Reply to Explaining racism and sexism to 3.5 year old?

Forum Index » Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Reply to "Explaining racism and sexism to 3.5 year old? "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I disagree with the posters that say it's too young. Of course you will not expect them to completely grasp the concept, it's about setting foundations. Those foundations are important because at this age kids are already trying to explain differences they see (why is the man standing in the median asking for money often black?) if you don't start answering those questions and starting to teach the basics on these concepts, they will come up with their own answers. That's what researchers say at least (all research has limitations).

My favorite book that helped my son right around that age startttt to slowly get some of these concepts and gave me EXTREMELY helpful language to use as it came up is called "Our Skin a first conversation about race" https://www.target.com/p/our-skin-a-first-conversation-about-race-first-conversations-by-megan-madison-jessica-ralli-hardcover/-/A-82975076

There are many others but in my opinion this one is the most simple and to the point, not talking in euphemisms. It explains that we all have different skin color, why that is (melanin), then it talks about how skin color can't tell you much about what people are like, what they know, etc etc etc - just by looking at someone we can't tell who they are on the inside. Then it tells the story about how a long time ago some people made up an idea called race. It goes through what that is and names racism, saying that this idea wasn't fair or true at all, but it's a story that has been told for a long time. Then it gives some examples of racism that even little kids can understand. And then what they can do. I just grabbed it from my son's room so I could walk through it.

My son immediately gravitated to it at that age because he was trying to figure things out and would ask to have it read over and over. Now he doesn't as much. Does he understand racism? No. But at 4.5 he can definitely tell you that some people are treated differently only because of their skin color and that is wrong (in 4 year old words). It's just the foundation, we'll get more into it as he keeps getting older.

Anyway, in your situation I probably would have used some of the words that I learned from this book - in the past, and sometimes even today, girls and especially girls with Black skin weren't always allowed to do the same thing as boys with white skin. That was wrong and unfair. Now, we work hard to make sure that everyone can do the things they want to do - like be an astronaut.

You got this op, it's not easy but this gives you some language to start with.[/quote]

OP here.  Thank you!  [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics