My s g n i h T e t Fa vo ri editor’s note
In 1903 Crayola introduced its first “flesh” colored crayon. Over a century later, kids can finally find colors in their box that represent more than just one skin tone. “Colors of the World” offer a more realistic gradient of colors designed to mirror and represent over 40 global skin tones across the world. The new set launches this month.
The Piggyback Rider, a standing child carrier, has been a game-changer on our frequent family hikes. It’s only three pounds and a great replacement for standard backpack carriers, which are too bulky for my small frame. It allows you to carry your child piggyback style while they’re harnessed to your back standing on a non-skid bar. Supports a child 2+ years and up to 50 pounds.
It was only a month ago, but a lot has happened since we published our last issue. Racial disparities have come to a head, protests have taken place around our country and state, and the world feels deeply divided. This, on top of a months-long pandemic and quarantine that’s changed pretty much every aspect of our everyday lives. To say it’s been a lot feels like a gross understatement. As parents, it all begs the question -- what do we tell our kids? As a white woman who grew up in the ‘90s and early 2000s, I was raised to “not see color.” I don’t blame my parents for trying to instill in me this rosey way of looking at the world, but I recognize now it’s not only naive, it’s counterproductive. It’s vital that our kids know that racial discrimination, privledge and bias are realities. And it’s perhaps even more important to let them know they can change it. This month, at baystateparent.com, you can find an age-by-age guide for talking to your children about race, racism, and what’s going on in the world. Read our interview with Francie Latour, a mom of three, a children’s book author, and the co-founder of Boston-based Wee the People, an arts-based series of programming and events for kids exploring social justice and the power of protest. Latour offers advice for talking about these issues with children of different ages and races, and some kid-friendly ways families can take -- and are taking -- action against injustices. Aside from opening up this dialogue, another thing we can do as parents is to stress kindness and empathy; to teach our children these traits just as we would teach them any other critical skill. On page 14, you’ll find tips from the Making Caring Common project, a program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. They offer easy ways to make kindness part of the fabric of your family. In between the talks and the teachable moments, let’s not forget to let our kids be kids. It’s summer, after all! We’ve got you covered with ideas for socially distanced seasonal fun -- find everything you need to know for a nostalgic night at the drive-in movies on page 10, and our guide to the area’s pick-your-own berry farms on page 13. Here’s to the second half of 2020. May it be a bit easier and lighter than the first.
Amanda
Even little children have big questions about life. A new board book series out this month simplifies concepts covered by the world’s most iconic philosophers, inspiring readers to consider their place in the world and how it relates to those around them. The “Big Ideas for Little Philosophers” series includes four titles: “Equality with Simone de Beauvoir,” “Happiness with Aristotle,” “Imagination with René Descartes,” and “Truth with Socrates.”
Aside from the summer heat, if there’s one thing I can count on in July it’s a homemade birthday cake from my mom. Every year, she’s created a confection that celebrates who I am at that moment in time. It’s a tradition I’m carrying on with my own son, who happens to share this birthday month with me.
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