Firstly, it’s important to understand why you’re going. So many people have fought for the right to be at the Pride Parade. It’s not just a day for glitter and rainbows. So make sure that your reason for taking your child is genuine and not to play dress-up. Make sure your kids understand why the Parade takes place. For example, if you’re unfamiliar with the history, make sure you read this if you’re Canadian. And if you’ve been living under a rock, please make yourself aware of the Stonewall Riots in New York. The birthplace of Gay Pride and why so many people have more opportunities to celebrate freely today. 

Here is why we love attending Pride. and think it’s important for kids. Pride; why I bring my kid and you should too!

1) She is being raised in a heterosexual family: 

Two straight parents are raising her, and although we have gay friends, they’re all single so she doesn’t have a lot of exposure to different families. So she must learn that not all families look like ours, but they’re just as special and loving. 

2) She will see public displays of affection. 

My daughter doesn’t see gay couples expressing affection daily (and we even have gay friends), but they rarely show affection in public. The Pride Parade is a chance for her to see loving couples holding hands, kissing, and showing love and affection. I want her to see this; what better way of learning that love is love than seeing people passionately loving one another. 

3) She’ll see nudity

Will there be nudity? Yep, probably. My 5-year-old is a-okay with nudity (what young kid isn’t??) or “nakies,” as we call it. She will have an opportunity to see bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Dancing, jiggling, and being proud. What better place to teach her body positivity than a group of happy people dancing in their beautiful skin.

4) It’s a Celebration AND a time to recognize 

It’s a time to celebrate and support those great strides and many sacrifices that have taken place in the LGBTQIA+ community. Having said this, I make sure that my daughter understands that this is a celebration, that the gay community is dressing up and celebrating a movement. The LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t always wander around daily wearing feather boas; they’re executives, doctors, teachers, parents, and respected members of our community who celebrate and have fun today.   

Things to consider about whether it’s right for you: 

1) You feel uncomfortable 

There is one thing to be said about getting out of your comfort zone. However, if you feel really uncomfortable, it’s not right to bring your child. If your un-comfort means you’re going to gawk, stare and be utterly shocked, please don’t go. It’s better for your child and the LGBTQIA+ community not to have that negativity. It’s a place to show support and respect, all while having fun and if you can’t do that, then don’t attend. Stay home this time, educate yourself, and hopefully, you can come and support with open eyes and an open mind next year. 

 2) Respect Boundaries

Like the straight community, sex is only one part of daily life. It doesn’t define the community. For example, at the Pride Parade, it’s not uncommon to see various kinks and sexually explicit outfits. If you have a child who is new to the community or just discovering or questioning, be mindful of their comfort level. Like those in the straight community, there are varying comfort levels with sex. 

If your child is at the beginning of their journey, it’s a lot to be confronted with sex far beyond their comfort level. Especially as their place in the LGBTQIA+ community may have nothing to do with sex. The Parade is a lot, and you don’t want to intimidate young people from opening up; we need young people to feel the community is approachable. It may be best to avoid the Parade and instead join some of the other fun, supportive events happening all month long. There are plenty of pride events that require less sexual exuberance and could be a great fit. 

We wish everyone a happy & safe pride month! We hope you have a fun, informative and loving month! To keep your kids safe in a big crowd, pick up some Silicone ID Bracelets! 

For more posts about Families attending Pride, check this one out!

The post Kids at the Pride Parade; Why I Bring My Kid and You Should Too! appeared first on The Mabelhood.

If you’re ready to talk about social justice in general, or about specific issues that may be relevant to your child or your family, here are a few resources to help.

Books and Guides

Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice. This book, by Marianne Celano, is a gateway to helping children understand difficult issues like discrimination and entitlement, while also teaching compassion and tolerance. It’s a New York Times Bestseller and a National Parenting Product award-winner.

Embracerace.org’s 20 Readings to Embrace Race, Provide Solace & Do Good. A wonderful round-up of children’s books designed to help parents and teachers explain racialized violence and manage the big feelings and emotions that can result from what kids’ are seeing on the news. While you’re there, check out embracerace.org’s additional resources, including webinars.

