Many black parents in today's world face the challenge of helping their children learn to be proud of who they are, even if not everyone around them feels the same way. By balancing the most effective elements of your own upbringing and more modern ideas, you can prepare them to succeed in an increasingly multicultural society without losing touch with their roots. Carefully considering both your own parenting style and the way you want your children to view the world while they are young can help set them up for a lifetime of success.
Parenting Style Tips for Black Parents
Raising your children as a Black parent goes beyond the surface of thinking about the color of your family's skin. Instead, making an effort to incorporate your family's cultural roots into your everyday lifestyle can help them learn to be proud of what makes them uniquely them from a young age. Searching for positive black role models, both in people you know personally and, in the media, can show them that people who look like them are capable of doing great things and don't need to conform to anyone's expectations. Taking advantage of magazines, blogs, podcasts, and other content created specifically for black parents can provide you with more ideas for raising children who are confident enough in who they are to succeed even when experiencing adversity.
Celebrate Holidays from Your Family's History
Holidays with roots in African history may not be addressed in the same way that holidays that are celebrated by the majority of Americans are at your children's school, but that doesn't make them any less important for your family. By making it a priority to celebrate holidays from your culture and country of origin, you can teach your children to embrace their unique culture and your family's traditions.
Advice for Talking to Your Children About the Black Lives Matter Movement
As a Black parent, keeping your children informed about current racial issues should be a priority. Although the Black Lives Matter movement was intended to raise awareness about racial inequalities in today's world, it has become controversial in certain areas as a result of negative actions by a small number of people who claim to support the movement. For this reason, it is important to make sure your children are receiving accurate, age-appropriate information about what the movement is and what it stands for.
Like any other movement or social issue, it is important to highlight the positive elements of Black Lives Matter's mission while being honest with your children about the negative publicity it has received. By teaching your children about both views of the movement, you can help them learn to stand up for what they believe in even if the people around them have misconceptions about the movement or organization they support.
Shop Lex Pyerse Clothing's Children's Collection
Our children's clothing line was designed to teach children that being black is something to celebrate, not something to ignore, from a young age. By giving your children the opportunity to wear words and patterns that inspire them to be proud of who they are, you can help them build a foundation for rising above negative stereotypes and embracing your family's history later in life.
Raising children as a black parent can be challenging, but carefully considering your parenting choices can go a long way toward helping your children succeed in a multicultural world. Being intentional about every decision you make can help you teach your children to be proud of their culture, rather than feel negatively about it. Celebrating your children's blackness from a young age gives them the opportunity to learn to love what makes them before the world has the chance to tell them otherwise.