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New Resources - PBS Parents - How to Talk Honestly with Kids about Racism & More

How to Talk Hoinestly with Kids about Racism & More

Preparing for Fall: The Power of Routines

For most of us, our lives involve a series of patterns - routines we perform every day, like stopping at the same place each day for coffee on the way to work. This is also very true for babies and toddlers. When we play a part in creating routines in our children's lives, we may not fully realize the role they play in young children's development.

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Start a New School Year with PBS KIDS

Though school is about to be back in session, families have enormous questions about the 2020-2021 school year right now. What will it look like when children' are physically in school? And what will it mean for family life if/when children are at home for hybrid or remote learning?

Despite these looming questions, there's a lot we can do to bolster our children's feelings of confidence and security as they head into a new year. Check out the collection of tools and resources to create and practice routines, cope with anxieties and emotions, and find ways to learn at home. 

 

Master Science Skills with the Play & Learn Science App

Help encourage your kids to see the science in their world. The related hands-on activities and parent notes prompt families to "try it" at home and provide tips for engaging in conversations.

 
 

 

Make a Healthy “Feelings Faces” Snack

Using words to describe feelings can help give your child power over his emotions, making them less overwhelming or scary. And talking about feelings with a caring listener helps children understand that feelings are normal — and that others have felt that way, too.

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Homeschooling: Tips for Getting Started

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Make Apricot Granola Bars for a Healthy School Snack

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Watch PBS KIDS Talk About: Back To School

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Using Media to Talk With Children About Race

To be anti-racist and confront bias requires active, honest, and yes, sometimes uncomfortable living. But engaging young children on the topics of race and racism doesn’t need to be forced. Check out these books, shows, podcasts and more to help you and your family initiate more everyday conversations around race.

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Help Children Understand Big Emotions with Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings App

Play, sing, and learn about all kinds of feelings with your friend and neighbor Daniel Tiger!

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Check Out More!

Play Online: Daniel Tiger Dress Up
 

Create: Mini Mosaics
 

Download: Schooltime Printable Coloring Pages
 

PBS Parents - Recent Posts

How to Talk Honestly With Children About Racism

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and in the midst of protests around the country, we’re again left wondering what we should say to our children about racism in America. What is too much? What is not enough? What if they’re too young and we scare them? What if we’re scared, too?

“Children are never too young to be exposed to diversity,” says Dr. Aisha White, Director of the P.R.I.D.E Program within the Office of Child Development at University of Pittsburgh. “The research continues to show that children recognize skin color differences at a very young age. As young as 3 months old, they may look differently at people who look like or don’t look like their primary caregivers.”

At age 2-and-a-half, children can start developing and observing racial biases they see in the world around them. “Once they get to age 4 and 5, it’s a critical time when White children, for example, begin to exhibit obvious bias,” says Dr. White. “And Black children or children of color begin to feel discriminated against because of their skin color.”

In this moment, we must choose to have confidence in ourselves and in our children — that we, and they, can handle tough topics and tough situations. We must, as parents, understand that our role is to be honest, specific, and trustworthy as we raise the next generation to confront racial injustice. We must turn to the helpers — those who have been guiding anti-racist work for years and who can help guide us now.

Here are seven tips from Dr. White to help parents prepare for difficult conversations and start discussions, using picture books, activities, and asking questions of our children.

Practice what you want to say before you say it.
A big struggle we have when it comes to addressing racism with our children is that conversations about race can bring up fear, uncertainty and discomfort for us, too. “Have these conversations with another adult first,” says Dr. White. Calling up a friend, another parent from school, or a family member to practice will help you become comfortable with what you want to say. Try to imagine questions your child might ask, and be ready to answer those questions, as well.

Be aware of your own biases.
“Really what children pay attention to is adult behavior,” says Dr. White. “You can talk incessantly with your child, but if you behave in ways that demonstrate you are fearful of people of color, fearful of Black people, or if your children are growing up in an all White neighborhood and you don’t expose them to people of color — children do notice that. They notice your body language. And they listen to what’s being said around them.”

Use picture books.
Notice what your child might be learning about race from their favorite stories. If all the characters in a book look the same, ask what your child thinks about that. If the characters are diverse, ask something like, “which character would you want to be friends with?” Dr. White says you might be shocked by their answers, but try not to react with judgment. The goal is to understand what your child knows, doesn’t know, and what they might already think about race. Then you can help your child learn by asking more questions and preparing yourself for more conversations in the future.

Ask your child how they feel — directly.
You know your child best — so be aware of their emotions, then consider asking if there is anything they are worried about or afraid of. If your child is worried about being hurt, you can explain how you will protect them. And if they’re worried about you being harmed, let them know what steps you will take to stay safe. (“It’s important to me that I be a helper by going to the protest. I will hold my sign and be kind to others. If I think it’s not safe, I will leave and come home.”)

Answer “Why does this keep happening?” with an activity.
Take out some string and have your child wind and tie themselves up — maybe even looping your hands together with their hands. “Then, talk about the fact that racism and oppression and discrimination has been building for a long time. It’s really tangled and layered,” just like your hands will look, says Dr. White. You can talk with your child about how long it will take to untangle the string and untangle racism. (“Even if we get one knot out, there will be more left, and we have to keep working at it.”)

