Parents of White Kids: It’s Time to Talk.

Are you talking to your kids about race? “We’ve talked about kindness and practice it. They know everyone is equal.” Done and done. Do we really need to have a conversation with them about race? YES. We do.

If you don’t consider yourself part of the problem, having hard conversations is necessary. My friends have all had conversations with their African American children about what to do if they’re stopped by the police. Imagine how uncomfortable it is to have THAT conversation with your 7 year old? We can’t imagine it. That’s privilege. For the American population that isn’t white, it’s reality.

One of the simplest ways to have a conversation with your child is by reading a book and asking questions as you read. Let them answer on their own and talk it out. At the end, ask follow-up questions. Jack surprises me all the time when we read these books. I don’t have immediate answers for all of his questions but I try.

The harder questions are the ones you need to ask yourself.

How diverse is your inner circle and friendships?

In what areas of your life are people of color included?

Do you actively seek out…

Businesses owned by people of color?

Scholars and leaders of color to learn from?

Dolls and toys for your kids in a variety of skin tones?

TV shows, movies and books that have a diverse cast of characters?

No one else needs to know your answers but get REALLY REAL with yourself. We all have improvements to make. Progress worth making is rarely comfortable.

Here are some of our favorite books…