Little Bill loves a particular superhero called Captain Brainstorm. In one episode, Little Bill wants to be Captain Brainstorm for Halloween and has to come up with things around his house that will help him put the costume together. When he gets stumped he says to himself, "There's got to be another way."Let's just say that this is Garrett's new catch phrase. I hear him saying it really frequently. This morning, as he tried to shove his feet into shoes that are way too small I heard him exclaiming, "There's got to be another way!"
Do any of you have suggestions about other cartoons/movies/music/etc that would be good for us to have around to broaden the cultural identities of both our boys?
I think the that PBS's Super Why! is really cute: http://pbskids.org/superwhy/
ReplyDeleteIt's a diverse bunch!
Hey Lori,
ReplyDeleteI am taking a "Teaching in a Diverse Society" class, which is all about making your activities, conversations, and daily routines involve children from all areas.
I will talk to my professor about ideas in terms of adding diversity to your home. :o) That is actually a really good idea for my research project for that class...the outcomes of adopting a child of a different race than you. Thanks for the idea! I will get back to you on the ideas my teacher has.
~Heather
Cars by Disney is a great movie cause all the cars are different colors,,,Sorry couldn't resist.
ReplyDeleteI read an article...it was just a front page on a magazine, maybe Newsweek?...it's about how, especially white families, don't want to talk about race so kids make their own assumptions. It's so crazy! One parent told her child that 'We're all equal' and the boy walked around agreeing with her for 6 months until he said, 'What does equal mean?'
ReplyDeleteHere it is! If you're interested...I think they give suggestions too...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989
i find that sesame street always seems to have a ton of different races represented and its supposed to be one of the most genuinely educational shows out there.
ReplyDeleteAnything by Ezra Jack Keats. Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Keatss-Neighborhood-Ezra-Keats-Treasury/dp/0670035866/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257565268&sr=1-1
ReplyDeleteRead his bio.
Ezra Jack Keats is good for books. I read The Snowy Day to my nephews, they are two and seven, all the time. I don't really have any TV shows other then The Backyardigains and Wonder Pets. VeggieTales is good and so are 3,2,1 Penguins. As far as music goes usually I just put in a Lauri Beckner CD for the boys and we dance around, cleaning up their toys, and that seems to work. I frequently just flip the TV off and we play the picture game. I take pictures of their friends,family members and all and ask,"Does this person look like you?" and I try to point out that while that person may look different God made us all the same. It's kind of cheesy but it works.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm always a fan of Dora and Diego :)
ReplyDeleteYES EZRA JACK KEATS!
ReplyDeleteand I LOVE Little Bill. I just watched one this morning where he went to work with his dad. (actually...it backfired because then the little girl I was sitting for DEMANDED that she go to work with her dad, rather than stay home with me. tantrum. fun times all around.)
I didn't read though all of your responses but Sesame Street has a little bit of every culture. I put it on once in a while for the boys. I am so shocked that some of the same actors from when I was little are still on there.
ReplyDeleteOn a similar, but not identical, theme, my friend Kari has the Most Amazing Blog I've Ever Read (not as funny as you, but....=)
ReplyDeletewww.raisingtoby.blogspot.com Toby was diagnosed in utero with spina bifida. He's 3 now. She recommended books by P.K. Hallinan, because he has a character in a wheelchair in many stories without pointing it out. This sort of thing might make kids less likely to be surprised and stare when they see a child in one. She recommended his book "When I Grow Up." I got two of his books from library, and neither had wheelchair child in them, but the Easter one really works the true meaning, plus the fun traditions, of Easter together well.
Now, to go look up Ezra Jack Keats on the library site.
Well, my 2 boys are white and whiter, but we love Little Bill too. My favorite is his "Spring Is Here" song. We also love Sesame Street and Super Why. I personally do not allow Dora in my house (all of the yelling drives me absolutely bonkers!), but I'm thinking about introducing my boys to Diego.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see what Heather comes back with, because this topic is important to me as the mom of two biracial children.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting one is Signing Times and Baby Signing Times. The creator is also the star, and she began doing child-friendly sign language videos because her niece or nephew was born profoundly deaf. (I think that's the story.) Anyway, my big kid LOVES them, and we used the baby versions to teach him to sign before he could speak.
In addition to these great ideas about books and TV shows, another thing to consider is the music you choose to play. There's a lot of great Christian music out there in a diversity of genres by artists from diverse backgrounds. Lately I'm on a big Donnie McClurkin kick.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is just some great soul and jazz music out there that isn't directly about God or Jesus, but which I think has to please God by the creativity and skill of the musicians. Take the jazz thing with a grain of salt, though, because I'm super biased toward the music I heard at home growing up and the connection it gave me to my dad's side of the family.