Given the times we’re living in, plenty of us are having difficult but necessary conversations with our kids about racism and police brutality. Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Kandi Burruss recently joined “Watch What Happens Live” alongside talk show host Tamron Hall to talk about how her children are dealing with the racial tension in America right now.
Burruss says her 17-year-old daughter Riley, who is headed to New York University in the fall, took a bold stance by unfollowing all of her non-Black friends on social media who failed to post anything supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. “[Riley] made it like a movement through her whole friend group,” Burruss explained. “If she did not see some type of statement or [them] show that you care, she was unfollowing you and she was serious about it.”
Burruss then said its a much different scenario with her four-year-old son Ace, who dressed up as a police officer for his career day at school. At his young age, Ace doesn’t quite understand all that’s going on amid the protests for George Floyd, and asked her, “so, the police are the bad guys?”
Burruss fought back tears as she explains how painful it is to explain this to her young son. “Isn’t that crazy to have to explain that to a 4-year-old? For you to be Black and have to worry about the police being the bad guys?” the reality star said. “I know y’all say I cry all the time, but that’s an emotional thing for me.”
Burruss husband and Ace’s father Todd Tucker recently shared a photo of Ace dressed in a super cute police uniform, along with the hurt he feels having to share such a harsh reality with his son.
“It was so hard explaining to him that the police can also be the bad guys,” Tucker said. “He was so confused. And I’m still working on explaining to him the horrific acts of the police. We must have honest conversations with our children and prepare them.”
A post shared by Todd Tucker (@todd167) on Jun 9, 2020 at 8:33am PDT
Kandi and Todd aren’t the only celebrity parents who have spoken out about the fears of raising Black children in a racist society. Ciara, La La Anthony, Kevin Hart and Victor Cruz are just some of the famous parents who have expressed how difficult its been having tough conversations with their kids about race and the worry that goes along with it.
Hopefully, the work we’re doing on the front lines to fight systemic racism will lead to a better future for our young ones.
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