November 09, 2024

Quote of the Week

"Inner peace is beyond victory or defeat." - Bhagavad Gita

Helping Kids Have Kind Conversations During Election Season

As election conversations surround us, conversations about politics can be intense. Children are not immune. Kids sometimes ask for advice about navigating political disagreements with their friends. Learning to disagree respectfully, and knowing that a friendship can survive it, is some of the crucial and difficult work of childhood.

All this news coverage and conversation can create anxiety for some kids who worry what will happen next. Help your child understand that it's okay to set boundaries in conversations with friends. They can politely ask to change the subject if they feel uncomfortable, using phrases like, "Can we talk about something else?" or "I’d rather not discuss politics right now."

One of the benefits of supporting your child through these conversations is that it also serves as a valuable reminder for us. Here are some tips for parents and kids to have kind conversations around politics and the US election results. [Click to Read]

Reading Corner

Title: Different
By: Heather Avis (Author)
Sarah Mensinga (Illustrator)
Ages: 3+ years

This joyful rhyming book encourages children to value the “different” in all people, leading the way to a kinder world in which the differences in all of us are celebrated and embraced.

Macy is a girl who’s a lot like you and me, but she's also quite different, which is a great thing to be. With kindness, grace, and bravery, Macy finds her place in the world, bringing beauty and laughter wherever she goes and leading others to find delight in the unique design of every person.

Children are naturally aware of the differences they encounter at school, in their neighborhood, and in other everyday relationships. They just need to be given tools to understand and appreciate what makes us “different,” permission to ask questions about it, and eyes to see and celebrate it in themselves as well as in those around them.

Be the Change

Listen kindly to someone who may have a different viewpoint than yours. Rather than trying to prove any viewpoint as right or wrong, or better or worse, accept multiple viewpoints and hold the possibility of arriving at a synthesis, which can inspire harmonious action.