Speak about stereotypes at school-practice behaviors with role playing

1.    Speak with your child about stereotyping that takes place in schools. If they seem to be unable to report anything, help them by providing typical stereotypes encountered at school, like:

• Goth music fans wear black clothes and black makeup; usually they seem depressed
• Punks wear spikes and chains and have mohawks; they are catastrophic and get into trouble
• All politicians care only of personal gain and benefit
•  All entrepreneurs are rich and oppress their employees
• All teenagers are lazy and rebels
• All children eat junk food
•  Girls are concerned only about their looks
• Blond girls are not intelligent
•  Librarians are old women with glasses and a high bun
• The elderly are not smart and behave like children
• etc

2.    Discuss and listen to their views. Make them trust you and show you any selfies they keep in their phone or post online. Make them understand that you love them because of what they are no matter how they look.
3.    Media-literacy skills can be handy, because they emphasize critical thinking and evaluation. Children usually need help to analyze the gender, race etc messages they see on the media, in ads, in games. You also have to encourage them not to imitate harmful stereotypes.
4.    Give your children the attention they need at home. Ask them whether they want to be noticed by being provocative, or by just being themselves and listen to their views. 

5.    Discuss humor in stereotypes. Some stereotypes can be funny, to some people, even when they refer to our own friends and families. But most are not funny to most people. 
6.    Remind your children that when we write a comment under a post, it’s difficult to put forward our tone or intention, so the readers may not understand that this is a joke and maybe they will misinterpret your contribution

Indicative conversation starters with your teens:

•  What are some social groups in your school? Are you in any of them?
• Do you have a crush for a singer or an actor? Do you want to look as s/he does?
• Can you tell me an embarrassing thing about me?
• How would you describe my looks? What about yours?
• What is your coolest photo that I could use as a cover for my phone?"