Instill confidence in Black children through storytelling.
Dr. White says one of the most important things parents can do is make sure Black children hear from you and others they love that their skin, hair, and facial features are beautiful. This can help build confidence in the way they look. 

Then, you can support that confidence with storytelling. This is core to the work of Dr. White and the P.R.I.D.E. Program. Simply surrounding your child at home with books, magazines, pictures, and cultural artifacts that feature Black people can lead to improved problem-solving skills, improved behavior in school, and a greater ability to remember facts and information. Reading books about Black leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr, Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges can help support a positive racial identity, says Dr. White. And diving into books that represent Black families in everyday life can be racially affirming, as well. (Try picture books like The Snowy Day or Peter’s Chair.)

Help children begin to understand how to be an ally.
With school-aged children, Dr. White says you can start to have conversations about standing up for your friends and classmates. She suggests an activity created by an educator in the P.R.I.D.E. Teacher Cohort: 

Try reading Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All, and ask your child what they would do if they saw characters in the book being made fun of, or called names, or bullied. At the end, you can have your child write out a sentence or draw a picture about how they can be an ally and who they can be an ally to. This can be “a step toward children thinking about what they can do as a young child who might not feel like they have a lot of power — but they do,” says Dr. White.

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MORE RESOURCES

PLAY AND LEARN - CAMP PBS KIDS

Summer is full of opportunities to play and learn! We know summer might look a little different this year, but Camp PBS KIDS is here to fill your days with creativity, exploration, and fun for the whole family. Explore ideas, tips, and activities around different themes with your favorite PBS KIDS characters.

 

20 New Ideas and Activities to Try This Summer

9 Picture Books about Brothers and Sisters

Go on a Nighttime Adventure: Play Moonlight Mazes with Arthur

Cook Up Some Edible Slime

Explore the properties of different ingredients and how they can transform while creating tasty (and safe!) edible slime.

 

Additional Resources

  • Build a Sandcastle With Daniel Tiger

Is your family missing the beach a little more than usual this summer? If you can't make it to the beach, play along with Daniel as he builds sandcastles at the water's edge.

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  • Stay Cool: 'Red, White and Berry' Strawberry and Cream Popsicles

Beat the heat with this simple summertime snack! All you'll need is sugar, heavy cream, and strawberries to make a sweet treat the whole family will love.

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MORE ACTIVITIES BELOW!

 

SEE ALSO: 

For Educators

  •  The new "Confronting Anti-Black Racism" collection on PBS LearningMedia will help middle and high school students understand the long history of anti-Black racism in the United States, and think about ways to address it in their own families and communities. 

 

NEW on PBS KIDS: Meet the Students of Hero Elementary!

Hero Elementary is a school for budding superheroes, and when the heroes’ powers fall short, they harness science to save the day! The team works together to help people, solve problems, and try to make the world a better place. When their imperfect powers aren’t up to the task, they look to their other powers – the superpowers of science – to help them investigate, observe, make predictions, and figure out a solution.

 

Download Hero Elementary Coloring Pages

Get creative and color in your favorite heroes. Share your artwork on social media and remember to tag @PBSKIDS!

 

Play Online: Super Seasons Snapshots

Explore the outdoors with the Sparks Crew. Find out how nature changes during different seasons and snap pictures of wildlife to earn badges.

 

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MORE FROM PBS KIDS!

CREATE YOUR OWN HERO

Everyday people can do amazing things! The Xavier Riddle Hero Maker game helps kids learn about historical figures who changed the world, and then lets kids play and create their own character. Talk about and create essential worker heroes like first responders, postal carriers, utilities workers, doctors and more.

 

YOU, ME AND COMMUNITY: TOGETHER WE'RE THE KEY

Introduce your children to their communities - including the helpers and essential workers keeping everyone safe - in a series of sing-along videos called “You, Me & Community.” Watch now for free on the PBS KIDS Video app and the PBS KIDS YouTube channel.

 

KIDS REGRESSING? HELP THEM COPE WITH STRESS DURING CORONAVIRUS

Since young children aren’t likely to say, “Hey Mom and Dad, I feel stressed and need help right now,” what should parents be looking for? And when we do see signs of distress, how do we support our kids in a way that builds resilience?

 

 

CHECK OUT MORE IDEAS HERE!

 

 

MORE ACTIVITIES MAY BE FOUND HERE FROM FROM PBS KIDS!

 

 

MORE RESOURCES FOR LEARNING FROM SOUTH CAROLINA ETV

 

 

Additional content from PBS Parents / PBS KIDS:

 

READ: How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus

If you are feeling stress about the COVID-19 pandemic, your brain isn’t misfiring. Stress is a normal, healthy biological response to perceived threats and challenges. Check out these tips and tools to help your family release stress and anxiety. Read more. 

 

CREATE: Family Drawing Game

Here’s a family game that gets everyone doodling and gives your family a silly break. Learn more!

 

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LEARN: PBS KIDS Word of the Week

FOR PARENTS: How to Raise a Self-Confident Girl

Connect with our PBS KIDS for Parents community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.