| No Images? Click here  Welcome back, dear readers!Well, it’s been yet another doozy of a news cycle this week, huh? I could go on and on about all these men who treat other people with such a lack of respect and dignity it continues to stir something in me every time. I could focus on that, but instead I’m spending time focusing on the starfish parable.In case you don’t know, it goes something like this:A little boy walks down a long, wide beach. And as he’s walking, he notices the beach is littered with starfish; starfish which have washed ashore and which need water to survive. So the little boy starts to pick them up, and throw them back, one by one, into the ocean. At this point, an old man, who is also walking down the beach, comes over to the little boy and says, “What are you doing?” And the little boy responds, “I’m throwing the starfish back into the water so they can live.” And the old man says, “But this beach is so wide and so long, and there are so many starfish, what difference does it make?” Hearing this, the boy leans down and throws another starfish back into the water and says, “I made a difference to that one!”Sure, it’s a flawed story -- the starfish might intentionally be on the beach, in which case the boy is messing with their ecosystem. But, barring that, the story is about trying to effect change no matter how small it may be.Which leads me to my greater point: I’ve been thinking a lot about the starfish parable in light of the cultural moment we’re in. All these women who have come forward with allegations about everyone from our president to Matt Lauer are making a difference. They’re showing that one woman —one person — can effect change; we’ve seen it with #metoo. One person can make a difference, can spark something.Teaching our children — because we’re in yet another teachable moment — that they can and SHOULD speak up, should TRY no matter what, is critical if we want the culture to change at all.So yes, though my kids are little and thankfully unaware of the news stories swirling above their heads, I’m focusing my energy on using tangential lessons to ensure that they learn to speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, to have empathy and compassion, to care.What stories do you tell your kids to teach them this? How do you handle these moments in your house? I want to know; find me at katea@huffpost.com.Until next time,KateParents are funny, too  Being kind is fun
For when your kid is keeping you awake New York Magazine’s cover story this week is a heartbreaking, thought-provoking story from a mother with a child with cystic fibrosis. It’s passionate and raw, stirring and intense, and it speaks to a portion of the anti-abortion crusade that is, I find, not talked about a lot. More stories from the trenches:  A guide to helping you raise the kind of person you'd like to know.Love what you see? Send it to a friend. Did someone forward this email? If so, subscribe here. Can't get enough? Check out (In)formation and The Good Life. |
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