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 - 8:53pm
Even worse.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:54pm
Not only that, add in the fact that she doesn't think its good for tweens to be around 17/18 year olds in real life. They all seem to be quite the contradiction.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:54pm

I would think the "legal age for purchasing" is the age that the rule makers feel is the SAME age that it should be done.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:55pm
But if an underage child (under 13) is seeing these on facebook, they aren't being shown by the parent, they are seeing this from family members and children of their parents friends first.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:56pm

No, I don't have blinders on. I KNOW what is going on in the world and I am not sheltering my children. I can't believe that you have a 13 yr. old, 8th grader and you have not spoken to them about cyber bullying, bullying, underage drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, etc.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:56pm
Its a riot, i have never in my entire life encountered some one who thinks they know me better than i know myself.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:58pm
....and 13 is the legal age for facebook.

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But teaching them that it's okay to break the rules for facebook and have an underage account is right?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 8:59pm

I don't think there is a way NOT to have them to be exposed. I think between my teaching and the school's teaching, my children are learning HOW to deal with these things. I am not going to put my head in the sand and just ignore it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 9:01pm

your

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Sat, 01-01-2011 - 9:02pm

Ummm...yes. My exposure would be teaching and talking to them about it, not waiting until AFTER THEY did the same.

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