All Teaching Kids Posts
Don’t Do THIS During Black History Month
In case you haven’t noticed yet, I’m passionate about Black History Month. I did not enjoy learning about Black history growing up. It felt more like grieving than celebrating for…
Let’s Celebrate Black History Month!
Can you believe February is right around the corner?! And with it comes BLACK HISTORY MONTH!! Celebrating Black History Month is so important for ALL kids, not just Black children,…
Work With Me: First Name Basis at Your School
We’re wrapping up Season 8 with this episode, and it’s got me thinking all about our evolution over the years. From beginning as a tiny Instagram account to starting the…
Raising Multiracial Children with Dr. Jennifer Noble
Growing up as a multiracial child, I often felt my racial identity shifting and developing — heck, even as an adult I do! Navigating what it means to be multiracial…
Teaching Children About Disabilities
July 26, 2023, is the 33rd anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act. If you’re doing the math in your head, let me give you a shortcut: That means the…
The Story of the First Openly Gay MLB Player: Glenn Burke
Happy Pride my friends, especially to the LGBTQ+ members in our community! To celebrate Pride, I wanted to share an episode from my Bite-Sized Black History program that features a…
Bite-Sized Black History
Bite-sized Black History is a podcast just for kids that empowers you to teach the little ones you love about brilliant Black Americans who have been largely overlooked by our history…
Teaching Our Children About Unfamiliar Accents
Have y’all ever driven down the East Coast? I don’t mean to spoil the magic for you but I gotta say, it’s basically a straight shot through a wall of…
3 Steps to a More Inclusive Bookshelf
The books that we have in our bookshelves speak volumes about who and what we value, and our bookshelves are the perfect place to help us raise anti-racist kiddos. Not…
How Do I Avoid Cultural Appropriation When It Comes to Halloween Costumes? 
“Is a (fill in the blank) costume cultural appropriation?” “How do I know if the costumes we’ve picked are appropriation?” “I don’t understand why ______ would be considered cultural appropriation….
Culture is Not a Costume: Cultural Appropriation and Halloween
Can you believe that Halloween is just around the corner? I know some of you super-prepared parents out there are already getting costumes put together for your kiddos, and you…
How Do I Start Talking to My Kids About Racism?
When your kiddo says something racist or is exposed to racism in some way, it is, of course, a time you need to respond and have a conversation with them…
Age Appropriate Anti-Racism
My dear friends, we have been on this anti-racism journey together for 3 years, and it’s AMAZING to think about the growth we’ve gone through together. Over the course of…
My Child Just Said Something Racist. What Do I Do?
What should you say and do if your child says something racist? Moments when that happens can be stressful, emotional and hard to hear, but I have some suggestions to…
Oh No! I Talked About Racism and Made Things Worse
I’ve heard from so many parents who have been listening to the First Name Basis Podcast and other anti-racist educators, have tried to implement the suggestions they learn as they…
I Want to Teach My Kids to be Anti-Racist. Where Should I Start?
You know anti-racism is important and you want to teach your kids to be anti-racist, but sometimes it can be tricky to know where to start. Well, here at First…
How Can I Help My Kiddos Grapple With Hard History?
You know what would really help us all out? If we realized that historical figures are more than the heroes/villains that we often reduce them to. Although past presidents and…
Anti-Racist Education at Home and in the Classroom
We want our children to embrace anti-racist education both at school and at home, but what does that actually look like? We’re talking about anti-racism in the classroom for the…
Creating Change in the Classroom
Classrooms should be places of growth, discovery and change, and as parents and caregivers we need to support teachers in fostering a positive environment for students. And Patrick Harris II…
3 Things Children Need to Know About Slavery
As a Black bi-racial person, learning about slavery growing up was so hard for me for so many reasons — it was traumatizing and heartbreaking to think about the conditions…
Age Appropriate Anti-Racism
My dear friends, we have been on this anti-racism journey together for 2.4 years, and it’s AMAZING to think about the growth we’ve gone through together. Over the course of…
Love in A Time of Crisis: Parenting and Activism
There’s a phrase I’ve seen pop up over and over again among influencers (specifically white people on social media who consider themselves parenting experts) that makes me want to lose…
Don’t Wait Until Something Bad Happens to Talk to Your Kids About Race
It’s obvious that there is a need to talk about race with our kiddos when big events are in the news. But if that’s the only time we’re talking to…
White Children and Uncomfortable History: What Do We Do?
