Journal of Child and Family Studies https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02874-3 ORIGINAL PAPER An Exploratory Study: Racial Socialization Practices and Dilemmas of Caregivers Nurturing Young BIPOC Children Flóra Faragó 1 Accepted: 9 June 2024 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024 Abstract This study on the racial socialization practices and dilemmas of caregivers of 0–8 year-old BIPOC children utilized an open- ended online survey, with a mixed-methods approach to data analysis. The study included 173 caregivers (i.e., 59% white; 41% BIPOC; 94.2% female) in the U.S. who held a variety of roles (e.g., 33.5% parents/relatives; 28.3% early childhood educators; 12.1% mental health/health professionals). Caregivers were prompted with a message about joy and resilience in BIPOC children. Analysis of open-ended data revealed practices such as the use of books, adult education, talking, preparation for bias or acknowledgment of racism, stereotyping, privilege, anti-bias/anti-racist education, art, music, dance, home language, and miscellaneous topics. Caregivers highlighted the following: (a) Nurturing a positive racial identity and pride in children’s own heritage; (b) Nurturing love and knowledge about racial diversity; (c) Preparation for bias; and, (d) Racial socialization network: Adult-to-adult practices. Regarding racial socialization dilemmas, caregivers highlighted challenges with nurturing a positive racial identity/pride in children’s heritage; nurturing love and knowledge about racial diversity; preparation for bias; and, adult education. Dilemmas were reported about nurturing self-love in a racist world, whiteness, others’ biases, relationships, representation, multiracial families, own biases, age appropriateness, and colorism. Chi-square analyses confirmed that there were no statistically significant differences between white and BIPOC, and familial and non-familial, caregivers’ racial socialization practices and dilemmas. Descriptive results revealed some differences in racial socialization dilemmas by race and role of caregivers. Keywords Racial socialization ● Early childhood ● BIPOC children ● Parents ● Educators Highlights ● 173 racially diverse familial and non-familial caregivers caring for BIPOC children reported racial socialization practices and dilemmas ● Examples of racial socialization practices include: use of books, adult education, talking, preparation for bias or acknowledgment of racism, stereotyping, privilege, anti-bias/anti-racist education, art, music, dance, and home language ● Racial socialization dilemmas were reported around nurturing self-love in a racist world, whiteness, others’ biases, relationships, representation, multiracial families, own biases, age appropriateness, and colorism BIPOC (i.e., Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) children experience racial discrimination (e.g., Assari et al., 2018) and the effects of systemic racism across various contexts (e.g., Bañales et al., 2021). To buffer children from racism and to nurture children’s positive racial identities, families of color engage in racial socialization (e.g., Hughes et al., 2006; Priest et al., 2014). Racial socialization refers to behaviors and practices that communicate information about race, ethnicity, and/or racism to children (Hughes et al., 2017). The most frequently researched aspects of racial socialization include cultural socialization, or teach- ing children about their racial heritage and instilling racial pride; preparation for bias, or teaching children about racism and discrimination; promotion of mistrust, or * Flóra Faragó florafarago300@gmail.com 1 School of Human Sciences, Human Development and Family Studies, Stephen F. Austin State University, P. O. Box 13014SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA 1234567890();,: 1234567890();,: