Teaching tolerance to our kids

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-16-2010
Teaching tolerance to our kids
1822
Mon, 12-27-2010 - 4:06pm

The discussion in the other thread about gay marriage (OK, it wasn’t so much a discussion as an attack on granitestategal, plus the last time I checked it had devolved into mumbling and maniacal laughter...time to move on!) got me to thinking about this new generation of kids and how things have changed for them. Technology has exploded, and kids are more connected than ever before. They’re also disconnected in a whole new way, but this thread isn’t about that. I’d like to know what we are teaching our kids as far as tolerance for other religions, races and lifestyles.

My parents were brought up by parents who were extremely prejudiced against non-Catholics and non-whites. My great-grandparents must not have passed along the lessons they’d learned as immigrants themselves. The town we lived in was predominantly white and Catholic, and up until high school I didn’t know anyone who was black, Jewish, Hispanic, or gay*. When I moved away from home, I was blown away by how different people outside my little world really were, and fascinated by it. I was, and am, determined to raise my kids to respect and appreciate the differences of others and to understand that deep down we really aren’t that different.

A few years ago when DS was 4, we ran into the husband of a co-worker at a music festival. My co-worker is also male. I probably went overboard in my introduction, but I wanted to get the point across that it’s perfectly OK for some families to consist of 2 dads or 2 moms, or one parent, or parents of different races/religions.

Kevali


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Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 11:55am
I agree that kids are solid for a variety of reasons as well and that going on FB doesn't mean those reasons will disappear. Unfortunately, as you describe here, there are kids doing stupid stuff on FB. And I do think that the medium (even message boards like these, as granite addresses above) doesn't always bring out the best in people, even adults who should know better. I don't see any downside to my dd waiting a little longer than what FB thinks is the magic age, but I do see an upside. I don't care what other parents decide for their own kids, although I think it sets a bad precedent for kids to lie about their age to get on early.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:00pm
It's a privacy issue. It's one thing to violate your own child's privacy, but if you are roaming around logged in as your dd, you are violating the privacy of other kids. It doesn't matter whether you post anything.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:07pm
Yeah, I'm curious how many people actually do this. I guess I could see doing it if I had a specific reason to be worried that something serious was going on, but short of that, it seems inappropriate. And what if you find something bad on another kids' FB page--what do you do then? Do you tell the parents?
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-22-2000
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:08pm
mycherubs wrote:

Queasy to know what is going on with your child and her friends?

Wonder why so many kids are into things that are inappropriate for their age-Wow!!

You mean like being on Facebook before they're legally old enough?


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:37pm

Huh?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:38pm

So he was 12 when fb JUST came out. When it became popular he was over the age to have an account, correct?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:39pm

Facebook started in 2005.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:42pm

Again, PLEASE read my posts. Just like ah_ha_sure does, I monitor my child's fb account. I do it WHILE my child is sitting with me. Please explain HOW I am VIOLATING THE PRIVACY of other kids. Last I heard they were KIDS!!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:43pm

Yes, just like Ducky has done, you notify the parents.

Avatar for rollmops2009
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 12:51pm

Or what if your kid's friend is venting about her parents and talking about their fighting or something. I dunno, just seems a bit much, IMHO.

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