Understanding a child’s racial and ethnic identity

Have you ever wondered how a child sees him- or herself with regards to race, ethnicity, color or group?

Although it’s not always easy to tell, it shouldn’t be a huge issue too but it’s good for educators, parents as well as caregivers to know some of the basics about it.

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During childhood, ethnic identity develops gradually. Preschoolers do not really understand the significance of an ethnic group, and do not understand that ethnicity is a lasting feature of the self, although they may label themselves as white, black, brown, Indian, or that they speak English, Spanish, Italian, Zulu or whatever they might have heard from home. It’s very common for young children to think that they may be able to change to something that they admire when they grow up, for example:

A black girl who says she would like to be white one day so that she could have long, blonde hair; or
A white boy who says he would like to be black one day so that he can also build beautiful houses and be strong.

See the proof in this cute video:

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Children do, however, become aware of their surroundings at a very early age, which very likely include their cultural contexts. For example, cultural values may underlie how soon a mother responds after her baby cries, where a baby sleeps, how he or she is carried, or when and how much he or she is fed. Parents may also sing a song or tell a story, or refer to a child’s observable features, such as hair, shin or eye color, that speak to the child’s race or ethnicity. For the young child who closely observes behaviors, the transmission of culture, ethnicity and race is a critical component of his or her gathering of information.

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It’s only during middle childhood that children come to realize that ethnicity is an unchanging feature of themselves.
Because the term ‘race’ has become such a touchy subject all over the world, educators should take care in their reactions and conversations in order not to humiliate or to come across as biased. Educators are trained how to deal with different cultures (multicultural education) and how to teach with respect to different cultures’ religions.

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For example, in the South African context, a South African child may belong to the black racial group and to the Sotho ethnic group, or to the white racial group and the English ethnic group.
The family and larger social environment also play a major role in the development of children’s ethnic identity. Parents, family members, teachers and other adults can be instrumental in teaching children the strengths and unique features of their ethnic culture and instilling ethnic pride in them.