About a year and a half ago I was in the grocery store shopping with all three kids in the cart (thank you creator of the car-cart!). As usual, I persuaded one child to sit “up-top” to be Mommy’s special helper and this day it was my daughter Faye.
As we were shopping the freezer section a lady who was very done up breezed past us leaving a remarkably strong wake of perfume in her path. My darling Faye, my tiniest child…with a very loud voice said “Mommy, why that lady smells like that?? What IS that smell? That is a yucky smell, I no like that.”
The perfumed lady broke her stride and I stammered “That’s perfume, I like it” (not true) “Don’t you like it?” (why did I ask that?) “I think it smells nice”(nervous smile). The lady smiled curtly and continued.
Not a big deal really… but it could have been. I was quickly reminded of friends’ stories of their young children loudly remarking exactly what they see, think...and smell and the parental embarrassment that follows.
The experience left me with a number of questions. What will be next? What would I do next time? What can I do proactively?
I recently met with a couple of leaders from the Anti-Defamation League of Arizona and they were discussing research that supported that children can develop bias and preference at an age that is much earlier than I ever considered…as early as two years old!
By the age of 4, your children will want to know why other people don t look like them.
YOUR RESPONSE TO THEM WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
Thrive To Five and The Anti-Defamation League are offering a FREE workshop for families with children between the ages of birth-five years old.
Please join us for this engaging presentation of information, materials and resources to engage children in learning about self and others.
The curriculum uses the lively characters of Sesame Street to help you:
· help your children to develop a positive self-image.
· teach your children to respect and appreciate differences.
· give your child skills to combat stereotypes and negative attitudes.
When: January 31st, 2011 3:30pm-5:30pm
Where: Kyrene Family Resource Center
1330 East Dava Dr., Tempe
RSVP: Amanda Nosbisch
anosbisch@kyrene.org , (480)783.4177
Free childcare provided with reservation!!
Every Workshop participant receives:
an engaging family poster and valuable resource books to help make
your home a bias-free environment.
More information about the Anti-Defamation League's Miller Early Childhood Initiative can be found here: http://www.adl.org/education/miller/
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