MOMS & DADS TALK: Answers on Accepting Mixed-Race Children

According to new US Census data mixed-race children have increased by nearly 50 percent during the past 10 years.

Michel Martin of the National Public Radio  program Tell Me More on Tuesday discussed the issue in her story Growing Up Mixed, Blended In The New American Family

The Moms & Dads Talk question this week is two-fold:

How do you teach mixed children how to love and accept both races?

And how do you teach your single-race children to be tolerant of bi-racial school-mates?

• Mo Delgado, of Atlantic City, NJ:  Love and teach them all the same...
• Cheryl Baldwin, of Atlantic City, NJ:  ‎1 - introduce and explore the wonderful, rich history of both cultures - 2- it's not about tolerance, it's about acceptance. Teach children kindness and the rest will fall in place.
• Camille Lofters, of Queens, NY:  Leave the US. ;-)
• Marquita Brown, of Baltimore, MD: I think biracial children will have less and less issues with being mixed since there are going to be more of them in the years to come. Society has made being mixed almost like a fad or an "in thing." Unfortunately that sometimes leaves monoracial kids feeling like they're not cool enough. I've even had my son say he wishes he were mixed because everyone likes them. We make too much of a big deal about race in the US and it ends up hurting people in the process.
• Dottie Fender, of Abingdon, MD: By example. Be good toward everyone and they will too.

• Charles Qua Wilson, of Blackwood, NJ: I don't think much emphasis should even be put into teaching about separate races. I think in this country we've done a dis-service to society in that regard. We should be putting more emphasis on realizing that we are all part of the most important race in being HUMAN. LOVING FAMILIES AND SPIRITUALITY should be taught to all children, they will see the problems later in life, but will be better prepared to deal with them! It helps to explain that after 400 yrs most races in this country are mixed!!
• Scott Stetzer, of Longport, NJ: Love=Love.