At what age will children become aware of ethnic differences and how will you handle their questions?

Question

I'm just curious how other people think on this subject since I already know how I want to raise my son. He is mixed race and we live in a very diverse community. As far as we can see there will be nothing new to him and questions will be handled truthfully and respectfully. I want to raise him not to see or judge people according to their race or ethnicity but by how they treat others.

Wow! Are people afraid of questions like these? It is sad that we can't discuss ethnicity in a non-biased way without worrying about offending anyone.

Answer 1

Children are the most diplomatic people, I think, when it comes to ethnic differences. It's us adults who have the problems. As long as you raise your son to accept everyone regardless of race, handicap or anything else, and teach her how to have confidence in herself, she'll be fine. Just keep loving your son and building him up and he'll be fine in the face of adversity. He'll understand that some people's parents are unhappy people and tell their kids mean things about people for no reason. He'll probably have pity and compassion for them.

I have a daughter who's father is 1/2 caucasian and 1/2 vietnamese but looks outwardly caucasian, and i'm black. I, too, worry about this, but I think it'll be just fine as long as we don't go into it all paranoid and just give our kids love and build up their self-esteem.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I don't know....

I'm surprised with how unaware of race my kids are.

My kids are aware of social classes.
They make observations that democrats aside from the politicians on TV seem to be dirty and poor.

It struck me in a funny way I hanndled it in an immature way.
My kids are 12.
Race doesn't affect them a bit yet.