Future Generations

As I feel, I have the responsibility as a mother to prepare my child for this world. How it is not welcoming him as he grows up. I think that if I do not make him aware of this, he will have disadvantages finding it out when he is getting older. I want him to be aware of his roots, his rich heritage and know enough to navigate for himself who he is before the world decides that for him and he will not be able to stand his ground.

I have mentioned racism and discrimination over the past years of course but now we really had a conscious conversation. I saw the disbelief and sadness as he was trying to navigate through all the info he was getting and I felt in that moment the imposed responsibility that is being put on Black and POC families towards their children. Do our kids automatically HAVE to talk about racism because of their cultural heritages?

I couldnt help but think about what "The talk" entails for white families. Is it still about 'the birds and the bees'? "Are they old enough? But it is neccessary info!...."

I understood better what my hesitation in my children's books research was about. It was about me and many other mothers and fathers, having to prepare our innocent children in the context of structural inequality and oppression, something as big and unresolvable as 'racism' while for white families it can still be a choice wheter they take the responsibility in raising their children as anti-racists or even mention race and discrimination AT ALL.

The emotional labor is not a choice for us, as Black and POC parents. I understand books about natural hair and affirmative books for young black boys about how they matter, are very necessary, it is still a tool to empower our children that feel the affects of racism. It made me realize the book I would possibly make will probably not even be bought by many white families and create a sort of subgroup within childrens books. Making my son and kids like him stand out for a small target group instead to challenge the diversity norm of ALL cchildren'sbooks.

Often white families hide behind the excuse that their children are 'colorblind' and that they play with lots of different children, just to not have to talk about racism and discrimination. Also not exposing their children with good approaches to diversity and inclusivity and making them aware that their view of this world is not the only one that exists. How can children navigate through what they take in from their senses? They SEE color, features, customs, traditions, They HEAR languages, music. They SMELL foods. It is important that ALL children learn about racism;

Kids are NOT colorblind!!

" DO OUR KIDS AUTOMATICALLY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILLITY 
TO TALK ABOUT RACISM BECAUSE OF THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE?"

If I google "talking about racism with children", this is the outcome of the first 5 big sites google mentions. All pictures of Black and mixed children.

Essay Topic