Wow, the title alone is a turn off for me. As a biracial individual, I am little offended at the simplification of racial-identity as ice cream flavors. There are no how-to’s for white parents raising Black children. It’s complex and often painful, and that’s what white parents need to know going into this.This information in this book is contrary to current evidence from The National Association for the Education of Young Children. A more realistic book is “Anti Bias Curriculum- Tools for Empowering Young Children.” This is by Louise Serman-Sparks and the Anti-Bias Curriculum Task Force. It is a teachers guide but the information is also very pertinant for parents. Get the information from the experts. The description of “I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla ” sounded promising but the content was conservative, right wing propaganda. Young children are aware of differences (including ethnic differences) early on. Pre-predjudice can start as early as three years old. Magical thinking is not the full picture here as the author asserts. Children need real answers. To shield them from racism is not realistic. We need to empower them and support them in a healthy self identity. I found this book flaky at best.Thank you for an easy, pleasant transaction. Good reading, truly a help to our bi-racial familyThis book had some good information in it, but seemed to be geared toward teachers and administrators of schools in inner-city areas where black children, presumably, are not as exposed to other races. The title was misleading to me as the book did not focus on topics, tips, or ideas for parents trying to raise a biracial child. If the title is what caught your attention, try “Does Anybody Else Look Like Me”, that book is specifically for parents of biracial children and gives age-appropriate discussion topics as your child grows.Margureite Wright has her head on straight. A great book. Should be in every parent and teachers library, whether they have black or bi-racial children in their lives or not.
This superb, rational, and highly readable volume answers a deeply felt need. Parents and educators alike have long struggled to understand what meanings race might have for the very young, and for ways to insure that every child grows up with a healthy sense of self. Marguerite Wright handles sensitive issues with consummate clarity, practicality, and hope. Here we have an indispensable guide that will doubtless prove a classic.
–Edward Zigler, sterling professor of psychology and director, Yale Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy A child’s concept of race is quite different from that of an adult. Young children perceive skin color as magical–even changeable–and unlike adults, are incapable of understanding adult predjudices surrounding race and racism. Just as children learn to walk and talk, they likewise come to understand race in a series of predictable stages. Based on Marguerite A. Wright’s research and clinical experience, I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla teaches us that the color-blindness of early childhood can, and must, be taken advantage of in order to guide the positive development of a child’s self-esteem. Wright answers some fundamental questions about children and race including:What do children know and understand about the color of their skin? When do children understand the concept of race? Are there warning signs that a child is being adversely affected by racial prejudice? How can adults avoid instilling in children their own negative perceptions and prejudices? What can parents do to prepare their children to overcome the racism they are likely to encounter?How can schools lessen the impact of racism?With wisdom and compassion, I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla spells out how to educate black and biracial children about race, while preserving their innate resilience and optimism–the birthright of all children.. read more.
Tags: Biracial, Black, Children, Chocolate, Healthy, RaceConscious, Raising, Vanilla, World, You're