*Click ANY image in this post to download the guide.
Naomi and I are two Black moms speaking from the heart with this guide. We know that with all of the hate and racism in the world, it can be hard to know what to say as a parent.
We don’t have all the right words to say. And this guide may not be the perfect fit for your family, but we hope Black families will be able to use this free guide in some capacity to help facilitate important conversations with their children.
We created a section about racism. This will help our young kids have the language to describe things they will see and experience. This section will give you the opportunity to discuss racism you have experienced, racism they have experienced, and make a family plan of what to do every time it happens.
Because reliving such harmful and traumatic experiences can be hurtful, we included affirmations after every discussion page. It’s crucial to remind our children that no matter what the world says, they are not those things and that Black lives matter.
We included a section that may reveal some biases your kids hold- because remember, we all hold biases. We encourage you to explore these biases and where they may stem from. The guide will help you facilitate this discussion.
We included a section about allyship and white privilege. Whether they have a name for it or not, our children notice the unfair practices that take place in the world around them. They might notice how some white students are given advantages and less severe consequences in the classroom. This may make them believe the lie that it’s because white students are better or more deserving of these advantages. Helping them to understand what white privilege is will help them identify it and at the very least, be able to discuss it with you.
We also included some pages about being an ally. A true friend should always also be an ally, but an ally does not have to be a friend. We, the Black community, don’t need to seek out white people to care about us enough to stand up against racism and white supremacy. They should care because it’s the right thing to do. We don’t want our kids to ever excuse apathy from a white person about racial injustice simply because they have no close Black friends.
By the time you make it this section (remember to pace yourself), we just wanted to affirm our kids in their Blackness one last time. We wanted to remind them how much they matter, how much they are loved, and how much they should love themselves.
We hope this guide is helpful.
Black Lives Matter.
Naomi and Lanesha
Because we realize the value of important topics like this, LaNesha and I love to make sure our own students and children are exposed to a variety of much needed social studies lesson. We teach kindergarten and first grade, but our students continue to amaze us with the big ideas they are able to handle!
What are your children learning in school for social studies? How diverse are the books being presented to them at school? It’s important for parents to continue to take an active role in what their students are learning!
You can push for culture nights at your school. Ask what anti-racist work your child’s school engages in. You may also want to ask how important inclusion and diversity is for every classroom in your child’s building.
Together, we can make a difference.
Click here to check out the social studies resources we have created. Consider purchasing a unit for a teacher to use. They are K-2 friendly!