Writing is and still can be a viable means of activism for the BIPOC community in the United States. Even if social media has become the new newspaper, writing still has a big impact on activism because writing is not only done on paper, it can also be done virtually. We can communicate our thoughts and work through social media that people can read. If anything, writing has become a very accessible tool in activism through social media. Just like Bambara’s writing was a form of activism, the same can still be done today. Organizations such as the NAACP often use social media to share their work and activism. Journalists also still write important information that can be accessed through social media as well (articles, documents, etc.). Though writing is no longer as traditional as it was in the past, writing still and always will be a viable means to activism.
Bambara
Bambara Discussion Post Topic (choice one): Writing as Activism
Children generate and process information from their surroundings. In families, parents and elders are the primary components of children’s learning environment, meaning everything the latter utters is processed by the child. Chances of a child absorbing a statement that will remain in their heads until adulthood are significantly high, suggesting that parents and the elders should be mindful of their address to children. Besides, children have very sharp longer-term memories, and most of the things they learn can stick with them to adulthood. In “Gorilla, My Love” by Toni Cade Bambara, for instance, the protagonist becomes furious after learning that grownups treat children in an ‘undeserving’ way. She indicates that “grownups figure they can treat you just anyhow. Which burns me up.” Parents should avoid making remarks that are likely to yield defiance from children when they grow up by telling them the truth, no matter how brutal. There is always a simpler way of telling them the truth without adversely affecting their emotions. An adult’s word to a child bears a great deal of meaning. Therefore, the parents and elders should avoid “just teasin” kids because the latter digests the words as truth.
Influence of Families and Elders on Children
In my judgment, I believe that parents and elders in families should be very attentive to what they say around young children. The particular reason for this is because while a child is going through their developmental stage, children intake everything around them rebel words and behaviors whether they’re good or bad, they take it as normal because they are yet not capable of differentiating what’s good or bad. Families and elders should always attempt to tell the truth to children and be as clear as possible. They should always teach children not to lie, but not in a brutal way. When a child is shielded by only saying nice things, they develop a concept of life always being perfect and nothing bad ever happening, which always affects them when struck by reality when older. When dealing with children we should always try to be as genuine as possible. We should teach our own children and children around us the reality of life in a way that their little brains can understand. We should teach children the value of words and actions.
parents
When speaking with small children, parents and elders in the family should be cautious. Criticizing them at an early age may have a negative impact on them. They’ll start thinking about your criticism instead of themselves, and they’ll want to change. Adults should refrain from “simply tormenting children.” It’s important to remember that adolescents don’t respond to criticism the same way adults do. When you give a child negative criticism, an adult may be able to accept his or her mistake and laugh it off, but children lack the vision required to do so. Children are kind and do not have the maturity to absorb criticism in the same manner that adults do.
parents
When it comes to what is said by adults around children, I believe that parents should censor what they say around their children. This is because personally from growing up around younger children I have always noticed that when kids learn how to form together words and replicate, they will repeat words they hear others say. They will indefinitely repeat what parents or family members say because the kids look up to them. Parents should be careful when talking to their children because like I said before children when it comes to their parents or older siblings are highly impressionable and will things curse words that they hear from their elders, however when it comes to telling the truth parents should almost always tell the truth. But there are situations where telling the truth could hurt them mentally for example something that we see often are dads who leave when their children are extremely young to avoid imprinting on them or having anything to do with them, although it is messed up and the child should know what happened because they will find out eventually you can’t tell a five-year-old there dad walked out on them because the dad did not want the child, you kind of have to lie until they’re old enough to handle the truth. Another thing that adults should always do is mean what they say, unlike telling kids the truth does not have its rare moments when it’s ok to go against it in extreme situations, you should always indefinitely stick to your words, especially around young children. Overall teasing kids is not bad, but you must understand when you are overdoing it to the point where it can be harmful to their development, and you also must understand that they must be censored to a certain extent but introducing them to the realistic aspects that make life well life is also not a bad thing.
Parents
Parents and elders in families should be careful when they speak around young children. Criticizing them at a young age could take a toll on them negatively. They’ll stop thinking about themselves and start thinking about your critique, and they’ll want to change. Adults should be avoiding “just teasing kids”. It’s critical to remember that children do not react to criticism in the same way that adults do. When you give a child critical feedback, an adult may be able to accept his or her error and laugh it off, but children have not yet developed the vision necessary to do so. Children are very gentle; they aren’t fully developed to take criticism the way adults take it. We need to be able to build up young children self-esteem, instead of breaking it down.
Bambara
In my opinion, parents and elders in families should be very careful about what they say around children because it can affect the child. Basically, adults’ words can tear them down, hurt their feelings and steal their joy. No matter what, parents should be nice to their kids and explain everything to them kindly. Parents’ words build up the kids in the future, kids are very sensitive to criticism and have to be treated gently from a young age. Dealing with children is easy when adults know kids have less experience in life and they view the world differently. Words like “just teasin” can make them feel weak and insecure about themselves.
Choice Two: Parents
I think that parents should be careful of what they say around their children depending on what the conversation is about, because every conversation a child hears can affect them positively or negatively. Some conversations aren’t meant for children to hear until they reach a certain age because it’s not good to sugar coat everything, especially as they grow older and experience new things. When they are at a certain age where they can understand things better, I think that the parents should be honest with the child but also be careful of how they say things/how they come across. They shouldn’t be too blunt, brutally honest, or tease them a lot because I think it can affect the child negatively as they get older. I think the parents should be nicer and careful about how they say things but still be truthful.
Discussion Post: Parents
Personally, I am conflicted with how honest parents should be with their children because of my own personal childhood. It was instilled in me at a very young age that honesty is always the best policy but I do think that there are some occasions where small lies are good for children. For example, whether or not to tell kids about Santa has become a controversial topic for parents because they say they don’t want to lie. But in my opinion, I think that is a “lie” that is one that is rooted in a special, magical place. I also believe that parents should not reveal too many “adult issues” (divorce, financial strain, etc) until the child is mentally capable of comprehending the issue at hand. However, one thing that I think parents should be totally transparent about with their children is mental health. Far too often, parents teach their kids unhealthy ways to communicate their feelings and over time feel that those feelings are not valid. It’s a beautiful world to teach your children about and parents should try to show their kids that every day but it is not all sunshine and rainbows and if parents are able to show their children that in a healthy matter, I believe it will help their transition to the real world be a lot smoother.
Parents
Trinasia Harper
Children are highly impressionable, especially at a young age. When speaking to young children, parents, adults, and elders should be careful in what they say around young children to an extent. Depending on the age of the child sometimes being semi brutally honest is what’s best. However, when dealing with really young children adults should be very careful in what they say and how they say it. Adults should tell children the truth in a very gentle and delicate manner. Children grow and learn through experience and through the teachings of their parents so if they grow up with parents and adults who lie, and break promises then it is very likely they will grow up to do the same things. When children are young, they need a balance of lies and truths. Adults should avoid “just teasin” kids in excess. Teasing may lead to either serious problems when the child grows up or it can lead to character development in the child.
