You know the song, "Jesus loves the little children of the world?" Well, I'm not crazy about the "red, and yellow, black, and white" part, but the idea of the song is appealing. We should teach our (nonexistent, for me) kids to love everyone since Jesus loves everyone. From what I've read in the blogging world, this notion is apparently harder than it seems.
Recently I posted about a CNN report on how some kids today are still forming biased or racist ideas. In some ways, kids' preference for those who look like them is natural. I mean, once kids get to a certain age, they think the opposite gender has "cooties" because they're different. Kids associate with those who are like them, so boys like to play with boys and girls with girls. So how do we get our kids to appreciate diversity without avoiding the beauty of difference by telling them "everyone is the same. You shouldn't see color." If you don't see color, you're assuming everyone is "white," right? I don't think that's the right answer.
For some good examples of teaching your kids to respect those different than them, I took this list from one of my favorite blogs, Rage Against the Minivan (awesome title, right?). As a mother of 2 white and 2 black children, this mom suggested these ways to diversify your child's experience with race while growing up (and let's be honest, we can all benefit from thinking through these seemingly subtle but actually glaring examples of racial preference based on our own skin color!).
1. Take an inventory of your home's diversity. Are your toys sending a subtle message? Make it a point to buy dolls and action figures of every race. Watch how your kids react.
2. Be intentional in showing your children positive examples of other races in the media they watch. Some great examples are Go, Diego, Go!, Little Bill, Ni Hao, Kai-Lan, Dora the Explorer, and Cooking for Kids with Luis.
3. Take inventory of your own racial biases. Be careful with the language you use around your children. Avoid making stereotypical statements or racial jokes in front of your children. (or better yet, don't do it at all).
4. Look for opportunities to immerse your family in other cultures. Try to find situations where your family is the minority. This is a great stretching and empathy building opportunity for you and your kids. Try attending a minority church event or a cultural festival. Again, observe your child's reactions and open a dialogue about how that feels.
5. Read books that depict children from other races and countries. Some of our favorites are We're Different, We're the Same, The Colors of Us , and Whoever You Are (Reading Rainbow Book) . For an incredible list of multi-cultural children's books, check out Shades of Love at Shelfari.com.
6. Just observe. Watch how your children play with children who are different, whether it be skin color, gender, disability, or physical differences. Talk about it. Let your child know that you are a safe person to process their feelings and reactions with, while at the same time guiding them to accept children with differences.
7. Lead by example. Widen your circle of friends and acquaintances to include people from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences.
I thought this was a pretty cool list. One day, whenever I have kids, I hope to incorporate some of Rage Against the Minivan's suggestions! Feel free to share in the comments your own ways of teaching your kids to appreciate diversity.
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