Kids Aren’t Colorblind Adults Need to Talk With Them

Irene on our FYI staff team sent me this fascinating Newsweek article on kids and race.  It’s long, but worth the read.  Highlights for me:

1. Kids are very aware of race from an early age.
2. Parents aren’t talking with them about race and so kids end up making all sorts of assumptions.

My husband and I are both very committed to talking with our kids about race.  It all started when our oldest realized that my skin is more fair (or “pinkish” as he called it) and my husband is more tan (or “brownish”).  He brought it up; not us.

But since then, we’ve been bringing it up.

Often when we have friends over for dinner who have different skin colors, we talk with our kids about it.  I remember when Albert and LaRosa came over, we actually held up our arms against their so they saw the difference in Anglo skin and African-American skin.

A few days ago, my son was practicing soccer at Jackie Robinson Field at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.  I asked him if he knew who Jackie Robinson was, and since he didn’t, I gave him a brief bio.  I taught him the word “discrimination” on the way to the field.

This article strengthens my resolve as a parent and a youth worker to talk with kids about race.  I’m curious:  in what ways are you trying to talk with kids about race?

©2009 Fuller Youth Institute