Everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the special occasion, even when their needs are different.įairness, or equity, is making sure everyone has what they need vs. Everything provided is equal, but is it fair that two of the kids can’t enjoy the treat? No, but if the children are offered a different treat that doesn’t make them sick or add pain, then the situation is equitable. And another kid has a sore tooth and can’t eat cold foods because it hurts.

But one kid is lactose-intolerant and can’t eat the ice cream. If a teacher gives every kid in a classroom a bowl of ice cream with three identical scoops and a spoon, a kid may think that’s fair because everyone got the same thing. To help your kids understand the difference between equity, or fairness, and equality, give them this example. This is the difference between equality and equity, and our goal should be to create equitable situations and not only equal ones. The problem with this way of thinking is that it doesn’t take into account that people have different needs and require a variety of accommodations to make sure they have the same opportunity to achieve success. Some people think everyone should be given the same resources, and be expected to achieve the same level of success, and have access to the same opportunities. Here’s how to help your kids-and you-understand the difference between equality and equity and why equity is better. As a parent of three kids who see everything as a resource, this is a tricky lesson to teach and can be even tougher at times to listen to their complaints. Whether my kids like it or not, they often receive different treatment and different belongings because the goal in the house is equity and not simply equality. They’re good at noticing when a sibling has something they want or has received more of something, but everyone having equal amounts of the same thing at all times is not what constitutes fairness. But their knowledge is simply based on jealousy and sibling rivalry. Based on the number of times a day my children declare something isn’t fair, one would think they are the experts on fairness, also known as equity.

Equal definition for kids