At any given time, on any given day, there is a so much pain and suffering happening all around us. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and paralyzed with not knowing what to say or do. What can one little person do to really make change? Especially as we all sit at home!! But we have our voice and the ability to stand up for what is right, even if it starts with the conversations around our dinner table and the art on our walls.
Exposing our kids to people who celebrate their faith differently, who have different abilities, even folks with distinct skin color from our own, whatever it is that doesn’t look just like us, we need to see it! We as humans have to be exposed, and introduced to it with love so fear doesn’t take hold. We are afraid of the unknown (and what we are taught to fear), but as soon as we talk about sensitive topics, celebrate those distinctions in people around us, and accept everyone as our neighbor, that’s a good start on minimizing the pain. That is how we start making change. Our kids are just following our lead. We have to start really unpacking this!
wrote this piece attached (as a much longer version) in 2017, it has sat on our entryway table for the last 3 years. One afternoon my son’s 4th grade friend came over and stood in front of the little framed print slowly reading it. When he was done he said “Mrs. Garre, I really like that. Thank you.” Right then I thought, well if that’s as much good as those words will ever do, that’s all I need. It’s time though to pass it on!
I want my kids’ friends to know they are welcome here. However they come in through our doors, they are celebrated just as they are.
I made this print with my kids in mind, with some added visuals to connect to when cursive may still be out of range for those early readers. I will make it available in a larger size to order on my website, as well.
And friends, thank you for clicking vote every single day! You are hanging right there with me, and I am SO appreciative of ever single vote!
You can vote EVERY 24 hours until June 10th! http://wshe.es/7kb1k0oR
Download the printable here.