While we have always raised our children to speak up for themselves the current political climate in the US has given me pause to consider the role I play in helping my children be intelligent, compassionate individuals who feel confident standing up for themselves and the well being of others. I’ve shared how to help children be open-minded individuals. Today I am exploring 10 Ways to Raise an Activist.
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CHECK OUT THESE 10 WAYS TO RAISE AN ACTIVIST
1. Model and teach how to listen. Before we can teach children (and adults too!) to stand up for equality and their personal beliefs we need to teach them to be conscious listeners. Before we can exclaim that we want to be heard, we need to give people the right to be heard by us. The game “whisper down the lane” is a great way to practice listening skills with children. One child thinks of a sentence and whispers it to the person next to her, than that person whispers to the next person and so on until the last person speaks out loud. This game gives each child a chance to be heard without any interruptions. Another way I teach listening skills is to tell children to wait for a 2 second pause before speaking. This gives the person speaking a chance to finish without having someone speak over him. Family dinners are a natural way to practice this.
2. Teach children to confidently express their points of views. I am a firm believer that my children and my students do not always need to agree with me. Disagreements and debate are welcome as long as they are conducted in a civil manner. Children are always listening and watching. Model this behavior always.
3. Use rallies and marches as a way to teach positive ways to protest. Empower your children by letting them create signs.
5. Explore and embrace diversity. Fill your home (or classroom) with a plethora of children’s literature that represents characters of many races, ethnicities, religions, gender, varying socio-economic status, diverse families (same sex, single parents, multiracial, heterosexual couples, etc) and neurodiversity.
6. Educate children to understand that the past is filled with mistakes that adults have made. We must own these mistakes in order to learn from them and create a better future. Educate children on important aspects of history such as Native American history, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Movement, the plight of refugees, the diverse history of immigration and Japanese-American history. Please note: These examples are tailored towards United States history. If you are outside the US you could tailor your teachings to your country’s history. Of course the ultimate goal is to for children to learn as much as we can, but we need to start somewhere and beginning with the history of your own country is a good place to begin.
7. Teach compassion. Investigate ways to help your community that will support your children’s abilities to look beyond their own needs. Make food for a friend in need. Donate items to your local food pantry. Make cards for the children’s hospital. Have a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to a local hospital or charity.
8. Teach self-care. If there is one thing I have learned this year as we continue to fight for the rights of ourselves and others is that it can be emotionally draining. Check in with your children about how they are feeling. Don’t overload your children with too many facts or scary elements of the news. Take time to simply be with each other and enjoy each other’s company. Not every moment needs to be about others. Children should never be made feel guilty for what they have.
9. There are many ways to voice children’s opposition. Explore drawing, writing and songs to get their points across. Educate your children how authors, poets, visual artists and musicians use their talents to be activists. Encourage children to do the same.
10. Be proud. Raising strong, confident children is key to a compassionate, empathetic world. Embrace your children. Show them your love every single day. Our future depends on it.