The Courage to Be Kind

Book excerpt: Have you been at the grocery store and your child points at someone who looks different and asks loudly, Whats wrong with that person? or Why does he need a wheelchair? Your first reaction is usually to hush your child and apologize to the person or hope he or she didnt notice. Telling a child to be quiet and not look can be shameful for both the child and the person with the difference. Instead of silencing our children and ignoring their curiosity, we should embrace uniqueness in a positive way. In The Courage to Be Kind, authors Jenny Levin and Rena Rosen teach children and parents how to act and respond when they see someone who looks different. Learn with Sam and Ellie as they encounter and interact with several kids in different ways. Ellie is blunt and often offensive. Sam tries to find common ground with each person and provides an example of how to behave. The dramatization of each difference includes photographs and a list of frequently asked questions so kids and parents can learn about various syndromes together. Through a series of scenarios, The Courage to Be Kind offers a tool to facilitate conversations about kindness and to teach with the art of compassion.