As your children become more comfortable in their classrooms and settle into daily routines, they continue to explore their identities and discover the diversity of people around them. Family plays a central role in this process — at a young age, children’s understanding of who they are is closely tied to their understanding of their first social group: their family.
In November, your children will be engaging in conversations about family. What does family mean? Who is in a family? How are families formed? Are all families the same? Who is part of your family? These are some of the questions they’ll consider together, guided by stories and discussions with their teachers and our librarian.
The Children’s House classrooms have a wonderful tradition of decorating their environments with photos of students and their family members. By now, children have had the opportunity to appreciate the beauty in all the different kinds of families represented in their community. Teachers ensure that all types of families are included and that children are given language and understanding for those that may not be represented in their classroom.
Some of the books your children will be reading this month with their teachers or with Sara, our librarian, include:
- The Family Book by Todd Parr
- A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O'Leary
- Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis
- All About Families by Robie H. Harris
- Dad by My Side by Soosh
- Me and My Beautiful Family by Carie Lara
- Homegrown by DeAnn Wiley
and more.
We are thankful for all of your families — each and every kind. We’re delighted to celebrate them with your children. This might be a wonderful time to bring out old photo albums and share stories of your own family growing up, or of your ancestors’ families. Our families hold so much of who we are.
#LMSBelonging #LMSDivsersity
