@metalgreymon I don’t think it’s too traumatizing. If anything, kids that age might need assistance to actually visualize the history behind that word beyond what someone is just telling them
@cassie928 Yeah I was kind of thinking that being immersed in the images and everything from the most egregious time periods might help show the significance
But, my son is only 2, so I don’t know exactly how much they can emotionally withstand at 7
@metalgreymon I mean - they’re definitely impressionable at that time but in that way, I think this could be a good place to start if the problem persists in order for her to understand the significance of her words.
I think a lot of the time people wait for too long to have important discussions with their kids because they want to protect their innocence. During that time, they’re receiving all kinds of mixed messages from peers, media, other influences. They’re already taking in information - but it might not be the right information or delivered in the right way. Thus however this kid picked up that language.
@metalgreymon I feel like that might be a mixed bag as far as the message they really receive versus its undoubtedly shocking nature. Idk if it would be a good thing at that point. I would think that that young, you could still manage to educate on the improper nature of the word based on sympathy for how it could make their dark skinned peers feel. My little girl isn't there yet but if that word is still in prevalence by the time she's old enough to have to deal with it I hope to help her see it as something that's been internalized by a culture to appropriate it from being a slur and made into something. That something only has any value to them, realistically, in a cultural sense. It adds little to no real value to anything "our people" (we're a caucasian family) can say and has potential to cause discomfort or harm for a variety of reasons. Words are just words but that one is best not employed by us. If they can get that I feel like their experiences will reinforce those concepts into more personal, detailed ideas about proper brotherhood, multiculturalism, tolerance and what those things mean.
@leelou Yeah I’m not sure though, it’s not like the museum is purely structured for shock. It’s definitely an educational setting.
And I remember when I was growing up learning about the holocaust around 3rd grade. So I was thinking it might be pretty close to developmental readiness.
@chakra12 I remember the first time I was told a joke as a kid that was an ethnic slur against me. I didn’t know it was a bad word and was so excited to go home and tell my father this new joke that someone told me about “people like us”.
I will never forget the look of horror on his face when I told him. He simply said, “they use that as a way to call you less than and stupid”. I never said it again or repeated any like flavored jokes about anyone. Hopefully your reaction to the word will be a deterrent in her saying any words like that in the future.
