LISTEN

SHOW NOTES

Questions we ask

1. As a hispanic family, what has it been like for you the last several months as this conversation around race continues?
2. How have you guided your kids through this time, and the important conversations that have resulted? 
3. What advice do you have for the family out there who may say they don’t have a lot of diversity present in their everyday lives?
4. As parents who are trying to raise world changers and passionate followers of Christ, what is the most important thing you can teach them about this conversation?
5. What are some practical ways that we can continue to step into this conversation even when diversity doesn’t feel like it’s a part of our everyday lives?

Highlights:

• From a young age, expose your kids to people who look, act, and live differently than you do. By doing this, you can lay the foundation for the Biblical truth that God made everyone beautifully, and that your child has a responsibility to love people—all people. We love everyone because they’re God’s people. And that’s just what we do.

• When working to establish a Biblical foundation with your kids regarding how they should treat others, parents need to remember that actions speak louder than words. Parents need to MODEL what it looks like to love their neighbor consistently and well. How YOU treat others speaks volumes.
• Make it a priority to communicate with your kids. Have conversations with no distractions. Ask what they’re seeing, ask what they’re thinking, and listen to their perspective. Be present, be quiet, and let them speak. Listen first, react later.
• Teach your kids about their history and heritage, and celebrate it. Then enroll them in activities that will broaden their worldview by exposing them to other ethnicities and cultures. This will breed genuine curiosity about the history of others and an appreciation for all cultures.
• You can’t lead your kids to a place you’ve never been. If parents aren’t actively engaged with people who look different, who have a different background, who celebrate different cultural experiences, your kids won’t know what that looks like. Parents must intentionally seek out these opportunities.
• Know your kids. Once you know your kids and their tendencies, you can begin to mold their character. You can begin to help them know who they are in Christ, and how to navigate how God designed them and created them.
• Teach your kids what they can bring to this world. Teach them to be humble, but also to know they’re not limited by their gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Teach them to go where God leads them - not just to places where they think they belong.
• Train your kids to ask others about their families, and be authentically interested in another’s story. Train them to listen rather than making assumptions. We live in a society that’s quick to judge first and figure out the truth later.

Resources:

• Topical Index: Racial Equality
  From our Parent Resource Page, this index provides suggested scriptures, articles, kids' books, adult books, and other podcasts to help your family learn more about and tackle this tough topic.