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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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:33pm
And even though Suzy is our good friend, that doesn't mean we are okay with this behavior!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:35pm

Again, she ONLY sees them on my wall IF she is around when I am on fb. That is not very often and she usually is not interested in my fb.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:36pm
Well, if they are facebook friends, anything posted on their wall can be seen by their children.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:37pm
I admit, I did chuckle over those posts. My bad. :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:37pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:38pm

"So you don't think teaching your children what pictures are put up on facebook by kids under 21 is educating them?
"
No HOW and WHY?

I do not have to show my kids pictures of ppl under 21on FB

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:38pm

Oh, ok. I leave mine "closed" but it is up there all the time. If my dh goes on the computer, he automatically just changes to his account. Sometimes he will scroll down and look at my wall but there is nothing up there that he shouldn't see. I do the same with his but most of our posts on our walls are the same as we have a lot of the same friends.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:39pm

Yes, that is EXACTLY what I would tell my children.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:40pm
So the way you teach your kids what is not acceptable in your home is by going onto facebook and finding or seeing inappropriate pictures and using these as educational examples/expereinces?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:41pm
I have heard this before and there have been articles about people being fired over facebook posts. I have friends who are very careful about what is posted on their facebook, as am I.

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