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: 07-17-2007
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 10:36am

ITA that it is different with each child.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 11:05am
Actually I think face book rules are more set in stone than TOS on this site.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 11:06am

My kids have never had a issue with bullying or harassment on their face book pages. Everyone gets along well.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 11:11am
ITA!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 11:24am

ITA with you. That is why discipline doesn't stay the same through the years or even for the same age.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 11:29am
BTW, THANKS! :)
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 12:00pm
ITA. It takes more thought up front than just taking away a random privilege, but it works really well.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 12:03pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 12:36pm
How nice for you, but that doesn't dictate my actions.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 12:41pm
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I didn't "want" any, you said they were personal, so I respected that boundary. If you expect people to respect your boundaries about personal and non personal topics, then you might want to start respecting others.



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Well thankfully in this wide, diverse and different world...it doesn't come down to those two choices. What makes you think that everyone in this wide, diverse world either doesn't discipline or their techniques are exactly like yours? Have you written a book or something that you feel that you are the benchmark of discipline as a parent? That's quite the ego there otherwise.

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