KITCHENER -- As people around the world continue to protest against racism and police brutality, many parents may be wondering how to talk to their kids about issues affecting the Black community.
Alice Penny says the way she approaches these conversations depends on the age of her child, but one thing stays the same -- the focus of their talk is always on them.
“For my 5-year-old, it’s more just realizing that, it’s being put on him that there’s other people who are different colours,” she says. “It’s starting to celebrate his colour and tell him how beautiful he is. With my 12-year-old, it’s way more different because now we can have more direct conversation and talk about some of his experiences.”
It’s a little different with her oldest child.
“My hope is that my 22-year-old has the tools to be able to speak up for herself,” she says.
Being aware of issues that other people are facing is an important part of Tory Miller’s discussions with her kids.
“They have a lot of different friends from different cultures and it’s important that they understand what white privileges are because that exists,” she says.
Penny’s experience led her to create “Bring on the Sunshine,” an organization dedicated to celebrating and providing education on African culture. It's also is a resource for those wanting more information on anti-racism and inclusion.
“Giving them positive things to associate with, [like] where they come from, as they build their personalities,” she says.
Penny wants parents to understand and be educated about the issues first before trying to have a meaningful conversation with their kids.
“As a parent, it is up to you to make sure your kid understands when they repeat what they hear in music or what they see on TV,” she says. “There’s a bigger context to their conversation.”
Miller says that’s something she’s been trying to do.
“We talked about systemic racism because that’s something I never learned about growing up and we felt it was important for them to understand it,” she says.
Both the Kitchener Public Library and Idea Exchange in Cambridge say they've seen increased demand for resources that teach kids about racism.
