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
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:12pm
One more time. Yes, you child has to be friends with them. I am not talking about kids who have been de-friended; I am talking about kids who *are* friends. Unless you are friends with all the kids your child is friends with, you can't see those other walls. Thus, you don't know what's happening on them.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:13pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:14pm

I must have confused you for tryingtoquit. My bad.

I guess I should be "happy" you speed?-lol!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:15pm

You don't go on YOUR children's fb account? I do and I see EXACTLY what is going on, on her wall and can see on her friends walls.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:15pm

And? That is what I do. lol!!

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:16pm
My kids don't have FB yet. So by friending your child, you can see what is on all of her friends' walls?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:17pm

No and I never said that. I go on my child's facebook to see what is going on.

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:18pm
How can you see her friends' walls, then?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:19pm

Oh my....by going on my child's facebook account.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:20pm

Maybe I should be MORE clean. By LITERALLY going on her facebook account. Not by looking at it from mine.

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