A lot of parents are wondering how to talk about the current protests with their kids. We recommend starting by asking questions to see what your child already knows. For example, you might ask: “There have been protests happening across the country, and even in other parts of the world. What have you heard about the protests? What have you seen about the protests? What do you think about that? How are you feeling?”
Kids share more when they know you’re paying attention. You can nod and say “uh huh” or ask questions to encourage them to keep talking. You can also repeat back what they say to make sure you’re understanding them. If your child uses social media as a source of information, ask them if there are any posts, images or videos they have seen that they want to talk about with you. It may be helpful to sit with them and look at the sources together.
It’s possible your child has felt fear, anger or sadness about what they are seeing. As a parent, you can help them process those emotions. Let them know it’s okay to feel however they are feeling. Remind them you are there to help keep them safe and that many people are working hard to fight injustice and make the world more fair.
It’s okay for you, as a parent, to not know certain information, to have your own questions, to not have all the answers or to be confused. Talking about racial injustice can be difficult. It is okay to return later and try to have this conversation with your child again. In fact, it is a conversation to have many times.
Resources
To help guide and support these discussions, Sesame Street convened “Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism. A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Families.” You can watch the recording here.
In addition to talking with your kids, you can read books together to help continue the conversation. Here are some links to book lists for kids of different ages: