DC Kids holding values when surrounded by conservatives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have taught them tolerance of different opinions, right? Then they’ll be fine.

It is more than “different opinions.” I can appreciate where the OP is coming from. Tolerating different opinions is one thing. Opinions which deny another person’s identity or judge/shame them is quite another. Yes kids can learn to respectfully disagree about many issues; however hate and denying someone’s truth is not so simple to “respectfully disagree.”

Of course in day to day world , people go about it. I think the OP means if the people her child tries to build friendships with and connect with come from a place of hate or condemnation of race, sexuality, religion, gender then that is something their child is not used to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking with a kid raised in DC in a multiracial home with friends from other races and lots of LGBTQ friends and family. The teen is going to attend college in a conservative part of the country in a few months. How do these DC kids raised here in a "bubble" where misogyny, racism, and homophobia are not tolerated do when confronted with this sort of thing in Red states or rural America small towns where it's common to make fun of people who are offended by this stuff? What's the best advice to give these teens? I doubt that many realize what they're about to step into, so warning or preparing them seems like a good idea.

You must be joking, right?

The DC bubble as you rightly call it is everything except a paragon of tolerance, openness and principles.

Good for kids to grow up and adapt to the big world out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking with a kid raised in DC in a multiracial home with friends from other races and lots of LGBTQ friends and family. The teen is going to attend college in a conservative part of the country in a few months. How do these DC kids raised here in a "bubble" where misogyny, racism, and homophobia are not tolerated do when confronted with this sort of thing in Red states or rural America small towns where it's common to make fun of people who are offended by this stuff? What's the best advice to give these teens? I doubt that many realize what they're about to step into, so warning or preparing them seems like a good idea.

You must be joking, right?

The DC bubble as you rightly call it is everything except a paragon of tolerance, openness and principles.

Good for kids to grow up and adapt to the big world out there.

(We recently moved from the US to the UK and my kids are very much enjoying the move and the lack of constant policing of what they think, feel, say)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking with a kid raised in DC in a multiracial home with friends from other races and lots of LGBTQ friends and family. The teen is going to attend college in a conservative part of the country in a few months. How do these DC kids raised here in a "bubble" where misogyny, racism, and homophobia are not tolerated do when confronted with this sort of thing in Red states or rural America small towns where it's common to make fun of people who are offended by this stuff? What's the best advice to give these teens? I doubt that many realize what they're about to step into, so warning or preparing them seems like a good idea.

You must be joking, right?

The DC bubble as you rightly call it is everything except a paragon of tolerance, openness and principles.

Good for kids to grow up and adapt to the big world out there.

Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am OP. I grew up in a place like this. When I went away to college I learned that I had all sorts of backwards ideas about groups of people even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't realize how hurtful many of the terms we used to describe people were. I know now, and I live in DC now where my kid was raised with what I consider more evolved ideas.

Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places.

Honestly, your kid will be fine. If this is an issue at all, it will be an opportunity for growth. That’s a good thing. You don’t need to solve this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am OP. I grew up in a place like this. When I went away to college I learned that I had all sorts of backwards ideas about groups of people even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't realize how hurtful many of the terms we used to describe people were. I know now, and I live in DC now where my kid was raised with what I consider more evolved ideas.

Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places.

Honestly, your kid will be fine. If this is an issue at all, it will be an opportunity for growth. That’s a good thing. You don’t need to solve this.

+1

OP is a quite interesting case, loving "diversity" while being concerned that "Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places."

Diversity my foot. What OP wants is Stalinist conformity or else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have taught them tolerance of different opinions, right? Then they’ll be fine.

It is more than “different opinions.” I can appreciate where the OP is coming from. Tolerating different opinions is one thing. Opinions which deny another person’s identity or judge/shame them is quite another. Yes kids can learn to respectfully disagree about many issues; however hate and denying someone’s truth is not so simple to “respectfully disagree.”

Of course in day to day world , people go about it. I think the OP means if the people her child tries to build friendships with and connect with come from a place of hate or condemnation of race, sexuality, religion, gender then that is something their child is not used to.

+1

Slim pickings for lifelong friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking with a kid raised in DC in a multiracial home with friends from other races and lots of LGBTQ friends and family. The teen is going to attend college in a conservative part of the country in a few months. How do these DC kids raised here in a "bubble" where misogyny, racism, and homophobia are not tolerated do when confronted with this sort of thing in Red states or rural America small towns where it's common to make fun of people who are offended by this stuff? What's the best advice to give these teens? I doubt that many realize what they're about to step into, so warning or preparing them seems like a good idea.

You must be joking, right?

The DC bubble as you rightly call it is everything except a paragon of tolerance, openness and principles.

Good for kids to grow up and adapt to the big world out there.

(We recently moved from the US to the UK and my kids are very much enjoying the move and the lack of constant policing of what they think, feel, say)

Are your children white?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am OP. I grew up in a place like this. When I went away to college I learned that I had all sorts of backwards ideas about groups of people even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't realize how hurtful many of the terms we used to describe people were. I know now, and I live in DC now where my kid was raised with what I consider more evolved ideas.

Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places.

It seems you raised your kids the same way you were raised: in a bubble where people all have the same values.

