Early Risers podcast
How teaching kids about race can help maternal health | 3 min read
“Mommy, can I give this to my teacher with brown skin?”
My 3.5 year old asked this yesterday, and I’m so glad I had just listened to the Early Risers Podcast by Little Moments Count.
I learned about it on Angela Davis NPR News in an interview with Andrea Dukes (current host and VP of Family and Community Impact at Northside Achievement Zone) and Dianne Haulcy (former show host and Assistant Commissioner of Early Childhood at the MN Department of Children).
I thought I had more time before I’d talk to my daughter about race.
But research shows that babies notice race by 3 months, kids categorize it by age 2, and bias can begin before kindergarten.
Here’s how it can show up, without us even realizing:
A child stops when he sees children of color enter the playground
We ask for help from someone at the store who looks like us
We lock car doors in certain neighborhoods
These moments may feel small, but kids pick up on them. And it shapes their beliefs about who’s valued—and who’s not.
Here’s what I learned from an episode on disrupting bias with Dr. Rosemarie Allen (linked below):
🌟 Respond: When my toddler sees bias, talk about it. If it’s directed at her, remind her it’s not her fault.
🌟 Encourage connection: Be a play initiator.
🌟 Say their names (and say it right): It’s their identity so it’s a basic sign of respect.
🌟 Reflect on habits: Some are inherited. We have the power to break that cycle.
And this is what I told my daughter:
“Yes, sweetie pie. Your teacher is Black and her skin is brown. Your skin is light brown. Underneath, we’re all the same–and we get to know people for who they are.”
No child should be made to feel like they are less than others.
This matters in maternal healthcare too.
📣 Bias and racism doesn’t just harm, it can cost lives. Every new mom deserves care that honors her identity, culture, and humanity.
