Everyday Ways to Teach Values

Tolerance

Common problems for kids:

• Your child makes fun of people who are different.
• He makes discriminatory remarks.

How to help:

• He may repeat words or jokes without understanding that they are hurtful. Explain why discriminatory comments are wrong, and refuse to allow them.
• Provide opportunities for him to meet people of different ages, races, cultures, and religions.
• Expose her to literature, toys, music, and games that represent a wide range of cultural groups.
• Answer questions about differences simply and honestly ("Miguel talks differently than we do because he speaks Spanish and is just learning English").

Activities to try:

• Look at pictures of people of different races; point out the few differences and the many similarities.
• Ask her what kinds of things an intolerant person would say and how that might make others feel.
• Ask him to be on the lookout for generalized negative statements about groups of people that start with "They're all," "They never," or "They always."