How to Talk to Your White Children About Racism
I am writing this post because I know I need to do much better at teaching my children and equally importantly, myself, about racism and social disparities. Not having the right words has paralyzed me, and so many others, from addressing the issues of racism and racial injustice for far too long. Not wanting to say the wrong thing or word something incorrectly or unintentionally hurt someone's feelings. What an awful excuse to hide behind.
We are moms of young children. The next generation is in our hands. I think most of us can agree that the current state of our country is not what we would hope our kids' world would look like.
Messages like these about racism and white privilege flooded my DMs these last few weeks:
"i've been struggling to address this myself"
"I'm sorely lacking in the department and need help"
"I'm starting w/myself. I've only begun to understand my biases & institutionalized racism"
Where do we begin? How do we teach our children about racism? What resources are out there? How can we do better?
I, too, am starting with me. Soul searching, diving into articles, recognizing the privileges I have just because I was born with white skin. Recognizing my own biases and fears and the words I use about race. Goodness I have much to learn and fix.
I'm sharing some of the resources that have been helpful to me this past weekend. I hope you find them helpful too.
Resources that have helped me:
This video helped me understand white privilege: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1014990085308007
Best article I read about racing race conscious kids: https://cupofjo.com/2016/10/raising-race-conscious-children/
I've added this book and this book to my Summer reading list.
Helpful list of actionable items: 75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
Stalking the Zinn Education Project for ideas on historical events to teach my kiddos about.
Instagram accounts I’ve recently followed:
@theconsciouskid (this post was incredibly helpful in realizing it's time to start talking to my kids)
@rachel.cargle (her saturday school lesson posts are insightful, as is her feed)
@hereweeread --amazing kid's book suggestions
@readlikearockstar (watch her highlights)
@diversereads --great book suggestions!
@ohhappydani (this post gave me a starting point for self reflection)
Ideas you shared for diversifying our social circles:
Send your kids to a school with a diverse student base.
Use the Peanut app to find people that you may not meet in your usual circles.
Do story time at different libraries across your city to meet different people.
Be intentional.
Find a friend who is doing it. Learn from them. Don't be afraid.
If you're moving, consider the diversity of the area when house hunting.
Visit churches that have people of color.
Join little league or a sports team or ballet classes in a different area.
Other tips for addressing racism from the Momma Society community:
Don't be afraid to use the word racism.
Self-reflect on what your kid's friend circle looks like.
+Teach the history of racism with stories from real people, especially focusing on Black people who are left out of the traditional history curriculum.
As a mom, search our own hearts for unconscious biases and actively work to address them. A great guided book for this is Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad.
Make Black history part of your normal conversation (not just in February).
Seek out and support Black-owned businesses.
This is where I'm starting. I hope you'll start too. As moms we have a responsibility to teach our kids about topics that may be uncomfortable for us. But now is the time.
I'll be sharing a round up of toys and books that can be helpful tools for promoting racial diversity later this week. I'm looking forward to adding some to our collection soon.
