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 - 7:25pm
You sound like you have very little privacy in your family life. I would not want either of my dds to see the sort of things you describe being on your wall, nor would I want to see them.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:30pm

Your children are NOT young. Do you talk to them about things in the world, things they will encounter out in the world, good and bad things?

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:37pm
These things exist outside of FB, of course, but I'm not looking for additional ways to expose my kids to them, and certainly not before the age it's even allowed by FB. It's no different from not allowing kids to see PG-13 or R movies before they're ready.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:40pm
Of course I discuss these things with my kids. That doesn't mean I want them exposed to online bullying, drugs, drinking, etc. at a young age. I don't care what you do on your FB page.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:44pm
That's kind of weird.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:46pm

How do you feel about parents letting their tweens have a myspace account and saying that they are 16 +?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:47pm

Didn't you say your children were 13 and 11? You don't think they are ready to know about bullying, cyber on IRL, underage drinking, smoking, doing drugs, sex?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:48pm

What do you mean by exposed? Showing them bad things?

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:54pm
What I mean by exposed is what you described below as commonplace on FB: "What I DO find horrible is that kids who are old enough to have an account are posting pictures up half naked, doing sexual things, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, etc." I have no interest in my kids seeing pictures like that. Of course I would have no issue with a kid being shown what real drugs look like in health class. That is education.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 7:56pm
Being ready to know about them is very different from seeing the kind of pictures you describe below: "What I DO find horrible is that kids who are old enough to have an account are posting pictures up half naked, doing sexual things, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, etc." Don't you have any limits on what your kids can do and see? Do you allow them to see any movie, regardless of rating?

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