How to teach my 2yo about race

[wellit]

We live in a small village near a town with very few black people unfortunately.

I'm looking for ideas on how to teach my child, who's nearly 2, about different races, cultures and beliefs.

Can anyone direct me to suitable learning guides or have any ideas for play, art, crafts, cooking etc etc?

I want her to have compassion in all things, I have been guilty of 'whitesplaining' when I have not meant to but it was due to lack of understanding and I don't want her to make the same sort of mistakes thus potentially ruining potential friendships. I use gentle parent ideas as a rule so would like to influence by positive experience in all areas so perhaps where cooking is concerned can anyone suggest any native dishes we could try that won't be extremely hotly spiced!

Thank you ☺️

@Bryjam I do feel some are stone walking me. As I've said I also need to learn so at almost 40 I think there's quite a bit for me to learn so that I can learn with my child in a positive and effective way.

I'm not 'making a big deal' I want my child to be interested in things away from this little town. When I cook Yorkshire puddings I explain how they come about!! I'm not singling out anything in particular I just talk everything through so quite important to know what I'm actually talking about.

Will anyone saying there's lots of books actually suggest a good one for me?!

Nope, not my genre.

Of course minorities can be racist, anyone is capable of racism.
I haven’t lived in an all Asian area so I can’t comment on what it’s like - but it’s a typical silencing approach that you can’t comment on experiences relating to colour without being ‘predjudice’ or ‘racist’

Racism is prejudice that comes from a place of power. Someone from an ethnic minority can be a horrible, prejudiced, rude, nasty person towards a white person, and can even hate them because of their race, but it’s still not racism because our entire society enables, supports, and upholds white rights above everyone else’s. Dear.

Why don't you just teach your child to be kind and compassionate- the rest will follow?!

Why don't you just teach your child to be kind and compassionate- the rest will follow?!

Absolutely this!

@Newbuild thanks for the perspective, I take the comment back about being leftie- despite not agreeing with your comment that 50% of people in all white areas are racist bastards.

Racism is prejudice that comes from a place of power

Absolutely not- this is leftie nonsense. Groups in society can be powerful in some cases anyhow. What if a group of ethnic minorities run a business and won't employ white people.

Anyhow- that's by the by as this definition is purely ideological and assumes that white people are privileged and have power. There are many powerless white people in this country. Power is also a debatable concept.

You're not really listening OP.

As NotMyUsualTopBilling points out, other races and cultures don't exist to provide a learning project for you and your child. Be assured that she will be growing up in the world and will learn from her minute by minute experience how to navigate in the world.

I'm looking for ideas on how to teach my child, who's nearly 2, about different races, cultures and beliefs.

Don't? I didn't realise that people with different skin or asian eyes were perceived any different till I went to school. I grew up as a blond (back then) white blue eyed girl in an international community in a muslim country. At secondary I was asked after a few months what the name of my black class mate was. I had no idea who they meant. I hadn't seen the difference. Still struggle to, to be honest because I wasn't taught to. I had dolls that were white, black, indian and inuit. We did christmas, friends did other parties where we got cake. It's all fun. Some people have blond hair, some have brown, some people have grey eyes, or blue. You didn't teach them differences about that surely? Can you name the eye colours of all your friends? Probably not, but you probably can name their skin colour. All this emphasis is really bad imo.

I just find the whole discussion about race racist in itself. Just like people claiming that they're black and proud of it. Say it in a different colour and everyone gets angry.