Nanny to Mommy

 It is Black History Month and I recently saw someone say that Black History is redundant and the reason he said this was because simply, Black History is American History and we should be teaching it all year long. We have been teaching a filtered version of our history to make it sound nicer, but the only we can do better is to teach our children the truth so we can actually learn from mistakes and do better.

Today I'm sharing some books to help teach and celebrate Black History Month not just in February, but all year long.

 I don't make my kids hug or kiss anyone they don't want to. I was never forced to as a child because different experiences that my mother had growing up. I was always thankful that my mom never made me because I would go through phases of being shy.

Quite a few years ago now, my husband's family had a Christmas party and my husband's Aunt told my daughter to come give her a hug. My daughter looked at me timid and I told her she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. So she didn't hug her and just said, "Merry Christmas". Later, my mother-in-law confronted me about how she thought this was rude and "It was just Aunt [name redacted]". This was an uncomfortable conversation since I don't like confrontation, but it needed to be said. It wasn't about undermining or embarrassing anyone, but educating. I told her that I would never force my children to be hugged or kissed by anyone even if that person is their Great Aunt because it's their body. I also mentioned how they don't know her very well because they don't remember seeing her at all. I don't know what changed my mother-in-law's mind for sure, but she no longer expects the grandkids to hug anyone that they don't want to.

The reason I have this rule is simply, I don't want my kids to be groomed for sexual abuse.