My daughter and her racial slurs.
So, my daughter, said a very bad thing. She called her brother a "nigger". Oh my god, I about fell out. I wasn't there(good thing). My wife told me about this later on.
My daughter is not known to cuss. In fact, she doesn't like any bad words or even joking about kissing. She is very straight edge and that is why this came as such a shock to me. She is only 7, by the way.
When I asked her why, she said she didn't know. She just heard the word and it came out.
Then you have to question the source. Guess what, I listen to rap/gangsta music. The word "nigga" is repeated over and over. Of course my daughter hears me singing along with the songs and thinks that since she has never heard "nigga" made out to be a cuss word, it is somehow ok to say.
I then attempt to explain to her the intricacies of the word. I tell her you should never say "nigger". It is a bad thing as it refers to a time when black Americans where thought to be below their fellow man. All men are equal and that word should not be said.
Then, I have to try and explain why all the black guys in my songs say it over and over. I try to tell her that the word "nigga" is what black people call each other. I then try to have her understand why that word isn't ok to say either. Somehow when you say it "nigga", it's ok. I don't get it, but it's not part of my history/culture.
I certainly don't want my kids growing up thinking or saying racial things.
What is the right answer here?
My daughter is not known to cuss. In fact, she doesn't like any bad words or even joking about kissing. She is very straight edge and that is why this came as such a shock to me. She is only 7, by the way.
When I asked her why, she said she didn't know. She just heard the word and it came out.
Then you have to question the source. Guess what, I listen to rap/gangsta music. The word "nigga" is repeated over and over. Of course my daughter hears me singing along with the songs and thinks that since she has never heard "nigga" made out to be a cuss word, it is somehow ok to say.
I then attempt to explain to her the intricacies of the word. I tell her you should never say "nigger". It is a bad thing as it refers to a time when black Americans where thought to be below their fellow man. All men are equal and that word should not be said.
Then, I have to try and explain why all the black guys in my songs say it over and over. I try to tell her that the word "nigga" is what black people call each other. I then try to have her understand why that word isn't ok to say either. Somehow when you say it "nigga", it's ok. I don't get it, but it's not part of my history/culture.
I certainly don't want my kids growing up thinking or saying racial things.
What is the right answer here?
posted by Ronald McDojo at 1:09 PM
1 Comments:
There is no right answer. You're trying to explain social workings that most adults don't understand to a 7 year old. If I was in you're situation (which will happen someday) I would equate it to what she sees on T.V. You see people kill other people on T.V. and you know that is not right and therefore would never do that. Same with the words "nigger or nigga" you hear other people say them but you don't do it cause it is wrong. It's nearly impossible to condense countless centuries of racial struggles into language that a child can understand.
Mad Pooper
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