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 - 5:32pm
So I ask again....breaking rules and lies are fun?

Pick one, anyone, lol.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:36pm
Yes, it's love of guy stuff and lovey dovey between the girls, lol.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:37pm

On the exceedingly rare occasion that I've defriended someone (Kim Michaelson would be one example for those who will immedately demand examples, and no, I won't be providing more but DO feel free to act like an idiot and demand them anyway), I don't announce it.

************

Kitty

"If you can't annoy somebody with what you write, I think there's little point in writing."-- Kingsley Amis, British novelist, 1971 t .

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:40pm
Yeah, the idea of logging in as her and reading her friends' walls makes me feel queasy. To me, part of the difference with the phone is that it isn't a group thing. I think that kids (and frankly, adults, judging from these boards ;)) will do things in a group setting that they won't do on their own. My dd is a solid kid, and I want her to stay that way. ;) I'm in no rush to have her join FB.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-04-2009
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:43pm

************

Kitty

"If you can't annoy somebody with what you write, I think there's little point in writing."-- Kingsley Amis, British novelist, 1971 t .

Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:44pm
That's good to hear.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:48pm
If I thought my dd would only want to friend her close friends, I wouldn't have any concerns, but I assume she will want to friend kids she knows at school but isn't as close with as well as to stay in touch with old friends who go to different schools, etc. That's the argument I hear about why FB is a good thing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:49pm
Oh...I'm sorry, I thought they were facebooks, thank you.
Avatar for mom34101
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:53pm
That makes me *really* queasy.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2010
Fri, 12-31-2010 - 5:53pm
Our rule is that he has to "know" them and I know he has turned down requests from his younger brothers friends who he doesn't know and has also turned down kids in his own grade for the same reason.

I was pretty zealous about it at first, checking things out just because I was worried....thankfully we really haven't had any issues and now I just really check the news feed and new friends. I think the most important thing is conversation, I ask how ds1 knows so and so or about things that appear on my wall. I think the "knowing" I am watching is the biggest thing, lol.

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