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2020.09.03 10:15 GMT+8

How to teach your kids about race and racism?

Updated 2020.09.09 19:12 GMT+8

Racism is passed down from generation to generation. What can you do as parents to break this pattern? How can you teach your kids about race and racism? 

Here is some practical advice.

Talk about it. You can use examples from daily life and the news. It may be tempting to try to hide the news from kids, but it's better to tackle things head-on. For children in elementary school, you can focus on fairness. It's an idea they can understand.

As kids get older, you can add more details. When kids link race with value judgments, don't get angry and shut them down. Instead, probe to find out where these ideas are coming from.

You can also show your kids how racist ideas hurt people. 

Take a look at what your kids are watching and reading. Show them movies and TV shows about heroes from other cultures like Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai, who fights for girls' education, Native American warrior Crazy Horse, and Chinese martial arts hero Bruce Li. The list goes on.

And if you notice stereotypes, start a conversation. Unfortunately, most children's books and shows center around white characters. But some don't if you make an effort to look for them.

Lead by example and add diversity to different parts of your life. Take part in activities likely to have a diverse group of people. Remember, being "not racist" just keeps things the way they are now. By being "anti-racist," you can help lead our children to a brighter future.

Edited and designed by Chen Hangyu, Zhou Kai, Mao Zhe, Liu Jun

Managing editor: Xu Sicong

Senior producer: Wei Wei

Managing director: Mei Yan

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