Teaching tolerance to our kids
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| 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.


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Why are you
Kevali
I will log in to do family feud to get points for me and him. I will log in if he asks me to to check if someone answered his post or instant message. I will log in for him. Most of his friends are my friends and the ones that are not, I know who they are. He does the same with my account. Never thought of fb being "private" between family. We are very open and don't believe in having secrets.
??
Except when it comes to bullying.
Kevali
I think you're right, but the conundrum for me personally isn't about finding out whether your own child is drinking or smoking. It's more about what behaviors you want them exposed to and at what age from *other* kids, likely kids your child knows but you don't.
This was your original post. I was under the assumption that you were speaking of older kids.
So you wouldn't CARE if your child was drinking or smoking or even doing drugs underage?
So you DON'T think it's fine that you let your underage child have a facebook account - okay.
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