Do they have any experience defending those values? Or even discussing them with people who have different values? Working and living alongside people who have different values?

It sounds like you want them to be able to go forth into world in that bubble, safe from encountering different kinds of people who might challenge them.

Maybe you should have thought of all this sooner and chosen differently (school, I bet). The good news is your kids will be fine. You learned, right? So will they.

[Anonymous]

My DC- raised white DD is going off to a small rural college. It fit everything she was looking for except the racial diversity she is used to. I pointed out that her preference for small rural colleges meant that all the schools she liked lacked racial diversity. But what this school does have, which she has not experienced, is more people from rural areas and more 1st Gen students as well as international students. So she will actually experience a new kind of diversity that will challenge her thinking vs going to the same kind of environment she's been in (with the caveat that, yes, all LACs are going to be mostly politically liberal).

Getting into a different environment is good for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As somebody who grew up in one of those conservative small towns, I’m mostly concerned with the way you are trying to present them.

You are WAY off and you are setting these kids up with wild, untrue stereotypes. Everything you are accusing these unnamed small-town people of are things that you can find right here in the DMV.

The kids (if they exist and this isn’t a troll post) will likely find out that differing views exist, and that many people are able to coexist with people they don’t necessarily align with.

It happens all over the country.

Did you see that documentary on sororities at University of Alabama? It is a different world down there. The “top tier” sororities like alpha phi were 100% White girls with long hair, 80% of them bleaching that hair blonde. They were judged on their looks and clothing to see how well they’d look at fraternity parties. One of them at alpha phi was kicked out because she was outed on texting that a college bar smelled bad, like weed, cigs and black girl. And they had to take a video down advertising themselves as racially homogeneous while running in bikinis.

I’m sure students from the northeast will find friends they enjoy being with but just seeing these types prancing around would be irritating.

You think petty bullying only happens among conservatives?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am OP. I grew up in a place like this. When I went away to college I learned that I had all sorts of backwards ideas about groups of people even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't realize how hurtful many of the terms we used to describe people were. I know now, and I live in DC now where my kid was raised with what I consider more evolved ideas.

Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places.

It seems you raised your kids the same way you were raised: in a bubble where people all have the same values.

Do they have any experience defending those values? Or even discussing them with people who have different values? Working and living alongside people who have different values?

It sounds like you want them to be able to go forth into world in that bubble, safe from encountering different kinds of people who might challenge them.

Maybe you should have thought of all this sooner and chosen differently (school, I bet). The good news is your kids will be fine. You learned, right? So will they.

Ironically, these kids are often like OP - raised in a bubble then more likely to switch teams when they are exposed to a new group and discover all of the stereotypes they have learned from their parents are untrue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just talking with a kid raised in DC in a multiracial home with friends from other races and lots of LGBTQ friends and family. The teen is going to attend college in a conservative part of the country in a few months. How do these DC kids raised here in a "bubble" where misogyny, racism, and homophobia are not tolerated do when confronted with this sort of thing in Red states or rural America small towns where it's common to make fun of people who are offended by this stuff? What's the best advice to give these teens? I doubt that many realize what they're about to step into, so warning or preparing them seems like a good idea.

You must be joking, right?

The DC bubble as you rightly call it is everything except a paragon of tolerance, openness and principles.

Good for kids to grow up and adapt to the big world out there.

(We recently moved from the US to the UK and my kids are very much enjoying the move and the lack of constant policing of what they think, feel, say)

Are your children white?

No.

Are you as always as racist as you sound?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC- raised white DD is going off to a small rural college. It fit everything she was looking for except the racial diversity she is used to. I pointed out that her preference for small rural colleges meant that all the schools she liked lacked racial diversity. But what this school does have, which she has not experienced, is more people from rural areas and more 1st Gen students as well as international students. So she will actually experience a new kind of diversity that will challenge her thinking vs going to the same kind of environment she's been in (with the caveat that, yes, all LACs are going to be mostly politically liberal).

Getting into a different environment is good for them.

+1

Kids should learn that the world is not some old Benetton ad. Otherwise imagine the first time they dare visit Beijing, Tokyo, Hanoi, Bogota, Mexico DF or Nairobi!!

It'd be like the end of the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am OP. I grew up in a place like this. When I went away to college I learned that I had all sorts of backwards ideas about groups of people even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't realize how hurtful many of the terms we used to describe people were. I know now, and I live in DC now where my kid was raised with what I consider more evolved ideas.

Those of you acting like there aren't differences among people across regions of the country and in rural towns are full of it. I'm not saying that every person there thinks this way, but i am saying (accurately) that there are different norms in these places.

It seems you raised your kids the same way you were raised: in a bubble where people all have the same values.

Do they have any experience defending those values? Or even discussing them with people who have different values? Working and living alongside people who have different values?

It sounds like you want them to be able to go forth into world in that bubble, safe from encountering different kinds of people who might challenge them.

Maybe you should have thought of all this sooner and chosen differently (school, I bet). The good news is your kids will be fine. You learned, right? So will they.

Ironically, these kids are often like OP - raised in a bubble then more likely to switch teams when they are exposed to a new group and discover all of the stereotypes they have learned from their parents are untrue.

That's exactly what OP is afraid of. Same as some Mormom parent who doesn't want her kids far away.