what do kids want to talk about by age
Your Age-by-Age Guide to Talking Well-nigh Race
Find out what children understand about racial differences and how to talk to them about it in our age-by-age guide.
One day you lot're standing in an elevator and your iii-yr-sometime points to a person of a different race, blurting out, "Mommy, that human being has a funny colour peel." What practice you say? We've highlighted what children understand about race and how to talk to them well-nigh information technology.
Ages six months to 1 twelvemonth
Studies evidence that babies recognize differences in skin color and pilus textures, says Rebecca Bigler, Ph. D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, who has studied children's racial attitudes. Even before they tin can talk to their children, parents can teach through their deportment. In addition, do your best to betrayal your child to a diverse surround. It'southward important for kids to see their parents collaborate socially with people of other racial and ethnic groups.
While information technology'south important to talk about concrete differences (hair type, skin and eye color, and even meridian), yous should besides call attention to the special talents inherent in variety. Attempt, "Everybody is special, and and then-and-so is special because his family can speak another language," says Harriett Romo, Ph.D., managing director of the Child and Adolescent Policy Research Found at the University of Texas at San Antonio. By doing this, you'll teach them to focus less on how someone looks and more on what they offering."
Ages two to 3
When children go more vocal, it's normal for them to spontaneously start talking about skin color. And so assist your child by replying in a calm, positive tone, "Yes, he does take chocolate-brown peel. It's not the same equally yours, but it'southward a really nice colour too." It's also fine to bring upward people's physical differences before your child does. A smart fourth dimension to do this is when you lot're playing with toys and already pointing out various concrete attributes: "This doll has a hat on, that i doesn't; this i has dark skin, that one doesn't."
- Related: How to Talk to Your Kids About Race
Credit: Brocreative/Shutterstock
Ages 4 to 6
It's common for children this age to assign positive traits to people of their own ethnic group and negative traits to people who wait different, says Dr. Bigler. As a consequence, you lot may hear troubling comments like "That male child has funny-looking eyes" or "Her skin is dingy." The best style to answer is to rebut these statements in a calm, straightforward manner ("Her skin isn't muddied, it'south merely non like yours. People are all different skin colors").
Talk to them about smashing stereotypes by learning about the important contributions made by people of color. Chapter-volume series such as Who Was? illustrate the accomplishments of men and women similar Jackie Robinson, Malala Yousafzai, and Frida Kahlo. Celebrate your child's ain cultural strengths, and encourage them to step it upwardly. "For case, if yous see someone struggling with a language barrier, help them out and tell your child, 'Come across how of import it is that nosotros speak two languages and can help [interpret],'" Dr. Romo says.
Ages 7 to viii
Racial attitudes tend to improve around this age. Children become receptive to the thought that we're different and akin at the same fourth dimension, so stress this concept whenever possible, says Dr. Bigler. For example, if your child points out that a friend at school has hair texture that's different from his, say, "That'southward true, his hair isn't like yours, is information technology? But you both love playing baseball." The central is to find a way to point out similarities so your child doesn't get the thought that children of another race are and then very different from him.
Older kids are too more than likely to be exposed to news about racial injustices and stereotypes, whether in the classroom or at home during evening broadcasts, so it's critical to dispel cultural myths. "To go them to understand that you shouldn't brand generalizations well-nigh people before getting to know them, say, 'Some kids like vanilla ice cream, but not all kids like vanilla ice cream, so you tin't brand a argument that applies to anybody in a group.'" This will assistance them focus on the individual instead of the group.
Source: https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/teaching-tolerance/talking-about-race-with-kids/
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