2: Feeling the guilt

Following some school homework I was chatting with my 9 year-old about privilege and he started to get visibly upset saying things like “I am the worst because I am white and male”. He had a real sense of feeling the guilt of being part of both of those communities of privilege and it brought him to tears. However he was also just a 9 year old boy working things out in the world so I remember saying to him that he should not feel guilty for who he is but that being aware of his privilege can help him be a positive force for change. I am still not sure I handled it that well – it was a balance between letting him feel the weight of privilege whilst also not letting it overwhelm him in a destructive way.