We are in the midst of a historic shift in the nature of our conversations about race, policing, and activism in this country, and it is important that kids be a part of these conversations.
For the future of our families, communities, and country, we must be willing to have the difficult conversations that will help our kids understand power, privilege, and the systemic racism that oppresses and breeds violence against people of color in America. I encourage all of you not to shy away from these hard topics; I assure you that it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers and that there are appropriate ways to scaffold these conversations for kids of all ages. This website is a good resource if you need help getting started.
Here’s another starting point: for each of the family activities I describe in my previous blog post with summer enrichment ideas, add an activist angle. Listen to podcasts about racism, select vocabulary words that relate to protest and resistance, choose from anti-racist book lists for your family book club, talk about current events during your dinnertime debates, and use the question journal to prompt reflection about implicit bias and social privilege.
If you need support or would like more ideas and resources, please feel contact me. I am currently offering free parent coaching services to any family that would like help navigating these conversations.