Anonymous wrote:Our preschool just sent around a year end video. Part of it was asking each kid what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was done at home, so the parents recorded the video. I'm not sure whether it was done pre George Floyd's death or not.

Two of the kids stated that they wanted to be police officers and talked about how they help/protect people. I'm not sure how to react.

First, should I say anything to my kid to offer a more balanced perspective, or should I just let it go? Should this change the degree to which I let me kid play with those kids, or should it change my interactions with the parents?

Especially if this was done post-Floyd murder (although let's not pretend the same thing has happened repeatedly in recent and less recent history), it seems at best tone deaf to submit those videos of the kids idolizing the police. It is very easy to redirect a five year old and I am sure the parents could have encouraged their kids to say something less controversial. I don't know whether this was intended as an overt political statement, but it is surprising they wouldn't realize how at least some people would view their kids' statements and I wonder more broadly what they are teaching their kids.

“I heard Larla say that she wanted to be a police officer during the end of year video. A lot of people think police help people, but a lot of the time they hurt people more than they help. If I were Larla’s mommy I’d ask her to pick a different job that helps everyone.”

Anonymous wrote:Our preschool just sent around a year end video. Part of it was asking each kid what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was done at home, so the parents recorded the video. I'm not sure whether it was done pre George Floyd's death or not.

Two of the kids stated that they wanted to be police officers and talked about how they help/protect people. I'm not sure how to react.

First, should I say anything to my kid to offer a more balanced perspective, or should I just let it go? Should this change the degree to which I let me kid play with those kids, or should it change my interactions with the parents?

Especially if this was done post-Floyd murder (although let's not pretend the same thing has happened repeatedly in recent and less recent history), it seems at best tone deaf to submit those videos of the kids idolizing the police. It is very easy to redirect a five year old and I am sure the parents could have encouraged their kids to say something less controversial. I don't know whether this was intended as an overt political statement, but it is surprising they wouldn't realize how at least some people would view their kids' statements and I wonder more broadly what they are teaching their kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're preschoolers. Of course they want to be police officers and firemen and nurses etc. The places where they see examples most often are cartoons and books where those characters are always positive. There are no bad cops in kids books. Mr. rogers called them "helpers". Teach your kid about the world and introduce reality and what's happening as it's age appropriate.

OP here. I'll respond to this post which was constructive, unlike many posts just calling me crazy.

I understand that kids might want to be police officers and it might be too much too use this to call into question what they are generally teaching their kids because of the things you mention. That makes sense.

But it still strikes me as tone deaf to submit those videos at this moment given what the country is going through. Sure, it isn't a statement that All Lives Matter or the kid wearing a MAGA hat in the video, but I never would have submitted that video right now. And if the video was done pre-nationwide protests, they had almost two weeks to submit something different.

Why submit/stick with something that could be interpreted as thumbing your nose at the current protests and be triggering to some people?

Because these are children, not adults, and their parents are not confusing their childlike perspective of the police with the more nuanced perspectives that grown ups have. They are not using their kids as pawns to show how woke they are.

Also, as I reflect on my child's friends, I would welcome any of them to be police officers. They would be true "good guys". If they were old enough, they are the type of people who would be joining the protests right now.

I think OP, this concern is more about you and your concern how other perceive you. Try to separate your responsibilities as an adult from the responsibilities of your children.

But presumably the 5 year olds did not record the video and submit it to the school. That's action by the parents and the parents should be aware of the context.

Little kids can do all sorts of things, such as make comments that could be viewed as racists or ableist, not really understanding the nuance and context. A parent can't control what is said in the moment, but you'd like to think they wouldn't broadcast one their kid's unknowing foibles for the world to see.

But presumably the 5 year olds did not record the video and submit it to the school. That's action by the parents and the parents should be aware of the context.

Little kids can do all sorts of things, such as make comments that could be viewed as racists or ableist, not really understanding the nuance and context. A parent can't control what is said in the moment, but you'd like to think they wouldn't broadcast one their kid's unknowing foibles for the world to see.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're preschoolers. Of course they want to be police officers and firemen and nurses etc. The places where they see examples most often are cartoons and books where those characters are always positive. There are no bad cops in kids books. Mr. rogers called them "helpers". Teach your kid about the world and introduce reality and what's happening as it's age appropriate.

OP here. I'll respond to this post which was constructive, unlike many posts just calling me crazy.

