Talking About Pride

A note from our Founder, Charmaine – what she’s reading and doing with her kids. Learn better. Play smarter. | [View this email in your browser]( Parenting made simpler. Written by experts. Designed for intentional parents. Be a Plinkit Pro Thank you for reading! This newsletter is made possible through Plinkit Pro membership support. Please consider being a [PLINKIT PRO]( if you aren't already, to enjoy access to all our expert guidance. Your support is how we keep things going. Or, [email us](mailto:hello@myplinkit.com) to find out how your entire school or workplace can benefit from [PLINKIT PRO.]( [BE A PLINKIT PRO]( Talking About Pride "Pride is about being yourself - it’s a way to explain how you feel about yourself. It’s about being free to be you." I love how my 9-year-old describes Pride. There is such beauty and honesty in how he sees it. This year, as our family moved from San Francisco to Singapore, Pride Month has felt different for our family than from years past. We moved to a place where Pride Month is a lot less visible, from a city that is flooded in rainbows; bookstores spotlight topical children's books; local businesses openly celebrate their diversity; and schools march and celebrate Pride in community. So, I thought I’d share how I continue to talk with my own children about Pride. While I can’t do this topic justice in a quick newsletter (even though this email reads long, and why I’m so excited to be writing a book filled with insights on topics like this), there are some things I intentionally do to help my children navigate a new world that has different social norms. Talking About Pride Month with Children Reinforce your family values. Talk about what you believe and what's important to your family. Be clear and don't shy away from talking about respectfully handling differences. For example, some scripts: - "In our family, we believe that everyone should be able to be fully who they are." - "In our family, we’re friends with people who have different family structures, religions, skin colors, ethnicities, cultures and languages." - "Your friends may have different beliefs and it’s their choice. In our family, we treat everyone equally with kindness and respect." - "Our home is a safe place to talk about what you like and feel." It’s an ongoing conversation, not a one-off event. - The key is to have many small conversations, not one long sit-down. It’s a process that develops as your child matures, so that your child comes to know you as a trusted source - that you’re their askable parent. - Ask questions (avoid a one-sided lecture). Try to find out what your child knows and doesn’t know. Use questions to explore what information they're looking to get from you. - Read together. I use books as a jumping off point to naturally get a conversation started. (Some books I’ve been reading are below. [Full booklist here.]( Keep it simple. (Be specific. Children like facts.) - Talking about Pride Month doesn't mean you have to talk about sexual identity, but use proper, socially relevant terms. It’s important to use terminology that children will encounter in the real world, and that they understand it from you first. Don’t leave children to draw their own conclusions. - When talking about discrimination, one practical strategy can be to brainstorm with your child a list of 'helpful vs. hurtful' words. This can help them tangibly take notice of injustice and name it. - Know the history. (An [easy read from the Library of Congress]( for grown-ups.) Talk about the meaning of the colours of the rainbow flag and how each color represents an important value of the LGBTQIA+ community. Children love rainbows, so this is an easy and concrete way of talking about a complex topic. The next time you pass by a rainbow flag with your child, consider asking them what they know about it and why it's there. - Red - Life - Orange - Healing - Yellow - Sunlight, new ideas and thoughts - Green - Nature (and how nature is a healing place) - Blue - Peace, harmony and serenity - Purple - Spirit - Additions to the Progress Pride Flag - Brown and black - Diversity and inclusion, people of color - White, pink, and baby blue - Transgender community Model, model, model. You are your child’s first teacher and their example for tolerance, fairness and responding to similarities and differences. Your actions will mean more than your words, especially when it comes to being an upstander or an ally. - Allyship doesn’t have to be about the big marches. You can show your child that it can come in everyday ways, like in the choices of the books you read, shows you watch and businesses you support; standing next to a friend who needs strength; or listening to a friend who wants help. Keep reading below for books I read this month with my own children and strategies on other related topics. Regardless of how Pride is celebrated where you are, it’s more than just a month - it’s an opportunity to talk about and honor identity with your child and to live the values of love, equality and respect every day. If you found this email helpful and would like to bring one of our notable Plinkit masterclasses to your school or workplace, [let us know!](mailto:hello@myplinkit.com) We'd love to support you on life's many hard-to-talk-about-with-your-kids topics. P.S. - Our newsletters will be taking a summer break, as we take time to recharge with our families and keep exploring early education around the world. Whether you’re looking to nurture new skills this summer (hello chores, independence and allowance systems!), searching for clever activities to fill long days, strategies to deal with "I’m bored" whining or scripts to handle sibling bickering, just go to our website, [myplinkit.com]( for your essential summer tool kit. Happy Pride! mailto:hello@myplinkit.com Founder of Plinkit READ + SHARE [They All Saw a Cat]( Wonderful for illustrating how we can see the world in different ways. A family favorite, especially among younger children. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [A Family is a Family is a Family]( A refreshing look at the breadth and depth of modern families and that all families are beautifully different. A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Out of the Blue]( A lovely celebration of being yourself and self-acceptance, told through rhyme and beautiful artwork. A novel way of showing how we're uniquely different. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Door by Door]( "We must never be a country that says there's only one way to love, only one way to look, and only one way to live." A thoughtful storytelling of Senator Sarah McBride's inspiring journey. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag]( Stirring text that traces the history of the rainbow flag and the fight for equality. A staple in many school libraries. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Stonewall]( For more mature readers. A dynamic take on an important part of history. [BUY NOW]( LEARN + DO [Guiding Principles for Raising an Upstander]( Core concepts your child should know when being an upstander and how to practice them in your daily routines. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2021%2F04%2Fraise-an-upstander-principles-to-teach-children%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [How to Talk to Your Child About Microaggressions]( When kids discriminate. Empower your child to recognize microaggressions and to address them while your child is still developing their identity. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2019%2F07%2Fhow-to-talk-to-your-child-about-microaggressions%2F) [Share]( LEARN + DO [How to Talk to Your Child About Race]( Talk early, talk often. Here’s how to start the conversation with helpful learning tools and our favorite children's books. 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