Dear parents and families of Post Road Pediatrics,
As your pediatricians, we are often asked how to discuss difficult topics with your children. Some are questions like how to talk to your teen about feminine hygiene products; others are how to explain serious illness, divorce, or death. One we do not often review with families (and isn't that part of the problem?) is racism.
The president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Sally Goza, MD, recently stated, "We must dismantle racism at every level, from individual to institutional to systemic," said AAP President Sara "Sally" H. Goza, MD, FAAP. "Our nation did not get here overnight, and the road to progress and healing will be long and difficult, but the work we have before us is essential. Our children's future will be built on these moments of reckoning." Dr. Goza also noted, ""Racism harms children's health, starting from before they are born," Dr. Goza said. "A growing body of research supports this, and we cannot ignore the impact."
We have always had the opportunity, but never more than right here and now, to have these critical conversations with our children. Racism has to be confronted on all fronts: in every state and town, in every school, and on every block. We are not experts on racism itself, but we have a lot of experience talking to kids about tough subjects, and have access to Boston Children's and the American Academy of Pediatrics, both of which have experts on this important subject. Below are some vetted links with guidance for you and your family.