I understand that kids might want to be police officers and it might be too much too use this to call into question what they are generally teaching their kids because of the things you mention. That makes sense.

But it still strikes me as tone deaf to submit those videos at this moment given what the country is going through. Sure, it isn't a statement that All Lives Matter or the kid wearing a MAGA hat in the video, but I never would have submitted that video right now. And if the video was done pre-nationwide protests, they had almost two weeks to submit something different.

Why submit/stick with something that could be interpreted as thumbing your nose at the current protests and be triggering to some people?

Because these are children, not adults, and their parents are not confusing their childlike perspective of the police with the more nuanced perspectives that grown ups have. They are not using their kids as pawns to show how woke they are.

Also, as I reflect on my child's friends, I would welcome any of them to be police officers. They would be true "good guys". If they were old enough, they are the type of people who would be joining the protests right now.

I think OP, this concern is more about you and your concern how other perceive you. Try to separate your responsibilities as an adult from the responsibilities of your children.

Anonymous wrote:Our preschool just sent around a year end video. Part of it was asking each kid what they wanted to be when they grew up. This was done at home, so the parents recorded the video. I'm not sure whether it was done pre George Floyd's death or not.

Two of the kids stated that they wanted to be police officers and talked about how they help/protect people. I'm not sure how to react.

First, should I say anything to my kid to offer a more balanced perspective, or should I just let it go? Should this change the degree to which I let me kid play with those kids, or should it change my interactions with the parents?

Especially if this was done post-Floyd murder (although let's not pretend the same thing has happened repeatedly in recent and less recent history), it seems at best tone deaf to submit those videos of the kids idolizing the police. It is very easy to redirect a five year old and I am sure the parents could have encouraged their kids to say something less controversial. I don't know whether this was intended as an overt political statement, but it is surprising they wouldn't realize how at least some people would view their kids' statements and I wonder more broadly what they are teaching their kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're preschoolers. Of course they want to be police officers and firemen and nurses etc. The places where they see examples most often are cartoons and books where those characters are always positive. There are no bad cops in kids books. Mr. rogers called them "helpers". Teach your kid about the world and introduce reality and what's happening as it's age appropriate.

OP here. I'll respond to this post which was constructive, unlike many posts just calling me crazy.

I understand that kids might want to be police officers and it might be too much too use this to call into question what they are generally teaching their kids because of the things you mention. That makes sense.

But it still strikes me as tone deaf to submit those videos at this moment given what the country is going through. Sure, it isn't a statement that All Lives Matter or the kid wearing a MAGA hat in the video, but I never would have submitted that video right now. And if the video was done pre-nationwide protests, they had almost two weeks to submit something different.

Why submit/stick with something that could be interpreted as thumbing your nose at the current protests and be triggering to some people?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're preschoolers. Of course they want to be police officers and firemen and nurses etc. The places where they see examples most often are cartoons and books where those characters are always positive. There are no bad cops in kids books. Mr. rogers called them "helpers". Teach your kid about the world and introduce reality and what's happening as it's age appropriate.

OP here. I'll respond to this post which was constructive, unlike many posts just calling me crazy.

I understand that kids might want to be police officers and it might be too much too use this to call into question what they are generally teaching their kids because of the things you mention. That makes sense.

But it still strikes me as tone deaf to submit those videos at this moment given what the country is going through. Sure, it isn't a statement that All Lives Matter or the kid wearing a MAGA hat in the video, but I never would have submitted that video right now. And if the video was done pre-nationwide protests, they had almost two weeks to submit something different.

Why submit/stick with something that could be interpreted as thumbing your nose at the current protests and be triggering to some people?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They're preschoolers. Of course they want to be police officers and firemen and nurses etc. The places where they see examples most often are cartoons and books where those characters are always positive. There are no bad cops in kids books. Mr. rogers called them "helpers". Teach your kid about the world and introduce reality and what's happening as it's age appropriate.

OP here. I'll respond to this post which was constructive, unlike many posts just calling me crazy.

I understand that kids might want to be police officers and it might be too much too use this to call into question what they are generally teaching their kids because of the things you mention. That makes sense.

But it still strikes me as tone deaf to submit those videos at this moment given what the country is going through. Sure, it isn't a statement that All Lives Matter or the kid wearing a MAGA hat in the video, but I never would have submitted that video right now. And if the video was done pre-nationwide protests, they had almost two weeks to submit something different.

Why submit/stick with something that could be interpreted as thumbing your nose at the current protests and be triggering to some people?