I was watching "Sesame Street" with my two young sons the other day and found myself noticing the variety of people in the show. It was satisfying to see that not only were my kids getting to know Big Bird and the alphabet but they were also learning that people can work together regardless of their skin color.
Like yourself, my wife and I feel that it's important for our kids to foster a greater openness to all people. Whenever there is an opportunity for our children to be exposed to kids from diverse backgrounds, we welcome it. Without bringing attention to it, we believe that the way we treat others, regardless of one's race or creed, will speak for itself and will serve as an example for our children.
But is what we're doing enough?
I have to admit that I've been rethinking our family's approach lately. After reading "Nurture Shock," by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, and then digging deeper into some of the research they cite, it seems that my approach to teaching my children about race might not reap the openness I had intended.
Here, in my own words, are some of the conclusions from the studies by Rebecca Bigler and April Harris-Britt mentioned in "Nurture Shock" regarding kids and race:
Why is it so much more in our comfort zones to discuss gender issues with our kids than race? Are we that far behind in our thinking? Doesn't having an African American president mean that we as a country are finally coming to grips with this issues? I'd like to think so, but it seems that old habits and perceptions die hard.
That's where us parents come in.
If all of the studies are true about how people are permanently formed within the first few years of life and the findings of researchers like Rebecca Bigler and April Harris-Britt are also correct, then we as parents have a great opportunity to eradicate racism.
So, consider doing some research of your own and the next time you see your kids watching Sesame Street, don't assume they'll do the math regarding the diversity on the show. Instead, use it as an opportunity to talk with them about race. You might very well be changing the world as a result.
Dana H. Glazer is the award-winning director of the feature documentary, The Evolution of Dad. To learn more about the project, please visit www.evolutionofdad.com.
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The thing was that I was coming in contact with "those people" first hand away from my home. I visited my friends in their homes, and saw them as warm, loving families, with the mothers in those families showing me the same love and affection they showed their own children. I have fond memories of those families. I noticed the physical difference
I think that's why I tuned out the bigoted comments when I heard them. I don't remember ever thinking consciousl
School starts next week, and I am already prepared for the nice little hate word heard on campus that I will have to explain and defuse within the first few days...
But, my mother changed her mind when a black couple joined their church. They were terrific, and became close friends with my parents, and my mother got to personally know black people for the first time in her life. By the time my sister had a senior slumber party some years later, all her friends got to come--blac
I do think people can overcome their upbringing by getting to know people as individual
parts of an "other" group. But it really is best to learn these lessons in infancy.
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YUSUFALI: Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledg
PICKTHAL: Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low.
SHAKIR: Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited
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Peace,
Sage Spencer
That's great. People are typically wonderful. I didn't learn much in the public schools I attended. The schools are getting better as long as they receive out support. Support education if we care about America.
We are more divided by race than before. Its was a near-perfe
As fas as the training of our children, pro-racial integratio
Yes, we should talk to our kids about a lot of things, including racial history.
It is almost funny to see those guilty of the crime accusing those they are bigoted against.
But we still need a culture which defines all Americans. Until we can agree on that, I have very little faith we can agree on anything.
I noticed when she was less than a year old that whenever someone new would pick her up and hold her, she would pet their hair, then reach up and feel her own. I think children do notice difference
I do think that when children becomes friends, they don't even notice race or culture anymore. When our foster grandson (also mixed-race
I think when your child runs across someone who has a big problem with difference of any kind in other people, you explain to your child that some people are sick in their hearts, and it's making them very sad because they're keeping themselves separated from everyone else, limiting how many friends they'll make in life. They're lonely, and they're angry with themselves
And it's important to address the fact that there are sick, angry people, because they're everywhere
And I deeply agree that being matter of fact about it like teaching a history or geography lesson is important; diversity is the right and good thing. Simple and true, end of lesson. Anyone tells you different, they're deeply uneducated
Dana,
You have all the earmarks of a WMW (Well-Mean
You can't fake it. Your kids will be the first to know when you do.
And, as for the book, based on what I've read, the idea that kids are born (or quickly become) racists because they begin to group things early seems to be a return to pseudo-sci
You should read a book I helped write called, "Brainwash
Right?
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I was reading an article earlier this week in the NY Times about a similar subject. It was talking about the rise trend of "poverty tours", where people go touring through poor neighborho
To me, it simply comes down to intentions and perspectiv
The easiest bet would be to actually help out. Strolling through soup kitchen won't do any there any good, but what about holding a fundraiser for the soup kitchen, and/or encouragin
The key is to present yourself as part of the solution, instead of perpetuati
If you're serious about this, Google my name + Chicago, find my email address and email me (they don't allow email addresses here).
You don't deal with what you're talking about in a sound bite on HuffPost.
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That said, I would much rather have a white person be well meaning, and teach that to their kids, then to have them teach active bigotry. I'd also rather that they address the issues head on than just assume that their kids "won't see color" or let them pick up, unchalleng
That said, I applaud you reaching into the debate. Too many of our fellow black Americans have withdrawn from the conversati
"We can't all live in areas of great diversity. That is in large part because minorities (myself included) don't generally like to be the only chip on the cookie, and therefore don't randomly spread out."
I think this is largely wrong. Although there may be people like you, I think many more AfrAmerica
Thanks for your compliment
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flash forward to my daughters graduation from high school this year.. her best friends are: a girl who's parents immigrated from peru so hispanic, an african american young girl, an african american young man, a girl who's parents immigrated from Viet Nam... we never taught her there were difference
people are people
On the other hand, I have also known many people who have more enlightene