They may try to bolster their own worth by finding a group of people whom they can put down. For some, putting down others may serve a psychological function, allowing them to feel more important and powerful than those they put down. Some children may exclude or make fun of others because they believe it is the popular thing to do. Children may begin to use unkind names for different groups if they feel it will help them to be more accepted by their peers. Over time, such actions can result in prejudice and discrimination against specific groups.
All children notice differences.
Return to top Responding to Children's Questions and Comments Find out more about what your children think in order to know what misconceptions may need to be corrected. Use language your children will understand. Prejudice is having an opinion or idea about a member of a group without really knowing that individual. A dislike is based on information about and experiences with a specific individual. Sometimes people are afraid of those who seem different from them and, unfortunately, they express that with name-calling and negative treatment.