Since the push for anti-racism has become more mainstream some white children (and adults) are learning about the true history of the United States for the very first time. This…
How to Celebrate Black History Month With Children
Bite-Sized Black History is your guide to celebrating Black History Month meaningfully in your home or classroom. Join me today for a sneak peek! Bite-Sized Black History Bite-sized Black History…
Our Kiddos Are Going to Change the World
In many ways, Emi Kim is what you might consider a typical 9-year-old. When she grows up, she wants to be a scientist or president of the United States, but…
The Memory That I Can’t Shake: The Why Behind Ally Elementary
ALLY ELEMENTARY IS HEEEEERE! Pop all of the confetti cannons in the world because I am so dang excited to share this transformational program with you and your family! In…
A Real-Life Anti-Bias Teachable Moment
In this episode I walk you through the anti-bias approach that I took when my daughter came up against something in one of her library books that didn’t align with…
Anti-Racist Education at Home and in the Classroom
We want our children to embrace anti-racist education both at school and at home, but what does that actually look like? In this episode I interview Alexandria Scott, Founder and…
How to Teach Media Literacy to Children
Okay y’all, I know I’m not the only one seeing these headlines that are absolutely bananas! Sometimes I read something and think “how is it possible that people actually believe…
5 Tips for Talking to Children About the News
Current events are always tough, and it seems like they’ve been especially brutal and heart-breaking lately. Here are 5 tips for talking to children about the hard things going on…
Bringing Chinese Culture Into Our Homes
Since the start of the pandemic the Asian-American community has faced heightened discrimination, racism, and violence. In this episode I give concrete examples of what it looks like to stand…
How to Celebrate Black History Month
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed when it comes to celebrating Black History Month? In this episode I share the key to a meaningful Black History Month celebration. If you’re…
How to Talk to Your Children About Racism
Racism is a topic that can be hard to know where to start when talking to your kids about it. It’s important to be honest about it, but how can…
3 Steps To A More Inclusive Bookshelf
The books that we have in our bookshelves speak volumes about who and what we value. In this episode I share the 3 steps to making your child’s bookshelf more…
How to Teach Your Children About Thanksgiving
So now that you know the untold story of Thanksgiving, how in the world do you teach your children about it? Don’t worry one bit friend, I have 4 concrete…
How to Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos
In this episode we interview Catrina Gandara, a fellow podcaster who was born and raised in Mexico. Catrina grew up celebrating Dia De Los Muertos and has carried on those…
Teaching Our Children About the Deaf Community
In this episode we interview Chad Kennedy, a Deaf ASL Professor at BYU and UVU. Chad teaches us the following: His experience at a hearing school vs. a Deaf school…
Small Wins: Teaching 3rd Graders About Melanin, Race, and Civil Rights
In this episode, we share stories of how we’ve used the lessons we learn through First Name Basis in real life. Jasmine tells the story of how she was taught…
Family History Dinner
In this episode you will hear about “Family History Dinner,” an activity we developed to appreciate and learn about our own ancestors. This was a special opportunity to connect with…
Using Your Culture to Build Your Child’s Sense of Self
Did you know that teaching your children about their heritage can actually build their sense of self? Find out why and learn the vocabulary you need to teach your children…
Talking to Your Children About Slavery
Although slavery is a dark part of our nation’s history, it is important that we don’t turn our backs on the truth. This episode identifies some common missteps that parents…
Talking To Older Children About Race
You know that it’s time to talk to your older child about race but you haven’t had a minute to sit down and a take dive deep — and let’s…