What the HELL!?! Are you still surviving the restrictions of COVID-19? Some places are opening up and permitting people to leave their homes. Others are still requiring people to stay at home or have limited stays.
Some of your young children might be asking questions about what they see or hear in regards to the different practices that people are using to display their anger and/or unrest. They might ask, “Mommy why are those people so mad?” Or “Daddy, are those people going to hurt us?” First can I say, we should try and prevent young children from watching news and other depictions that demonstrate practices they might not understand. Young children have a difficult time separating what is “real” and what is “fantasy”. Second, have simple and concrete responses to children’s questions. Try to avoid responses that are complex and abstract. Responses for example to, “Mommy why are those people so mad?” Might be, “Some people believe they are not be treating right, and that makes them mad” or “Daddy, are those people going to hurt us?” might be, “Those people are not going to hurt us, we are safe here” Children at this age really just want to know that they are safe. As children grow our responses will be different and more details about the why of behaviors will become more relevant. The best way to teach young children about acceptance is not to talk about it but to put it to practice. Modeling might include practices that reflect: it is healthy to notice differences; different does not mean bad and it is okay to be curious. To make a positive difference in our world it is crucial that adults model acceptance. I am counting on this….