1. Hello my wonderful (9) followers (sorry I just restarted my Twitter career for the first time since high school)! I’m loving all the tweets/posts about how to have productive conversations with adults about the current sickening state of our country.

2.Equally important is being able to relate to young children (<age 10) about what is going on.Avoiding the topic to shelter them is irresponsible.However you must be careful to present the information to them in a way that’s understandable and applicable without causing fear.

3. Here’s a thread on how I would approach that!!

4. Children learn best by observing behavior that engages them. Introduce them to figures like Dr. King, Rosa Parks, W.E.B. DuBois, etc. I’ve posted pictures of great books that can do this.

5. Read these books to them and ask them questions about them. Letting kids speak their minds keeps them engaged and focused. Be sure to always ask them for their thoughts during every part of your conversation with them (you’re keeping them engaged/interested by doing this!)

6. Now’s the time to begin connecting what theyve learned to their life. Ask them if they have friends of different cultures or skin colors and ask them if they believe that they are equal to these friends.If they say no this could be a sign that the kid isn’t getting the message

7. Redirect this by probing deeper. Ask why they said no and begin to reinforce that all humans are equal and deserving of the best life they can receive. Continue this until they get the message.

8.Once you’ve established the concept of equality, begin to address the concept of privilege. Ask about what they understand from the current events that have been circling (you’ll be surprised at how much they pick up on!!!).

9. Gauge what they know. If they say something like “well I saw a black man being hurt and killed by a police officer” then start from there. Ask why this is seen as a big deal.

10. If they know more, like about the protests and issues with police brutality, you can ask them about what they think a police officer’s job is. Reminder: if they are saying things that are misguided, redirect them immediately and be ready to explain clearly & simply.

11.Discuss the inequality (good word to use if you’ve been using “equality” earlier) between white people and black people in the eyes of the law. You can introduce stories of Michael Brown&George Floyd. Explain how they were unjustly killed by police bc they were not dangerous.

12. You can use analogies! If you have a dog or cat, ask them what they would do if their dog made a mistake and how they would correct the dog’s behavior. Obviously they’re not going to say to kill or even physically harm the dog.

13. Use this as an example. You can say “when people get in trouble, they still deserve to be treated fairly and have their side of the story heard. Physical harm or killing is never okay.”

14. Now begin to tell them that people who are white are less likely to be killed/harmed by police officers. They will likely ask why. To explain the concept of privilege can be complex.

15. You can say “Because of hateful leadership and bad examples, people can be taught that black people are more dangerous. This is not the case. Remember, no matter your skin color, you are equal”

12.Activism!After they understand the situation and concept of privilege, they may be left with an emptiness on what to do. You can now discuss ways you can help fight white privilege and racism.

17. Ask them flat out “what should we do to make leaders and law enforcement see all people as equal?”

18. This is a super complex question but again, you’re keeping them stimulated. They may ask what they can do to help George Floyd or his family. You can explain ways to donate their own money and walk them through the process of signing petitions.

19. To end your conversation, tell them that this conversation should never end. That this issue is highly complex and will continue to be an issue even after the protests are over. Tell them that correcting friends with wrong viewpoints is vitally important.

20. DISCLAIMER: this is just off of my experience working with kids as a tutor and summer camp counselor. I know a lot of you may be more qualified so please add more advice to this thread or correct me!! Please keep everything positive. We are trying to fight hate after all!

ugh realized I messed up by saying “12” instead of “16.” My bad!! Please retweet and share with friends and if you have any feedback or stories about explaining these times to children please reply below!
#BlackLivesMatter #GeorgeFloyd #love #losangeles #sanfrancisco