Since the murder of George Floyd — a black man killed while in the custody of a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 —…
Since the murder of George Floyd — a black man killed while in the custody of a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25 — images of protests, violent riots and deadly shootings have dominated our news stories and social media feeds.
While this may not be the first time many of us have seen such graphic content, it may be the first time our children are being exposed to it. Depending on their age, some of them may not yet fully understand the context of these events or the history of racism in America.
As parents, it’s our responsibility to not only help them understand what is happening in our nation but also to teach them that we are children of God and equal in His eyes, and because of that racial prejudice is wrong and immoral.
Here are three practical ways to help your children understand what is going on in America:
One of the responsibilities of a parent is talking to his or her children about difficult things. This includes addressing racism.
Parents cannot be shy when it comes to explaining to their children what racism is, why it exists and why it is a sin. We must talk openly about the tragic history of slavery and oppression of Native Americans and people of color in our nation.
Even more important and difficult, we need to acknowledge our own biases and prejudices, confess when we fall short and repent of our shortcomings in front of our children.
