Learn to Parent for Social Justice
This article is written by Quality Care for Children’s Keon N. Berry, Director of Parent Services
For centuries, social injustice has caused unrest in our communities. At its core, this debate can be framed simply as what people believe is right and what people think is wrong. However, this dialogue seems to be a never-ending conversation without a solution. This raises the questions of “how will we ever address today's most pressing challenges and if we ever will.” Our youth are the future, and we must start preparing for the future as early as we can, starting with our youngest learners.
Knowing that children ages birth to five are the most vulnerable and impressionable population, we encourage parents, guardians, and care takers to educate themselves on the discriminatory issues and biases that groups of people face every day and demonstrate the behaviors at home that will help their children grow into kind and informed adults . A model that can help parents address social justice issues such as race, gender, and culture in a positive manner must also assist with addressing the problems at their roots. The Fundamental Philosophy of Non-Violence, a philosophy created by the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK), emphasizes acknowledging the personhood and experience of every human being with love.
Dr. King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice A. King, is the chief executive officer of The King Center, where this framework continues to carry the legacy forward. It Starts With Me, a new children’s book authored by Dr. Bernice King and Dr. Kimberly Johnson, illustrates MLK’s Fundamental Philosophy of Non-Violence in a fun, practical, and simple way and introduces the Beloved Community, inspiring children to make the world a better place.
It is important that we model the behaviors we want to see in our children. Creating a better tomorrow truly starts with us. See below for some takeaways from Dr. King’s Fundamental Philosophy of Non-Violence that parents can use to help expose their children to social justice topics:
Nonviolence Is a Way of Life for Courageous People: Deciding to extend unconditional kindness to others is a revolutionary act. Teach young children an example of light in a world full of darkness by being kind, polite, and respectful to all people they encounter.
Nonviolence Seeks to Win Friendship and Understanding: Seek to understand than to be understood. Encouraging children to actively listen so that they may gain understanding will result in reconciliation and peace, which can lead to greater trust and empathy.
Nonviolence Seeks to Defeat Injustice, or Evil, Not People: Great people can make some really poor decisions. Remind children that nobody is perfect and mistakes happen. However, in turn, they should extend grace and forgiveness while reestablishing trust wherever it is possible or necessary.
Nonviolence Holds That Unearned, Voluntary Suffering for a Just Cause Can Educate and Transform People and Societies: When you put good into the world, it may not always come back. However, realize that good will always win in the end. Teach children to have unconditional, positive regard for others, as every offense may not require a defense.
Nonviolence Chooses Love Instead of Hate: Contrary to popular belief, it is easier to love than to hate. Inspire children always to take the high road, even when it is difficult, by being kind, selfless, and loving in their approaches. Love is the greatest of all things.
Nonviolence Believes That the Universe Is on the Side of Justice: The truth always comes full circle, and justice always prevails in the end. Children can benefit from learning integrity, practicing high-quality decision-making, and modeling high ethical character.
In the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
To help you teach your children more about what social justice means and learn more about social justice parenting, see the links below for more resources.
Helpful Links:
PBS for Parents: Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism
From Brightly: Books and Resources to Help You Raise Anti-Racist Children
Yale News: It’s Never Too Early to Talk with Children About Race
Confident Parents Confident Kids: Learning About Racial and Social Justice at Home
EduTopia: Teaching Young Children About Bias, Diversity, and Social Justice
Just for Parents:
Join QCC’s Director of Parent Services, Keon N. Berry, as he moderates Monmouth University’s “Disrupting Educational Inequities: Managing Roadblocks to Social Justice & Anti-Racist Practices in the Classroom,” featuring special guest, Educator and Activist Alfred “Shivy” Brooks. Find more information and register for the Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 event at: https://www.monmouth.edu/school-of-education/social-justice-academy/pds.
