I have a two-year-old son. Know what he hates? Naps. End of list.
—Denis Leary
We wonder where our kids learn to judge or, worse, where they learn to be biased or to think less of this group or that one. There is only one answer: they learn it from us.
It was a comment under your breath about your brother’s spending habits. It was a joke about a celebrity’s weight. It was a complaint about the way your neighbor parks in their driveway. It was the conversation between you and your spouse over dinner about what’s wrong with the other side, with them.
You didn’t mean anything by it. You don’t really care. But your kids heard it. And they can read only your lips, not your mind.
We want kids who are open-minded, who give people the benefit of the doubt. But are you showing yours what this looks like day to day? Sure, you’re not a bigot, but are you always kind? You would never say something cruel to someone’s face, so why are you saying it behind their back? Especially when your kids can hear you.
The world needs less judgment, less bullying, fewer opinions, period. Can you start this trend at home? Can you teach your kids what that looks like, instead of letting the same old rumor mill spin round and round, grinding their goodness to dust?