Some people think it’s too early to have serious conversations about race with kids. Or they don’t know where to begin.
This book gives you a starting point to explain white privilege and open up discussions for all ages.
Now is the time.
The book Race Cars follows two best friends, a white car and a black car. They enter a race together and sadly have very different rules and experiences because one car is black and the other is white.
This simple story helps children and adults recognize that the cars express what white privilege looks like in real life. We see how systemic racism makes the oppressed person feel less than everyone else. We also notice how we often deny the benefits we have when we’re in a privileged position in society.
Author Jenny Devenny, a social worker, helped me to appreciate that it’s never too early to start educating kids on racism. She shares these important facts:
“As early as 6 months, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences, by ages 2 to 4, children can internalize racial bias and start assigning meaning to race. 5 to 8-year-olds begin to place value judgments on similarities and differences. By age 12 children have a complete set of stereotypes about every racial, ethnic, and religious group in society.”
Complete with a discussion guide for parents and educators, this book is an essential read for all families. We must guide and support our kids to make sure they know the facts about white privilege and racism. We must start now.
Helps with: Understanding white privilege, racism, white bias, and the civil rights movement, encouraging open discussion about race.
Author: Jenny Devenny
Publisher: Jenny Devenny, 2016