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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They BOTH have health risks. Drinking has a risk of drinking and driving though.
How often do you see their posts and pictures?
Here honey the picture is up i wanted you to see that is inapropriate so i can teach you right from wrong.
I have not said what i have or have not done with 12 yr olds FB page. NOW~
The people she is friends with are NOT the ones that I have seen not appropriate (IMO) posts and pictures.
I'm sure you are also quite aware that there is a major, huge difference between talking to a child about those things and showing them those things.
Nope, she does not see posts from MY friends on her wall. I know because I go on her wall, just like I go on my dh's wall.
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