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: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:39pm
So it's fun to break the rules, to encourage and support a child in breaking the rules?

But read the post again, you seemed to have missed a lot of key words in my comments. ;)
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:40pm

Well then I suggest you don't STOP when they are 14 as both my dh and I are very adamant about checking out what your children is doing online and off. We see TOO much cursing, talking about drinking, pictures of drinking, talking about drugs and pictures of drug use on fb from UNDERAGE kids. Either their parents are NOT paying attention to what they do online and off OR they are in denial OR they just don't care.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-17-2007
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:43pm

Amen!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:43pm

Ok, this makes no sense. The entire point is that the op said she reports people. She has not said if the accounts were taken down by fb.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:46pm

I won't try to explain.

“Clearly," said Arthur,"you're an idiot- but you're our kind of idiot. Come on.” 
― Markus ZusakThe Book Thief

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:46pm

Ummm..no, fun wasn't about breaking rules-lol!!

Have YOU ever broke a rule? I mean minor rules, again.

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:47pm
So what do you do about it? I don't see myself doing what cherubs does. Do other people do this? My dd would have no interest in going through her friends' walls with me, and the idea of looking at another child's wall I'm not really supposed to be viewing (since it isn't my child and I'm not friended) feels off to me. Maybe I would feel differently if I had a reason to think something bad was going on.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:47pm
Really? What happened to the problems of bullies all over facebook? That it was common for middle school girls to act that way? What happened to all those kids that you know, see and heard about who are bullies? Poof...they are gone and its no longer a problem. I love it, now it is rare.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:49pm

Bawwahhaa...you "won't try to explain". lol!! Have a wonderful New Years :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 4:50pm
What part of "I don't care" hasn't been clear?

If you want to break the rules and lie, go for it.

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