How do you teach kids not to become homophobic?

[Nikki]

My 7 year old saw a news clip on tv the other morning and it was talking about Elton John getting married. It then showed two men kissing. I didn't even have time to change the channel. Ever since then, she's been asking me "Mommy, those two boys got MARRIED????". She knows it's not the "norm".

How do I teach my kids that our beliefs teach us that homosexuality is wrong, yet not teach them to hate? I don't AGREE with homosexuality, but I also don't hate homosexuals. In fact, I have a few friends that are gay. My neighbor is gay, but she shows no affection to her mate around others, so my girls have always just thought that "Mary" and "Michelle" were just friends that lived together.

I've been dodging the question each time she asks because I'm afraid I'll make her scared of them or hate them.

And please don't turn this into a "gay bashing" post. If you don't have anything nice to say, then please don't say anything at all. I want you to respect my wishes that I don't want my kids hating homosexuals. I don't want my kids to "Hate" anyone.

 

[greyfeather]

Nikki,

I have a daughter-inlaw whose step dad is gay. He married her mom and had 2 children with her, he finaly as they say came out. My daughter inlaw has 3 children and they are allowed to see him and he loves them. The kids just think of him as papa, but the oldest knows thanks to some very mean people who told thier kids and they tease him alot. His mom just sat him down and told him that God says this is not right and that is the truth , but she also told him that as a person and his papa he deserved to be treated with the love he shows to them. I know him well and he is a good person and does not flaunt his private life to anyone. I don't know if this will help you or not, but I agree with you , I do not want my grandchildren to hate anyone. I think if children are taught to respect others and not hate as they get older it is alot easier to explain things to them.



Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.

 

[follower of Christ]

Id say focusing on the fact that we ALL are sinners and we all need a Savior, no matter how big or little the sins are.

The practicing gay is simply a disobedient sinner, no better or worse than any other sinner.

Id teach them that God loves the person, but hates the sin...no matter what the sin is.

My 7 year old saw a news clip on tv the other morning and it was talking about Elton John getting married. It then showed two men kissing. I didn't even have time to change the channel. Ever since then, she's been asking me "Mommy, those two boys got MARRIED????". She knows it's not the "norm".

How do I teach my kids that our beliefs teach us that homosexuality is wrong, yet not teach them to hate? I don't AGREE with homosexuality, but I also don't hate homosexuals. In fact, I have a few friends that are gay. My neighbor is gay, but she shows no affection to her mate around others, so my girls have always just thought that "Mary" and "Michelle" were just friends that lived together.

I've been dodging the question each time she asks because I'm afraid I'll make her scared of them or hate them.

And please don't turn this into a "gay bashing" post. If you don't have anything nice to say, then please don't say anything at all. I want you to respect my wishes that I don't want my kids hating homosexuals. I don't want my kids to "Hate" anyone.

 

[ArtGuy]

If you don't want your children to be homophobes, simply don't act as a homophobe yourself. Children are like little pink sponges. They soak up our attitudes and opinions when they're young. Simply act as you wish them to act, and they'll likely follow your lead.

 

[paisley]

I was basically going to say what ArtGuy said. It is how we respond to anything that teaches our children. If we scream and run from spiders, it teaches our children to be scared of spiders. If we show compassion to the sick and poor, it teaches our children to have this same compassion. If we show disgust and hatred to gays, it teaches our children to do likewise, but if we wait until they are old enough to handle the subject and gently talk to them about who gays are and how God sees homosexuality and then explain how God wants us to treat all people with love and compassion since afterall we are all sinners, you will be teaching your children to have a solid Christian outlook.

 

[Windozer]

Tell them that life is not about being perfect, That we all have something wrong with us, and in so much as we have the ability our goal needs to be able to be at peace with others. And hate does not allow that to happen.

 

[rover]

Just tell them there are people like that in the world who gets attracted to the same sex. Tell them that God teaches us to love them but not to follow their ways...something like that lol

 

[mstrohm]

Nikki,

Children have a wonderful mind. As they grow they try to categorize things. In the early years we spend loads of time learning categories. Often it appears that children “over simplify†or insist of placing certain behavior or observations into a category.

Children are fascinated with items that are “gross†or “forbiddenâ€Â. There is a focus on such things. Part of that is normal. Two men kissing is not “normal†in their eyes. Such an observation is not wrong. However, we must help them use the categories they are developing to better understand the Lord and how they should act.

We need to help them understand that there will be actions that are “wrong†in God’s eyes, yet we must love everyone God created. Even if they do wrong things. Help them understand that all of us will do wrong things from time to time and we want people to treat us nicely. Bring them to an understanding that it is good to understand what is right and wrong so we can live our life the way God would like us to. But it would be wrong to use our understanding of right and wrong to be prideful and boast.

These are big understandings, but worth the effort to teach since they are life lessons!

God bless you in your important job as parent!

Loving Limits Blog

 

[thessalonian]

By giving them a sense of the dignity of all men and women despite our corrupt sinful natures (that we all have) that Jesus wants to heal.

 

[tristyk]

We need to talk to our kids, read them the word, and pray for them. It is such a danger to be silent around our kids when the world is shouting public opinion at them. Let them know what homosexuality is and what the bible says about it. Teach them about sin and the biblical repercusions, etc.

The bible says to, therefore we should.