Books

Social Justice Booklists

Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi

• board book that empowers parents and children to uproot racism in our society and in ourselves

Books on peaceful Protests

A Terrible Thing Happened by Margaret M. Holmes

Processing Events

• How To Talk to Children About Tragedy in the Media, Child Development Institute

1. Be truthful – Children need to understand what is happening around them to feel secure. Provide them with facts about what happened and acknowledge it was a terrible and frightening event.

2. Encourage any questions – Ensure your child feels as though they can approach you to ask questions as much as they need. Sometimes a child will process a tragic event much later and come back to you again for more discussion.

3. Feelings are normal – Allow them to cry if they need to and show their emotions. Help your kids to verbalize their feelings with you. Secure them with a warm cuddle and remind them that they are safe. Keep things in perspective and remind them that not all people are harmful towards others.

• What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary, NPR

  1. Limit their exposure to breaking news.

  2. For big stories, ask: "What have you heard and how are you feeling?"

  3. Give kids facts and context. Check-ins also allow you to debunk memes, myths and misconceptions

  4. When they ask why something happened, avoid labels like "bad guys." We should resist the temptation to label anyone "bad guys" or "evil." It's not helpful, and it may increase fear and confusion. Instead, talk about people being in pain, being angry, and making bad choices. And there's one important thing parents shouldn't be afraid to say: I don't know.

  5. Encourage kids to process the story through play and art.

  6. "Look for the helpers"

• Racism and Violence: Using Your Power as a Parent to Support Children Aged Two to Five, ZERO to THREE

1. Are police officers good people or bad people?

The job of police officers is to protect people. Police officers are just people. And there are some people who are good and kind, and some people who are not. Some police officers are good, helpful people. And some are not. I believe that...

2. Why are people being mean and hurting others?

These people don’t like anyone who is different from them. They only like people who look like them. And they want everyone to think the same way they do. It can feel sad and scary to see them being so mean. I’m glad that so many kind and caring people are saying, “Hey, it’s not ok to be mean and hurtful to others.”

***If your child has seen footage of people being injured and asks about it: Sometimes people get so stressed that they do things they should not do. It is never okay to hurt people because we disagree with them. The person who was hurt has gone to the doctor for help.

3. What is going to happen?

Many good people are really upset about this. I don’t know what is going to happen, but we’re together. I love you and I will keep you safe.

4. Are grown ups I love going to be safe?

Grown-ups can take care of themselves and keep themselves safe. You don’t have to worry. Grown ups always try to be safe in everything we do. Remember how we always look both ways before we cross the street? That is one way we stay safe. And there are many other ways that grown-ups stay safe too.

5. Am I safe?

Grown ups will keep you safe. That is our job. Your job is to be a kid and have fun. We love you and we will keep you safe. There are many people—black people, white people, and kind police officers—who are also working to make sure you are safe.

6. Police Violence:

Some police officers see an African-American person and think they are going to make trouble because of their skin color. That is wrong and there are many people trying to change that. The job of a police officer is to keep all people safe, no matter what their skin color is.

Discussing Racism with Children

Thank you for your partnership in talking with your children often about racism.

Our youth are making sense of the world around them and they need our help.

• Don’t be afraid to talk to your child about what’s happened. It’s ok to share your feelings and experiences.

• Promote a sense of safety by acknowledging the racism and violence, and ask your child if they have any questions or concerns that you could talk about together.

• Use age-appropriate language (e.g., talk to elementary-school-aged children about the importance of being a good friend and valuing each other’s differences).

• Remind them that there is good in the world – model being supportive of other cultures.

• Share ideas about how your child can respond to racism that they may have encountered.

In-Person Childcare Options during Virtual Learning

*Around Franklin/Randall

**LINK**

Joining Forces For Families (JFF): Erica Anderson

Phone: (608)261-9764

1125 W. Badger Rd #6, Madison, WI 53713

Food

Meals from MMSD

Local Food Pantries and Meal Options

Apply for SNAP Benefits

Housing

Salvation Army: 608-250-2298

Coordinated Entry

United Way Assistance- Dial 2-1-1

Crisis Lines

Journey Mental Health 24 Hour Crisis Line: 280-2600

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor

Anxiety

37 techniques to calm and anxious child

Anxiety and Coping with the Coronavirus - Checking in with and helping anxious kids

Winning COVID-19 children’s books address facts and emotions surrounding pandemic