This printable, downloadable Black Lives Matter colouring book features 30+ pages of facts and illustrations on important topics like tolerance, Black families, and diversity.

The Barefoot Books World Atlas is an atlas for the twenty-first century, showing how all parts of the planet and its people are connected. It features warm illustrations and a host of additional, fun features including a pull-out map, flaps, and information on climate, weather, wildlife and natural resources.

Rebekah Gienapp is an author, educator and community organizer whose website features several resources for talking to kids about race including her list of 15 Picture Books about Social Justice and Human Rights and her free Growing Kid Activists guide.

Activities and Lesson Plans

Education World’s 10 Social Justice Activities for Students to try at home or in the classroom. What can peeling lemons, drawing portraits and dissecting advertisements teach us about social justice? Find out in these varied and fun activities aimed at highlighting the discovery of difference and reinforcing the importance of looking after each other.

Rebekah Gienapp’s 7 ideas for social justice lesson plans. Gienapp has compiled seven lesson plans to teach young students about social justice issues using music, literature, civics, history and more.

The Alberta Teacher’s Association website hosts a wide variety of videos and interactives and other teaching and informational resources on the history of Canada’s residential school system and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  

The Canadian Museum of Human Rights’ education program called ‘Be an Upstander’ helps provide older kids, teenagers and adults with some of the tools, information and inspiration they need to advocate for human rights in different areas of life including  education, migrant work, and anti-bullying. Use this website to learn about the role of the United Nations, read national and international case studies, and start charting the best course forward towards human rights advocacy.

Videos

What better way to jump into a discussion about social justice than by watching 22-year old Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem “The Hill We Climb”? Gorman herself called it ‘a message of hope, unity, and healing.’ Then check out the Library of Congress’s additional resources on understanding and discussing her work.

Activist, Writer, Poet and Performer Staceyann Chin’shas a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing life, parenting and love lessons through conversations with her daughter Zuri. Staceyann and Zuri talk about everything from the amazingness of Black girls, to anti-smoking and Santa Claus.

YouTuber Ash Hardell shares the ABCs of LGBTQ in her video series aimed at demystifying some of the topics around sexuality and identity that parents and educators may be hesitant to tackle, including pronouns, gender, and being non-binary. While not age-appropriate for all children, parents themselves may benefit from watching Ash’s friendly, straightforward approach to the topic of sexuality.  

What are universal human rights? Benedetta Berti’s short Ted Ed video explains the basis of modern human rights law, what these rights mean, and how, despite so many legal protections, some people’s rights are continually and egregiously violated every day around the world. Avoiding complicated legal jargon, Berti also explains why such violations matter and why they can be difficult to punish.

Podcasts and Social Media

The Great Horizons Parenting Podcast is geared to parents of children ages infant to 8 and aims to separate fact from fiction while giving parents the confidence they need to parent effectively. Episode #26 is available on YouTube and titled Important Conversations About Social Justice for Kids. This episode in particular helps parents tackle the big questions of racism and social justice with their young children in practical, developmentally appropriate ways.

@theconsciouskid – The Conscious Kid is a research, education and policy organization dedicated to promoting healthy racial identity development in youth. Visit their website, and social media feeds for information on how to talk to kids about race, age-appropriate education resources, key terms in racial literacy, support for racial trauma and other race-related issues.

@teachandtransform – Anti-racist/anti-bias educator Liz Kleinrock’s Instagram account is one-stop shop for current, informative, classroom-appropriate resources dedicated to social justice issues including Asian-American violence, the history of policing and more.

@itgetsbetter – It Gets Better is a non-profit organization determined to help uplift, empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the world. Check out their social media and website for education resources, inspirational quotes from famous LGBTQ+ people, and tips on safety, self-care and much more.

The post How to Talk to Your Kids About Social Justice appeared first on The Mabelhood.