To judge or not to judge: What will you teach or what are you teaching your child?

I am reminded of the image of my son reaching his hand out to another child on the playground when my family visited South Carolina this past May. It warmed my heart and saddened me a bit, as I was happy to see that he was not bothered by skin color or nationality. He reached out to another child, around his age, to walk with him and play. It saddened me to know that sooner or later he will find out that there are many individuals in this world who will still probably judge him according to his skin color…his race and other reasons. My son is so happy right now and takes delight in seeing other children playing,and many times he runs over to play with them.

About a week ago or so, my son had a Caucasian girl reached her hand out to him and helped him climb up to the slide. She was so patient with him and laughed and smiled with Cameron. She even walked with us to our home, holding his hand. I thought how sweet.

It is important to his father and me that our son lives a life that respects himself and others. I hope that he looks beyond these distractions (age, sex, intellectual ability, social status, physical ability, race, religion, ethnic groups, and others) placed in our way to help us experience true love…loving thy neighbor, right?. How we treat others come from our beliefs about others. Do we truly believe that everyone should be treated equally regardless of how different he or she may be from us (meaning whatever group you put yourself in)?

I was recently told about a story that involved a child calling another child a monkey at the playground. When the mother of this child tried to confront the other mother, the mother dismissed her….Her child was” calling it like he saw it”. Did the child originally have that thought to call someone a racial slur or was this picked up? You guessed it. The child heard it from someone, and that is how racism continues with each generation…It is unfortunate that others are judged by their skin color or race…just because of color? It never made sense to me then, and it does not now…

When my mother, a single parent, who could have chosen to lash out at others and behave in hate, encouraged us and role modeled the importance of accepting others, it was not with exceptions. Accept others that are of your own race….No…..We are definitely able to change the world, parents….loving our children and teaching them to love and respect others regardless of what may “in the eye of the beholder” that set others apart.”

There is so much to teach my our child through words and role modeling, with above being dear to my heart. One person can cause a change to occur…I believe it and have faith.

Sincerely,

Timika Chambers

A mother’s words of wisdom. From my heart to yours. Building within