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 - 4:21pm
Oh, you mean you log in as your child and read her friends' walls?
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:22pm

No, my child logs in and sits with me and we look together at her account.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:23pm

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:24pm
Wow; that sounds time-consuming. How often do you do this? I didn't realize there were parents doing it this way.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:25pm

Bawahhaa....I was joking. Lighten up-lol!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:25pm

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:27pm

No, not really. She usually tells me if she de-friends somebody for some reason and usually shows me the posts. I don't do it the same time every month but at least a few times a month. I don't find doing something for my child and being a good parent "time consuming" shrug.

May I ask what YOU would do?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:28pm

Oh my....I answered the post BEFORE I saw that you answered it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:30pm
That was one of my concerns and really still is, we have an on-going discussion about friending people on facebook.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-22-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:31pm

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