By Institute Staff
Race and ethnic identity intersect with all aspects of our lived experiences. When it comes to discussing race with kids, you might be wondering things like how do I talk to my kids about race? How do I know if my kid is ready to learn about race? The American Psychological Associate’s RESilience Initiative supports parents, families, teachers, educators and anyone who works with kids in being good role models for healthy racial and ethnic identity development. While the topic of race can feel daunting to bring up with kids, race and ethnic identity are important, joyful aspects of our identity! Avoiding the topic of race can inhibit our kids from developing a healthy racial and ethnic identity, and could leave them ill-prepared to deal with racially charged experiences. The APA’s RESilience Parent Tip Tool is a great resource both for families and for educators to help kids develop the tools and understanding they need to live a compassionate life, and feel confident about who they are. This accessible 4-page guide breaks down key issues when it comes to racial ethnic socialization, and answers questions such as who participates in RES? and why you shouldn’t avoid the conversation. It offers steps you can take to prepare for engaging in RES conversations with your kids, and provides approaches for communicating with age groups ranging from very young children to young adults.
The RESilience Initiative http://www.apa.org/pi/res/parent-tips.pdf