Age Appropriate Activism

I was beginning to write this blog post with the line “in our current world,” until I stopped and realized that this is not a current world phenomenon, but rather just a “world” phenomenon. As parents, we are at odds with protecting our children and exposing them to human rights issues. So, what is an appropriate age to talk about human rights issues with our children? How can we introduce these topics to them? Can it be detrimental? Are they developmentally ready to handle such heavy topics?

We desperately want to shelter our children. When I think about my own two girls, I want to protect them from every heavy and hurtful thing in this world. However, teaching our children about activism and human rights is essential for fostering empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of justice from an early age. As a mother of two, I know that I’d rather teach my babies to love their neighbors than to fear them.

It’s important to approach these topics in a developmentally appropriate way, ensuring that the conversations are understandable, light, relatable, and spoken to them in a safe context. The key is ensuring that our children understand and value their own rights and the rights of others, in a safe and effective way.

My girls are two and four, so my focus with them is on empathy and kindness. They’re just beginning to understand their own emotions and those of others, so when I talk about feelings with them, I explain how some kids, just like them, may be in situations where their feelings are really hurt, where their hearts feel heavy with sadness, and where they feel scared. I use metaphors like “there’s a big grey cloud over some kids, and it’s up to us to love them enough to push those grey clouds away.” We can say things like, “When we think about those kids who are hurting, we wish for them to fill their hearts with happiness and love. Just like you deserve to be safe and loved, so does every other kid.”

We naturally teach our children to help and care for others. This can apply to any humanitarian cause that calls to our hearts. Just as we teach our children the difference between garbage and recycling, the importance of not littering, why we don’t bully, or why we respect others’ bodies, we teach them to protect our world and those on it. Whether intentional or not, my four-year-old knows that we protest for the Palestinian cause and wear our Watermelon pins for all the children who are hungry and scared.

One thing I want to emphasize is this: The safety of our own children and the care for other human beings can and should coexist. It takes the right tools and the desire to create the space for them to learn and have firsthand experiences.

One approach I used early on and encourage all parents to use is to introduce diversity to young children. By introducing stories and books that showcase different cultures, abilities, and lifestyles, we raise children to understand that there are differences in their world and that everyone is unique and valuable, despite appearances or backgrounds.

I recently created our Inclusivity Cards as a simple tool for parents to use when introducing and teaching activism and inclusion to their children.

Let’s not forget, our children learn the most by observing us. They watch our every move and see us demonstrating kindness, fairness, and respect in our daily interactions. So be mindful. Let your children see you ache for that hungry child and let them learn that they have the power to make change happen in our world.

Thank you for reading.