How would you respond when your nine year old kid comes home from the end of his first week, of his new forth grad school year and says "mom, this kid has been calling me a name, and I don't even know what it means."
"Well, sit down and tell me what he's calling you, so I can help you out" I answered him.

No doubt I was listening. Like any other parent, I needed to know that the examples I was setting for my kids were good ones.
"He calls me a SPIC, what does that mean mom?"

Now, I can see and hear anger from many of you out there right now, but I can assure you I didn't get angry. I laughed. I laughed so hard it hurt; ever time I looked at my son's face to see his confusion as to why I'd be laughing so hard it got worse. Tears were coming before I noticed he was now becoming worried of my reaction, but I couldn't help myself. Finally when I was able to stop and control the humor, I looked this boy in the eyes and told him "son, I'm going to do you a favor by not telling you what the word SPIC means, it isn't a nice word and you don't need to know. However, the next time this kid calls you a name, help him out. I believe that if a person is going to make fun of the next guy; the least he should know is his geography. So, if there is a next time, you tell him that. You tell him you're going to help him with his geography, because you're not a SPIC, you're a CHINK.

Moral: My son did just that, he told his tormentor exactly what I had suggested, and you know that kid never bothered him again. Now I know it was so much easier to teach my children the humor of the ignorance in others, so they were able to laugh first and then simply walk away from it.

You see, we had just moved to the mainland from Honolulu, Hawaii, and although, I'm very much of Irish decent, my husband was very much Chinese. Good grief, we knew that by bringing our kids to the mainland we may run into issues like Asian stereotyping, but never of the Hispanic type. Of course there is still prejudice, but lets get real about it, most of it is fear, coming from simple minded ignorance, of not knowing what someone else's upbringing is like. So, my simple remedy to that is: if you don't know ask. And if you see confusion share. Don't be angry with someone just for making a stupid statement, laugh with them and then help correct the confusion. We are all ignorant of each other to one extent or another, so let's not be selfish. The only way to blend is to keep lines of communication open for one another, and it must always be done with a sincere interest, a kind heart and sense of humor. I can honestly swear this way is much easier to live with, rather than getting defensive and fighting against it.

Learn more about this author, Cee Cee.
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