Teaching Your Kids How to Treat Kids That Look Different

Model: DuRiyah Foster-Smith

 I wanted this precious girl to feel like a princess at her photoshoot, and she loved it.

It breaks my heart to hear and see stories from parents on how their child was mistreated, left out, bullied, and ignored because they were different.  As a mother of two kids, I work every day to try to protect my kids both physically and mentally. There isn’t any good parent that wants their child to physically and emotionally be hurt. Most times we have to be their voice and their advocate. We must start teaching kids how to treat people. It starts at home, showing them that they must treat people the way they want to be treated. 

Kids are such extraordinary individuals, and they observe everything. If they are curious or not familiar with something, they will ask questions.  It’s up to us parents to be there, to show them the right thing. As parents before kids go to school it’s important that you tell and show them that kids are different. With a world full of diversity, it’s crucial to have a world with kindness.

As many things are taught to kids by parents, so be the model of how to treat someone that doesn’t look like them.  When kids come to you with a question, be sure to give them open and clear answers. When explaining to them about disabilities, be sure to share with them how being kind and having compassion for a person is very important.  As parents, even if we have taught our children how to act, we can't assume the kids will not know how to act when they are around another child or children that have physical or mental disabilities. 

Growing up, many parents taught us that words don't hurt, but words matter. Showing and teaching your child that they need to use respectful language and not laughing when others say it, MATTERS. 

Although some kids may have different abilities, they are still children. Talking to your kids on how people who they are around at school may look different or be different and having that open door/window to ask questions and better understanding. Creating a recognition of diversity in your household. As they mature, it will show them how to interact properly. When you are talking to your kids it’s important to use the correct terminology, because remember your child is listening to every word you are saying.