CONVERSATION OF THE WEEK XLIX: Diversity From A Child’s Perspective

I agree with the psychological perspective that is discussed. We are most comfortable when we are surrounded by people who we think are similar to us. When in a relationship is may prevent a degree of emotional growth. When we can maintain self and other acceptance through curiosity we may begin to feel closer to other people and possibly closer to ourselves. I have always believed that educating children in diversity is a powerful way to about it. I do not have my own children, but I am a nanny. I see how easily thoughts and ideas about the world are formed in their heads in just seconds. I think if they were taught early on about diversity, the more effective it can be.

I am happy to read this, as I have realized a lot of people in my class are agreeing on the fact that none of us were taught anything but white American history in our schools. It is relieving to see someone making an effort to teach children about diversity, and the parallels children face when choosing friends which who you identify with more. We need to veer away from the traditional teachings in school, because the younger years are the most important in teaching a child what is right and wrong. We should encourage schools to use these published books in schools to start making a change at an early age! I know we are talking about younger children here, but even thinking about changing the high school curriculum is another imperative step in teaching everyone about diversity.

I think learning about other cultures at an early age is very important. Perhaps if an mind is opened, at an early age, as kids, there will be more change in our society and accepting of other people. In some adults cases, their mind is already full and no open to change or diversity issues. This would be especially appropriate in small town, or towns where there are not a lot of minorities.

I think that if children are introduced to people of a different ethnicity and different races when they are young it could have a great impact on their relationships and world view when they are older. If one is only surrounded by people of their own color and religion then their world view and acceptance is limited, simply by what they don't know. The unknown is scary for most people. I wonder what the world would be like if we would all strive to be around people who are different from ourselves. How much more diverse the world would be, and how accepting people may become of people who are different. I think that this is crucial in a society, open mindedness and curiosity should be taught to ever child.

Living in a globally changing community it is very important to realize that the world we deal with day to day is not representative of the world at large. It is important from an early age to have interactions with people of different social identities in order to help deal with the world when older. I think people become so involved with the people and familiar things around them that it is easy to fall into the trap of being naive about world issues, but our children are our future and need to be taught to be aware.

Teaching our children is important. As noted in the article it is important for children to be submerged in diversity and to explore their world through other children. What I think is really is important though is when Von Tobel "we can all become more curious about one another rather than afraid". This is very true. We fear what we do not understand and this fear is then passed on to our children and further sustains these negative ideas about other people and other cultures. What we indirectly teach our children through our actions and words is important.

As I was growing up, we were taught of many other cultures and their history, through my family and school. I never heard any negative judgments made upon different races. Though the city in Europe where I am from did not have the ethnic diversity that the United States has, we were still thoroughly taught about other cultures. I believe that especially since America is such a diverse country, our children need to be educated on a higher level about differences in people, without ignoring their skin color or their traditions and beliefs. Even if schools do not make enough effort on this issue, parents then need to be the source for such education. Everyday conversations in American society consist of some sort of racial stereotyping and discrimination. Our children could be the ones to slowly break these chains. Parents and schools may be afraid to approach these issues because they do not know how. Soon they need to find resources, stop with the ignorance, and teach our children to be curios about diversity.

From the newborn to the elderly we are quite vested in our needs and wants. The need for acceptance and identity is a strong driving force. I don't think children see difference in the same way they do after being influenced later in life but I am sure difference registers. The issue is that we as adults are so afraid of being out of our comfort zone that we pass these fears onto our children. Why are we so freakish about difference? Why do we clan together with this need of identity that is so important to who we are that we have a hard time accepting anything different? If this is human nature, then I say that's what we have intellect and logic for, to override the basic and evolve. Exposure to different perspectives, especially when an individual is young, is paramount to changing this penchant for the definition of self through the familiar. I must say though, I do not think wanting to be around others that are similar is a negative; it is when there is no room for anything different that it becomes destructive. Developing ways to introduce difference through relatable books and education is a wonderful way to administer knowledge and awareness. I love it. My sister and her husband who are white adopted two Hispanic boys from Pueblo. It has been so enlightening to see how difference plays into their dynamics and how both of their parents have processed and grown through this experience. To give the gift of exposure of difference to children is one of the best in my opinion. It makes a better world for everyone.

I think the work of Susan Von Tobel is very important and much needed in this society that needs change. Professor Adrien Wing from the University of Iowa Law School states, "race is not biological but socially constructed. Society decides what race means". It is natural for us as human beings to look for things that are like us in other people to feel comfortable. I think fear of "others" is something that is created by society and not something "natural". I believe that if children are given the opportunity to know and play with other children outside of their ethnic and race group, then they will have the opportunity to find those likenesses with each other regardless of color of skin. "Race" creates barriers. I have very good friends who are a mixed race couple who have children. I watched these kids grow up from infancy. What I saw was an interesting development as they grew older. As babies and toddlers I never saw them question why is mommy "white" and why is daddy "black" and what does that make me? It just was what is was. But once they grew older and started school, there was a struggle in them as to having to decide on what "side" they felt they were going to choice. They shouldn't have to chose, they should be able to be proud of both heritages and find value in both. We as society place these labels on each other that forces one to pick. Whose side are you on? seems like the mentality. Children need to be taught that there is differences and that there is value in the difference, not something to be used to segregate nor be afraid of.

The one thing that stood out most to me in this article is that Von Trobel promotes the idea of being curious about one another rather than being afraid. I agree especially with out children we need to teach acceptance; however, I am not entirely sure that people's unacceptance has to do with fear. At one point in hisory I may have agreed fear was a barrier but in todays society I am not so sure. I do agree with her statement, "We feel most comfortable when we surround ourselves with those who think like us. When this familiarity is the basis of relationships our internal stasis is not challenged, and thus, our emotional growth is limited." I myself have been guilty of creating my "ideal" world in which I have surrounded myself with people I feel the most comfortable with, those who are most like me, but I have found several times this is more of a disadvantage than it is an advantage. By limiting our exposure to certain things or people we set limits on our own individual potential. In the past five years I have really begun to see the importance of diversity in my life but especially in my children's lives.

I really enjoyed reading this article. I definitely agree with Von Tobel that it is very important for children to learn about diversity. This past week in class we discussed the difficulty that comes with answering questions about diversity that children ask. There is one very distinct event that I remember from my childhood that addressed diversity. I was about 5 or 6 years old, and my parents took me to a playdate with two sisters who were about my age. One of the sisters had a very dark skin tone, and dark brown hair, and the other was light skinned, with red hair. The whole time that we were playing I kept wondering why they were two different colors, and why they looked so different. This was strange to me because my little brother was white like me, and had my same hair color, and that is what I associated with siblings, similarity. I was a curious child so I asked their mother, “Why are your daughters two different colors?” Their mom didn’t take that very well, and I was never invited over to play with them again. Looking back, it was an innocent question, and I certainly didn’t mean to offend the mom. However, as a child, this event really confused me. I did not grow up with any formal education about diversity, and didn’t receive my first diversity awareness training until I began my job four years ago. I think that Von Tobel is right on in saying that we like to surround ourselves with those that we view as being similar to us. I agree that if we all learned to “be curious” about others, we might be able to find similarity and overcome the “diversity fear” that many of us face as children. I also believe that it’s important for parents to encourage diversity awareness with their children. Perhaps if we encourage diversity awareness with our kids, it’ll be easier to address the difficult, and often unfiltered questions that little ones often ask.

I identified with this article initially because I'm a homosexual male that has considered adopting a child at some point in my life. Oddly enough, it probably would have been a Chinese girl. I hadn't considered the potentially questions she might have regarding diversity and general curiosities associated with having a different physical appearance. I think she would benefit from it in that she would be more conscious and aware of diversity than her peers because she would have witnessed it at a young age. It is known that minorities aren't privileged in that they have to be consciously aware of their differences, but perhaps there will come a time when the privileged become just as aware.
The first step is awareness, and I believe the second step is breaking the prototype for normalcy.

I totally agree with Von Tobel’s thought on examining ourselves more fully. Sometimes I would shut our mind down people who are not like us; different categories, sex, race, sexuality, etc. I thought I knew myself well enough not to “match” with those who are not like me. Like Von Tobel said, we are more comfortable with people like us. However, if I block out people because of their skin color, etc., I would never get to know about them: How would I know who they really were. And how would I know who were really like me? It might be a strange way to put, but people are like chocolate in a chocolate box. Chocolates are different shapes and different colors. When you enjoy them, you more like some of them, and you less like some. You would not know which one you more like until you try them, but you still like them because they are chocolate. People have different appearance, different color, and different personality. You never know what you block out if you put up a strong barrier toward people who have a different look than you.

