Information on discrimination and how you can teach your child not to be prejudiced.
Discrimination is something that is very easy for young children to do. When they see someone who is different from them, they notice these things. After all, that's what kids do. They are curious creatures who want to know "why" constantly.
It's common for children to have plenty of questions about gender, race, age, and disabilities. Children will notice someone who has a different color of skin than they do, if they're not used to seeing that every day. Children will notice things about men and women that are different. They'll see differences in people who are sitting in wheelchairs or who are missing a leg. And they'll notice that people who are older sometimes don't get around as well as younger people.
Be prepared to answer any question that your child might fire off at you about these issues. Your child might ask "Why is that person in a wheelchair?" or "Are men not as caring as women?" It's your job to answer all questions as well as you can. Remember, your children learn about everything from you, including prejudiceness and discrimination. If you show a discrimination against someone based on race, gender, age, or disability, your children will notice this and will likely become prejudice.
If you want to teach your child not to discriminate, you should encourage open discussions on the issues. If your child asks something that might be embarrassing right in front the person in question, the worst thing you can do is say "shh! That's not nice to talk about." You should let your child ask questions. And maybe even feel free to ask the person who the question is about. But you should always have an answer for them. And if you're looking to educate your child to not discriminate, you should tell them how it is, so they'll understand. Understanding is half the key to being nondiscriminatory.
