Im from ND we dont have many African American people around here. And we have four little boys. When our second youngest was 2 we were walking through wal-mart and he pointed at a black lady and called her a monkey...he asked me why there was a monkey in the store. And she heard it i felt so bad and i apologized to her he was only 2 keep in mind. So since then ive explained to the kids how there are different races and so on, i dont want judgmental kids. Anyways so my question is how do you guys feel about this...Does it really offend you when a child says something and they just dont understand? Have your kids said anything about white people? im just curious....i hope im better prepared next time......
2006-11-21 06:49:10 · 12 answers · asked by jess_n_flip 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
my kids didnt watch TV at the age of 2, and no he definitly did not hear it from anyone around here, i would never EVER teach my kids to treat people like that. They have just never been exposed to it. I live in North Dakota....How many black people exsist around here....Not many black farmers i know of.....The ones that are here are for military reasons and they are far and few between so that was the first time ever my son seen a black person......
2006-11-21 06:57:22 · update #1
I'm from North Dakota, and every time I visit, I see more and more diversity, which pleases me greatly. Especially in the larger towns with colleges and universities. You could take your children to an event at one of the institutions of higher learning where they'll likely see a lot more diversity than they probably see at Wal-mart. And DON'T SHOP AT WALMART! THEY ARE EVIL!!!
2006-11-22 06:33:29 · answer #1 · answered by ndtaya 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
when little kids say things like this it is a reflection on those that raise them cause they only repeat what they have heard. Me personally I feel that whats done is done and an apology really doesn't mean anything to the offended it just makes the offender feel better.
If it was me and the kid called me a monkey and you didnt pop the kid in the back of the head I would think less of you for not punishing the kid for speaking like that.
Its your job to make them understand. if i was 2 and I called some lady in the store a cracker my mom would let me know on the spot i was wrong. In fact I knew better before I left the house. of course I grew up in a racially diverse neighborhood so it was no big deal to see people different than myself.
2006-11-21 14:59:29 · answer #2 · answered by Random Nimrod 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm white and so are my kids. I recently started taking them to church. The congregation of the church I decided to go to is almost all black, my kids hardly notice. They have never said anything to me about all the black people at church, or about how come there are no other white people.
I realize that in your town it might not always be possible, but all I can suggest is that you try to give them as much exposure to people of different ethnicities as possible; playgroups, cultural festivals.
At the very least, buy some story books that have characters of different ethnicities, Little Bill - by Bill Cosby is a great series for toddlers/pre-schoolers. Corduroy Bear has black characters.
As for your specific question... If I were black, to be honest, I would probably be offended if a 2 year-old called me a monkey, and I would probably think that they got it from the parents.
2006-11-21 15:06:21 · answer #3 · answered by who-wants-to-know 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To be honest, if I were the lady my first instinct would be to question you although the statement came from your child. Most kids stare when they see people of another race or will ask, "Why is her skin pink?" I have a little sister who's three and my family makes sure that she watches television shows and films with kids of different races so that she can get used to seeing what American really looks like.
2006-11-21 14:58:18 · answer #4 · answered by wrtrchk 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your son never has seen TV or a movie? How about Sesame Street or Barney? these programs provide a racial mixture. Where did he get the idea that this woman was a monkey? He had to have at least seen Blacks on TV!
I doubt this is your fault, but I think someone put the idea in his head. Either that or you are very cleverly saying something very UNCOOL.
2006-11-21 14:57:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I understand that you live in a white area, but do you not watch TV? Haven't the children ever watched Sesame Street? There are black people all over the television.
I am shocked. Though I am not black, I live in Chicago where there is every race imaginable. I do not believe that that child could mistake a human for a monkey no matter the skin color. He must have heard it from somewhere...
2006-11-21 14:53:51 · answer #6 · answered by Steph 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Are you sure your son wasn't realy pointing at a monkey toy or something. Anyway, when you are in Wal-Mart there are a lot of monkeys...and i'm not talking about black people...and maybe he got confused.
2006-11-21 15:00:44 · answer #7 · answered by pickles 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah that would hurt my feelings as I would assume that you were racist in your home.
doesn't the child watch TV? Look in the news paper? He needs to be taught to say nice things only in mixed company, thouhgt I dont hold this against you as my younger brother rudely exclaimed there was something wrong with another kids face.
This kid had a large red mark over 75% of his face but there was nothing wrong with him and it was highly rude. Mom scolded him there in public, and had HIM apologize to the people.
2006-11-21 14:59:09 · answer #8 · answered by chibminshiy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would be really offended because more often than not, what the child says is basically the views of the parents.
I'm not saying that you think like that, it's just something I would assume at first.
2006-11-21 14:56:38 · answer #9 · answered by nymphette13 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My niece has 4 mixed kids. They moved to a black part of town, she ask why they did not go out and play, they said all those kids are black.
2006-11-21 14:52:24 · answer #10 · answered by dancinintherain 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