Race and racism conversations with kids

Race and racism conversations with kids

A CONVERSATION THAT IS NEVEREASY TO HAVE WITH CHILDREN.23ABC'S DANIELA GARRIDO SPOKEWITH A LOCAL PSYCHOLOGISTON HOW TO HAVE THATCONVERSATION WITH YOUR KIDSAT HOME.THESE CONVERSATIONS CAN BE HARDAND SOMETIMESUNCOMFORTABLE TO HAVE WITH YOUNGKIDS BUT THEY ARE NECESSARY ANDNOW IS A GREAT TIME TO DO IT.WE SPOKE WITH A LOCALPSYCHOLOGIST ON HOW TONAVIGATE THIS CONVERSATION ATHOME."HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS EARLYAND OFTEN"AS BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTSCONTINUEACROSS THE COUNTRY, MANY PARENTSARE WONDERING HOWTHEY CAN START THE CONVERSATIONABOUT RACE ANDRACISM AT HOME WITH THEIR KIDS."ITS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO TAKE TOTHESE PROTESTS - CONVERSATIONSAS TO WHY WE ARE THERE, WHAT ISHAPPENING, AND WHY THEPROTESTS ARE HAPPENING..

MOSTIMPORTANTLY,MODEL THE GOOD BEHAVIOR FROM THEPARENT IN THIS CASE"DR. DWIGHT NORMAN IS A LOCALCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTWHO FOCUSES ON FAMILY ANDPARENTING THERAPY AND HESAYS THE CONVERSATION ABOUT RACEAND RACISM IS NOEASY FEAT IN THE HOUSEHOLD."ENCOURAGE THEM TO FEELCOMFORTABLE ASKINGQUESTIONS ALSO PROVIDE THEEDUCATION SURROUNDINGDIFFERENT CULTURES BACKGROUNDSAND RACES THATWILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEIRDIFFERENCES ANDTHE DIFFERENCES OF THE PEOPLEAROUND THEM IN A SOCIAL CAPACITYAND ITS WHAT MAKES THEM UNIQUEFROM ONE ANOTHER"LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN FOR ACURIOUS CHILD TO ASK THEUNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS IS KEYTO CREATING A HEALTHYCONVERSATION."WHEN YOURE HAVING THESEDISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR KID,ENCOURAGE CRITICAL THINKING..ALLOW THEM TO EXPRESSTHEMSELVES ON HOW THEY AREPROCESSING WHATSHAPPENING AND PROVIDE DIFFERENTSCENARIOS FORTHEM TO COME UP WITH THE OWNANSWERS AND ALLOW THEM TOEXPRESS HOW THEY FEEL ON WHAT'SGOING ON"ACCORDING TO DR. NORMAN, HE SEESTHIS TOPIC COMES UPMOSTLY IN HIS TEENAGE PATIENTS."KIDS THAT ARE 8 AND BELOW THEYUNDERSTAND THERESDIFFERENCES AND PEOPLE ARESPECIAL IN THEIR OWN RIGHT BUTTHEY DONT REALLY GRASP RACIALDIVIDE UNTIL YOU HIT5TH, 6TH, MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERETHOSE DISCUSSIONSBECOME MORE PROMINENT"AVOIDING THE CONVERSATION CANCAUSE LONG-TERMPSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGE IN ACHILD'S BEHAVIOR."YOULL SEE ALOT OF NEGATIVEEMOTIONS WHICH LEAD TO NEGATIVETHINKING AND SHAME GUILTCONFUSION AND NOTUNDERSTANDING WHATS HAPPENINGCAN LEAD TOAGGRESSIVE ACTION PHYSICALLY ORVERBALLY"ALL MORNING WE WILL BE TALKINGABOUT DIFFERENT ONLINE AND BOOKRESOURCES.THE KERN COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICEHAS