Armoring Our Children for the School Year

Ebony B. White, Ph.D.
4 days ago
2 min read

Child in red dress with glasses smiling, holding books on head. Yellow background, wearing yellow backpack. Joyful expression.

As the school year begins—whether your child is already in class or preparing to start—our work as parents and caregivers goes beyond new backpacks and sharpened pencils. We are called to prepare our children not only for academic success, but for navigating a world where systemic oppression, microaggressions, and bias still exist.

Children in a classroom raise hands to answer teacher's question. The room has a whiteboard and colorful posters, creating an engaged, learning mood.

This means “armoring” our children—not by making them hard or closed off, but by equipping them with the tools, confidence, and self-knowledge to withstand and push back against forces that seek to diminish them. That armor starts with us.

We must listen to our children and believe their experiences. When they tell us about something they’ve witnessed or endured—whether at school, in their community, or online—they are offering us a window into their reality. Listening without dismissing, minimizing, or overreacting gives them the courage to keep sharing. Speaking life into our youth—affirming who they are, what they’ve achieved, and who they are becoming—helps them take up space with confidence.

Children in a classroom setting. A girl in a green shirt smiles at another child. Background is blurred, creating a warm, joyful atmosphere.

Gone are the days when we expected total obedience simply because they are children. Respect is mutual. Our youth deserve a voice in shaping the kind of experience they want to have—in school, at home, and in their communities. When they have agency, they learn self-advocacy, resilience, and leadership.

As parents, we also need to be mindful of our own emotional reactions. Children learn how to respond to challenges by watching how we handle our own. That means modeling adaptive, healthy coping—showing them what it looks like to stay grounded, even in moments of frustration or injustice.

Finally, we must prioritize our own mental health. We cannot pour from an empty cup, and we must ensure we are not bleeding our unprocessed pain onto our children. Creating our own space for support, venting, and healing is just as critical to their well-being as it is to ours.

Four people stand in a line, smiling, with hands on each other's shoulders. Bright room, friendly mood, diverse clothing colors.

This school year, let’s commit to more than academic readiness. Let’s commit to raising children who know who they are, feel proud of it, and know how to protect and express that identity. Let’s raise children who shine—and take up all the space they deserve.