Every now and then I have a weird run in with a total stranger who will end up yelling abuse at me and calling me nasty names (and usually I end up yelling even ruder things back ).
One of these days it's going to happen while my boys are with me. It has before but they were to young to ask questions. I know they're going to ask why so I've tried to come up with answers but every answer I come up with just sounds inadequate.
i usually say to my kids along the lines of everyone is different and that is good because it would nt be so fun if everyone looked acted and was the same. unfortunatley there are some people who think we all should be the same.
and we dont have to agree with them because thats whats so great about being different..
thats about where we are upto so far with that.. HTH
we're lucky in that all of our friends and family are very mixed in their ethnicity etc - so i don't think that they would ever see colour etc as being something different, as they are used to it.
i think that if they ever had questions about prejudice, i would say tht we are all different, we have the same parts, but some things aren't quite the same - none is better or worse. if they questioned why someone was biggoted, i think i would tell them that some people are scared of things that are different to them...
not much help. i'm sorry you have to face these problems though xoxo
My dad just used to tell us that some people are different to us and some people are stupid (ie small-minded people). If he ever heard any racist/bigoted comment he would make sure we knew that this behaviour and attitude was not acceptable. Maybe part of the reason I think so little of people who spout off xenophobic attitudes.
BUT we never had it directed at us. Don't have any clue there other than laughing at the person for being so stupid and saying such silly things.
I've seen it, the boys have seen it. I just tell them they are mean people who don't know how to be nice to others.
Lucky from me I come from a very mixed family, step dad is indian, step brothers malaysian, uncle who's german, uncle whos chinese... they have been exposed to all different people and don't see it as a problem once Jaidan even saw someone in a wheelchair and commented how they had a COOL car lol
Too bad not everyone can bring their kids up the same
Well for us, I just tell my son that they are just jealous - being Native American is cool.
But I am just so happy that my kids don't see the differences as a problem. Oddly DH and I were only talking the other day about how people can be like this - what could possibly be wrong in their heads that they hate a person without even knowing anything about them...
I feel that if I just ensure my kids arent one of them, then I am not contributing to the problem.
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How do you explain bigottry to children?
).
once Jaidan even saw someone in a wheelchair and commented how they had a COOL car
lol
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