Talking to Kids About Indigenous Peoples' Day

Firstly, a big welcome to our new friends who are joining the newsletter from last week's Antiracist Family Day! Hope you are inspired to take action through unlearning and learning with us. 

So today is Indigenous Peoples' Day. It's important to talk to our kids about Indigenous people, Indigenous cultures, colonization, and more. Here are 3 resources for you to use today and throughout the year that'll embolden you in raising antiracist kids.

HOW To Talk To Your Kids
1) A while ago, I chatted with Gina Jackson, a Western Shoshone and Oglala Lakota activist, educator, and mom, and she shared with me some important things to focus on when talking to kids about Indigenous Peoples' Day. Read the full article at Romper and learn the top lesson you want to leave your kids with. 

WHAT To Read To Your Kids
2) Read this list of kids books about Indigenous culture. Add these to your book shelf for use all year round. I (Tabitha) specifically looked for books about Indigenous culture written by Indigenous writers because it's important for people to be able to tell their own authentic stories. 

HOW To Teach Your Kids
3) For the educators among us, the Zinn Education Project offers these resources for classroom support. Full disclosure: some of these are also helpful to be adapted for parents/caregivers. 

We went to a Blue Ivy concert and saw Beyoncé! I wrote about what it means for even a super mega star to have to let go of her Black daughter, even with all their privilege and positioning. Read more here. 
 

Tabitha here. I'm in the midst of reading Ibram X. Kendi's How To Raise An Antiracist. It's part-memoir, part guide and chockful of researched practices for raising an antiracist kid. Here are two things I want you to ponder from the book: 

1) When parents put off conversations about race with their kids, are they doing it because they think their kids aren't ready or is it because they, the parent, aren't ready? And if you don't feel ready, firstly, you're in the right place to learn more. Secondly, don't make perfection your goal. Start anywhere even though you don't know where you'll end up. And don't be afraid to model vulnerability if you get stuck. It's okay to let your kid know you'll get back to them with more info. 

2) "The most critical part of raising an antiracist child is not what we do with our child. It is what we do with our society." What are we doing as parents/caregivers to contribute to an antiracist society for ourselves and our kids? How are we shaping society to make room for our antiracist kids? If our goal is to raise bold changemakers, society better get ready because they're about to shake things up. 

If you've read it, reply and let me know what landed for you. 

It's Monday so you have a good week. Give yourself grace, give grace to those around you and be kind to yourself first on this journey of antiracist parenting. Stay safe and hug your loved ones, okay?

xo

Tabitha and Adam