Another month has come and gone; my family missed our annual east coast visit this summer but we are safe and well. I hope you are, too.
Back-to-school conversations—not unusual for this time of year—are everywhere, and not like any we have had before. In the context of a continuing pandemic, they bring new challenges and complexities. Unlike our international counterparts that have been more successful in containing the virus, we are struggling with an in-person versus distance learning debate that cannot be won.
Simply put, we are in this situation simply because we, as a country, do not think about children early and often enough. As I wrote in my latest blog post, there is nothing one family can do on their own that will enable a return to school the way things were in the past. This will only happen once we begin to work collectively, for the benefit of all children and young people.
In the meantime, as kids begin their new year—whether in person or online—it is my hope that we, as parents, educators, and communities, focus on supporting their mental health and well-being. And as we do so, I hope there is recognition of and responsivity to the inequities, whether rooted in systemic racism or uncovered by the pandemic, that challenge kids’ ability to thrive.
Be well,
David
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David Alexander, M.D.
President, Leading for Kids
(650) 714-6609
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I have a deepened resolve to push for dedicated children’s offices at the local, state, and national levels focused on promoting and protecting the well-being of our kids. Several months ago, I shared that we are updating and expanding a report on the role of existing child-serving advocates or ombudspersons with child welfare-related responsibilities. This spring, we sent an online questionnaire to 26 ombudsmen offices as well as to the Children’s Chapter of the United States Ombudsman Association and are now completing comprehensive follow-up interviews with individuals in these offices. I look forward to sharing more soon!
As I wrote last month, we are moving forward with our research project focused on creating a new narrative framework for the way we think and talk about kids in our country. During July, we held two separate focus groups where young people provided their feedback on what we want the public to think about kids. Through these insightful conversations, young people shared firsthand narratives of how they view themselves, and we gained a deeper understanding of how they wish to be seen within the context of our society. As we move forward with the next phases of our project, their contributions will directly impact our work; it is a powerful reminder of the value of engaging with and listening to young people.
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Much is being written about the social/emotional effects of COVID-19 on children and youth, and the additional challenges that arise when faced with inequities due to systemic racism; we, as parents, educators, and communities, must prioritize the mental health and well-being of our kids.
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As we continue to move forward with plans for school—whether online, in-person, or a hybrid model—there is one group that, for the most part, seems to have been left out of the conversation: the students. We need to remember that young people must be given meaningful opportunities to share their input, and for their input to be heard. As the editor of this New York Times article notes, kids have “a lot at stake, and a lot to say.”
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thank you! let’s stay connected!
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Leading for Kids is committed to improving the health and well-being of children by creating a movement to change how we talk about kids, how we can invest wisely and productively in their futures, and how our decision makers can better protect their rights and reflect their voices.
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