People look different, act different and like different things. Everyone is different. Different does not mean better or worse. It just means different.
Hair can be different colors, lengths and styles, and some people are taller or shorter than others. Eye color is different from person to person, from very light blue to dark brown. Most people are right-handed, but about 1 in 10 people (10.6%) is left-handed.
Some differences are easy to see, and some are not. Some disabilities are visible and some are not, so you cannot always tell by looking at someone. Some people use a wheelchair to get from place to place. Having a disability does not mean a person is sad or cannot do things for themselves.
Braille is a system of raised dots that people who are blind or have low vision read with their fingers. Louis Braille invented the six-dot braille system in 1824, when he was 15 years old.
Families come in all different shapes and sizes. Sometimes a grandparent, an aunt or an uncle takes care of a child. Some families have stepparents, one parent, or parents who found their children through adoption.
Children notice differences between people from a young age. Young children can be put off by differences at first. Meeting people who are different makes them seem less strange. Young children usually ask direct questions about differences out of curiosity, not to be mean. When a child asks about a difference, a simple and honest answer is best. It is okay to say “I don’t know, but let’s find out together.” Staring, pointing and leaving someone out are unkind. A respectful question is fine.
People like different things, and that is okay. Friends can learn new things from each other, like how to cartwheel, cook or speak a new language. Playing and working with people who are different from you helps you practice kindness and empathy. Perspective taking is the ability to identify and understand other people's emotions, and it is a skill that keeps developing through adolescence.
Treating someone badly because they are different is not okay. Kids who bully sometimes pick on someone who looks or acts different. This is never okay. When teasing becomes hurtful, unkind and constant, it crosses the line into bullying. Leaving someone out on purpose can be a kind of bullying. A kind way to include someone is to invite a child who is sitting alone to join in. A smile and an invitation to play is a kind way to meet someone new.
Kids watch how grown-ups treat people, and they learn from it. If you see someone being picked on, you can stand up for them or tell an adult you trust. Kids feel good about themselves when they try things, make friends, do favorite activities and are kind. When someone is being unkind or when being different feels hard, a grown-up you trust can help. A grown-up you trust can help.
Words to know
- visible: can be seen
- braille: raised dot writing
- empathy: feeling for others
- adolescence: teen years
