Nurturing Social Awareness In Little Thinkers
Yes, it’s been an intense couple of years, and there’s so much going on in the world, socially and politically speaking. Your child may be aware of (and curious about) what’s happening within their own community, their country, and around the world, much more than you think. As a parent, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by it all, but times like these present an incredible opportunity to engage children in important discussions. Topics like freedom, power, fairness and equality are always of interest to young minds, but they’re even more engaging and relevant when given context. The coming years will give you and your child lots to talk about, to say the very least, and even if you aren’t looking to discuss specific events, you can still put down a foundation that will help your child sort through what they see and hear.
To keep the conversation going, here are some big questions to share (your child may even bring these up themselves):
What are some of the things that all people have in common? When and why do you feel different from others?
What does it mean for everyone to be treated equally? Can everyone be different, and still be equal?
Who gets to make big decisions? Is there a way to make sure everyone gets to say what they think?
If you want to change the way something is done, what’s the best way to make it happen?
What is power? Are there different kinds? How do you get power, and should you be allowed to use it?
As always, you should use best practices when discussing these things with your child:
Listen in earnest to what they have to say, and take their ideas seriously.
Encourage them to see things from as many different perspectives as possible, and to examine new ideas before accepting or rejecting them.
Make room for disagreement, but not name calling or personal attacks.
Allow for “I don’t know”, but not “Just because”. As is the case with any big questions, it’s essential that we explain why we think the way we think.
Work these big questions into play, and encourage your child to express and explain themselves through a variety of age-appropriate activities and media.
Children have a surprising amount to say about questions like these, and the conversations you have about them are likely to go on for the rest of their lives. Having them with a big person they trust is likely to give them the confidence to be informed and involved as they get older.
If you need a place to start, check out our books/interactive ebooks “Who’s The Boss?” and “Mildred Builds A World”.
Happy Thinking!
