.
I have taught her that Jesus loves her so much, because he created her and died for her. He created all people and he loves all people so much that he died for them, too. I teach her that if Jesus loves someone so much to die for them (just like he did for her), who are we to judge them as less or more than ourselves.
We answer any questions she poses at her age level to the best of our ability. "Why does that lady have that pushy thing (walker)?" She has not directly asked about race.
I'm sure we will have to be more specific on race issues when she gets older.
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Race
Apr 17, 2014 20:06:53 GMT -6
Post by ReneeW on Apr 17, 2014 20:06:53 GMT -6
We basically talk to our kids in a general way about how people come in all different shapes and sizes and colors -- and how it's so cool that everyone is different. It'd be so boring if we all looked the same! Stuff like that.
But I don't know if it's working because not that long ago, DD2 (age 6) was saying she wanted a "skin color" crayon and reached for the peach. UGH my stomach hurt. I just told her, "Honey, that color is peach. People have skin of all colors, black, brown, tan, lighter, medium, all different colors." In our family we have members who are of Asian descent and also Hispanic, and STILL she said that. Sigh. So maybe I need to be really more intentional about having those discussions.
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Race
Apr 17, 2014 20:10:55 GMT -6
Post by ReneeW on Apr 17, 2014 20:10:55 GMT -6
Just read the article. Very thought provoking. Sharon, thanks for sharing that!
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Race
Apr 17, 2014 20:58:58 GMT -6
Post by dara1012 on Apr 17, 2014 20:58:58 GMT -6
Thanks for the article Sharon.
We have had some conversations with our son about race. We belong to a diverse church, but our neighborhood and school have minimal racial diversity. It will be a conversation we will need to continue to grown and expand upon as he gets older.
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Race
Apr 17, 2014 21:05:46 GMT -6
Post by sharon on Apr 17, 2014 21:05:46 GMT -6
I've tried to get in the habit of talking about it more directly. I was surprised when I read Nurtureshock to find that the general sort of diversity/ acceptance message backfires and leave kids with Racist messages. So I've tried to be more direct.
Julius Lester's book Let's Talk About Race was a good conversation starter (dumb title, I think, but good book). And fortunately Ian always asks about the books I'm reading so as I read things like The New Jim Crow, The Warmth of Other Suns, and Nurtureshock, I tell him about them and that starts conversations too.
Recently we talked about white privilege when Ian decided not to brush his hair and just go out with it messy. I told him that was fine with me but that I wanted him to be aware that was white privilege and it led to a conversation about other examples as well. So I'm trying to do better and talk about it more directly.
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Race
Apr 22, 2014 20:05:45 GMT -6
Post by apryllraye87 on Apr 22, 2014 20:05:45 GMT -6
Thanks for the article Sharon - very insightful!
I also have not directly talked about race with DS, although I plan to start now. There have been some situations in which it has come up, but I've just explained that everyone is different and our skin color, hair color, eye color, etc. doesn't make a person better or worse than anyone else. We (like the author) now live in a mostly white neighborhood and I want to ensure I do everything I can to help DS to grow up as accepting and loving of everyone.
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Race
Apr 22, 2014 20:21:24 GMT -6
Post by sharon on Apr 22, 2014 20:21:24 GMT -6
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Race
Apr 29, 2014 9:24:32 GMT -6
Post by sarahisis on Apr 29, 2014 9:24:32 GMT -6
We haven't had to talk to P about it... he recognizes that people have different colored skin, but he doesn't care about it. I think he sees that it's a non issue with me, so it's "safe." Two of his closest friends at school are Indian and African American
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