I very much enjoyed reading Von Tobel's thoughts on diversity. I have found that as I get older and learn more about the world, I do re-examine myself and my belief systems. The curiosity that she speaks of has definitely been beneficial in my sense of self-esteem and in fostering a solid identity. It is interesting that she compares ideas of prejudice to conflicting emotions within oneself because my emotional reactions to things have been primarily what I have based the understanding of myself upon. Learning to better control my emotions and identify just why it is I feel them at certain times has been the hallmark of my maturation through college; no longer do I let myself give into unjustified emotions (like when someone cuts me off in traffic) and I think to examine ones reactions to others is a brilliant way to foster acceptance. In order to combat my unhealthy emotional reactions, I had to become cognizant of them; likewise, I think it is very clever to become cognizant of why I may feel prejudiced toward someone, why that voice in the back of my head wants to stereotype although my conscience knows it is wrong.

I have worked with children for many years now and think often of the family I hope to one day have. I have learned that children, with their blank slate, are able to see the truth in situations that adults have become blind to. I hope that I can cultivate the sense of wonder my children come into this world with, and that they will not enter into any relationship with prejudices in their heart. I worry not that I will teach them to judge others, but that society will teach them that and it will be my job to combat what they hear at school, in sports, or from friends' families. Books like these could go a long way if brought into a classroom environment; if teachers were able to bring acceptance and understanding into the curriculum of our children I think diversity sensitivity could become as much a hallmark as mathematics and english. I hope to one day be a child psychologist, working to alleviate mental disorders in children because I see such opportunity in the youth of our world, I see them as the future leaders. If we want to enact a change in our world, it is within the children that our best bet lies. Here we have an entire generation thirsty for knowledge, and whatever we present to them they will learn and carry with them the rest of their lives, so why not teach them something as important as love for thy fellow man.

I feel like more efforts should be put forth towards a non-racist, culturally diverse curriculum for school aged children. Many people have said before that placing kids in a diverse environment with children of other races and ethnicity is the answer. The problem is that even children surrounded by other races will still learn to discriminate against them at a very young age. Toddlers understand systemic racism, and this can be seen in the roles they assign to each other during play time. If they are actually taught to understand, they will be less likely to discriminate against other children. Simply mixing them together isn't going to do a whole lot of good. It's a great thing that people like Von Tobel are writing books with non-white children as the main character.

It was very interesting to read an article that talks about children understanding diversity. When most people come across something new they usually fear it. If we can teach the younger generations to not fear what they do not know and be curious and be willing to learn more about diversity, then we can hopefully make some progress in the right direction. Teaching children about diversity at a young age will eventually set them up into becoming open minded adults that will embrace diversity.

I agree, along with most other poeple on here that children are shaped from the very beginning so the more they understand about diversity, the more comfortable they will be with it as they get older (or maybe that is just what I believe). Children should be curious to other races and ethnicities, not afraid of them. I know most kids will say something they we think as 'taboo' like noting how many African-Americans are in one area and as parents I know most of them just say 'shhhh!' like there is something terribly wrong about stating the truth. So instead of those moments were we shush our children, maybe that is the right time to talk about the issues of diversity.

I really enjoyed reading this. I have always wanted to work with children and families, and I think this is such an awesome topic to really help them with because it is something that many people notice, but do not really understand. I think diversity is such an important issue for people to understand especially for children who are really starting to see the world and all the differences around them. I think teaching children about diversity will really help the next generation of children with stepping out of what is "comfortable" of hanging out with children of their own race or their own diversity group.

I really enjoyed reading this. I have always wanted to work with children and families, and I think this is such an awesome topic to really help them with because it is something that many people notice, but do not really understand. I think diversity is such an important issue for people to understand especially for children who are really starting to see the world and all the differences around them. I think teaching children about diversity will really help the next generation of children with stepping out of what is "comfortable" of hanging out with children of their own race or their own diversity group.

I am taking a class called Sociology of Family and Marraige and we actually just had a debate on whether white families should be aloud to adopt children who are not white. In other words, should adoptive parents adopt only within their own racial and ethnic group? Some people believe that there shouldn't be a problem with adopting outside on their racial group. But other's believe it could create a lot of problems for the child if they grow up in a household of "all white people" when they are from Mexico for example. In a sense, the child may rebel and feel as though he doesn't belong with that certain family because they look different from he/she. Some social workers have even said that children are best served if they are adopted by families of their same racial background.
But then again, others argue that requiring racial and ethnic mathing would leave too many children of color languishing in the foster and adoption systems. Many people believe that it shouldn't be about racial background. As long as the child is cared for and loved by his family, everything will be fine.

I believe that it is very important to talk to childern at a young age about diversity, and how wonderful it is that we are not all exactly alike. I think that it is important that children learn about each other so that they are not scared of each other, and they realize that we are a lot more alike than we are different, and that the small differences that we do have should be celebrated and not feared. I believe that the teachers at schools should have diversity training also.