Raising Great Men

Here's why it's important to talk to your kids about tolerance, empathy, and human rights. This isn't funny but somehow these young men found the killing of a black man by police to be a joke.
Teach tolerance www.teachingtolerance.org

I haven't posted or said anything about the recent unrest in our country because I wanted to be mindful of how I am feeling and how others are feeling at this time.

I have read many hateful comments posted on social media about the recent killing of George Floyd. I think it is a teachable moment for others to see what it is like to be black in America.

Twelve years ago, when I started Raising Great Men, I was one of a few black mothers talking about race, social justice, and the challenges of raising a black son. Although Raising Great Men embraces and welcomes parents from diverse backgrounds, I often wrote personal articles that reflected my truth.

In 2008, my oldest son was in 4th grade and now that he is a young man getting ready to graduate from college, I realize that I have spent more than 20 years worrying about how the world sees my son and how he will be received by others because of his race. I think about the microaggressions and the racist incident he endured in high school.

It saddens me that articles that I have written more than 5 years ago are still a problem today.

This is not a political post, it is a post to to implore other parents of boys to think about what it must be like for black mothers and fathers to send their child out into the world and not have any control over how he is received by others. Think about everything you want for your sons, we want the same. We face many more systemic opposition to achieve the same goals.

Today, I ask you to think about the following and have a conversation about race with your child:

What does it mean to be human?

If we are all human, why are some people's humanity denied?

What privileges are available for certain groups of people but not for others?

What can we do to help groups or individuals who are struggling because of race or ethnicity?

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iChill App — Trauma Resource Institute DESCRIPTION Are you stressed out, not feeling like yourself or worried about a family member? iChill can help by teaching you the Community Resiliency Model, a set of self-help skills. You will learn simple info about how stress affects the mind and body.

Hi all,

I hope everyone and their family are healthy and safe. I know these are challenging times for families. Please let me know if there are any resources you need to support you in this time.

What are ways you help your child to be media savvy?

How to Raise Media-Savvy Kids in the Digital Age Experts tips and tricks for helping your younglings think critically about what they see on TV and social media.

Let's change how we speak to boys about emotions.

It's not always easy to find the right words to describe how we are feeling. Kids struggle to match words to their feelings. This Feelings Wheel Chart courtesy of Loom can help kids and adults process their feelings in a more concise way.

How do you affirm good intentions while encouraging compassionate action?

Raising a Moral Child Tip #3: Affirm your child's good intentions.

I don't think it's as simple as moms have more biases than dads. You have to take into account cultural differences, experiences, and familial upbringing. I would also think that fear plays a factor too. A mom may fear her son being teased, bullied, or perceived as "weak" by other boys.

Boys Don’t Cry. Moms May Be To Blame. A new study shows that mothers are parenting based on biases they don’t even know they have.

The Miseducation of the American Boy Why boys crack up at r**e jokes, think having a girlfriend is “gay,” and still can’t cry—and why we need to give them new and better models of masculinity

We have to stop this narrative that if you go to college you will have a career that offers financial security. College is not for everyone and some kids are going into debt with student loans because they are pressured into pursuing a career.

Here's Why Your Kid Should Go Into the Trades Skilled trade positions are currently the hardest to fill in the United States and around the world.

How can we better support men's

I applaud the kids that are taking action about climate change. They want to ensure that there will be a future for them and generations to come.

No future, no children: Teens refusing to have kids until there's action on climate change Canadian Emma Lim is pledgeing NoFutureNoChildren until her government takes serious action against climate change. And it's cathcing on globally.

I believe it's important to be honest with your child but frame it in a way that is not hurtful. It's also important to remind them of the things at which they excel.

What if your kid sucks at something they're passionate about? Do you tell them? Here's what experts have to say.

How do you handle kids talking back? I think these tips are helpful but there are days when it's difficult to respond calmly. 😳

The Right Way to Respond When Kids Talk Back A friend of mine once went on a tirade about how she would not raise a disrespectful kid. “That’s just not happening,” she said. “He will not talk back. Respect is way too important to me, and I won’t put up with him being rude.” Her son was about a year old at the time. Mine was a few y...

Great pointers!!
Make kids accountable for their actions.
Don't always assume your child is telling the truth about their day.

We asked teachers to name one thing parents should never do While parents are invested in their children receiving the best possible education, they can sometimes be unfairly pushy towards teachers.

Depression may impact a parent's ability to be involved.

How Does It Affect Children When Their Parents Ignore Them? | Livestrong.com Humans interact with their children in a variety of ways. Authoritarian parents tend to lay down the law and mete out harsh punishments, while permissive parents set few or no limits. The authoritative parenting style, in which parents are warm, loving and still set definite limits, seems to be the....

I love the idea of being a traveler and not a helicopter.

A Simple Trick to Get Your Kid to Tell You What Happened at School Today And other tips from psychologist Wendy Mogel for cultivating resilience and exuberance.

Mental health check-ins are a great way to stay tuned in to your child's mental well-being.

Concerned about your child's mental health? Ask these questions You should be asking your kids about their lives every day. These open-ended inquiries will help you determine if they're suffering from anxiety, depression or bullying.

Introverts thrive on solitude to reset and gain balance. This can be a challenge when your child us an extrovert.

How To Parent When You're An Introvert Because talking to kids all the time is hard!

Do you let your kids take mental health days?

Why I let my kids skip school and take mental health days My daughter may not have to pay a mortgage, but she does feel the burden of responsibility. Sometimes, she needs a break to hit the reset button.

It's not the responsibility of our children to protect themselves at school. God bless this young man's family and friends.

The most valuable thing I learned from this article.. "Disagreement doesn't mean disrespect".

4 things that kids wish their parents knew Children could definitely give the adults in their lives some lessons in parenting. Here’s a few, from writer Swati Lodha.

8 powerful ways to mold children into leaders It’s the little things we do every day that mold children into the people they’ll become. Focus on these eight actions to help your children become leaders.

😱 "One of the most egregious findings of the poll is that 11 percent of parents with adult children will call their child's employer if he or she had an issue at work."

Kids aren't growing up: Shocking new poll says parents are killing kids' life skills The college admissions scandal can be linked with a pattern of over-parenting, The New York Times/Morning Consult poll shows.

Share some helpful methods for teaching kids to control their anger.

Teaching Kids To Control Their Anger Teaching children to control their emotions, especially anger, is difficult. We look at how another culture accomplishes this and learn about a powerful tool that American parents may be overlooking.

1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.

7 things parents should do to protect kids from child sexual abuse "Leaving Neverland" has parents talking about childhood sexual abuse; here's what EVERY parent needs to know.

Parenting is a learning experience for parents and their children.

The 25 Worst Things You Can Say to Your Kids | Amy James | K102 BestLife.com suggests 25 things you should never say to your kids. Most make a lot of sense to me- but I'm not a parent. For those of you who are, what do you think?

Scientists Identify the 4 Worst States for Teen and Child Mental Health Four states are failing their kids in two major ways.