I’d like to take you on a walk down memory lane do you remember being
memory lane do you remember being
memory lane do you remember being invisible if you think carefully you
invisible if you think carefully you
invisible if you think carefully you will find the memory of when you first
will find the memory of when you first
will find the memory of when you first discovered this superpower you may have
discovered this superpower you may have
discovered this superpower you may have been singing at the kitchen table eating
been singing at the kitchen table eating
been singing at the kitchen table eating a snack at the top of the stairs or in
a snack at the top of the stairs or in
a snack at the top of the stairs or in the back seat of the car the first time
the back seat of the car the first time
the back seat of the car the first time this happened the other people in the
this happened the other people in the
this happened the other people in the room were discussing business or talking
room were discussing business or talking
room were discussing business or talking about the news of the day or even
about the news of the day or even
about the news of the day or even discussing politics but there was one
discussing politics but there was one
discussing politics but there was one problem they didn’t include you they
problem they didn’t include you they
problem they didn’t include you they didn’t ask if you had something to say
didn’t ask if you had something to say
didn’t ask if you had something to say not because you weren’t important no
not because you weren’t important no
not because you weren’t important no there was some other reason they thought
there was some other reason they thought
there was some other reason they thought you were too young to understand or that
you were too young to understand or that
you were too young to understand or that you may not have been able to handle it
you may not have been able to handle it
you may not have been able to handle it but most of all they didn’t want to
but most of all they didn’t want to
but most of all they didn’t want to worry you as an adult you have probably
worry you as an adult you have probably
worry you as an adult you have probably walked to that car with your friend or
walked to that car with your friend or
walked to that car with your friend or family member and secured your own child
family member and secured your own child
family member and secured your own child into that back seat but as you start
into that back seat but as you start
into that back seat but as you start talking about the news of the day or
talking about the news of the day or
talking about the news of the day or politics did you check in the back seat
politics did you check in the back seat
politics did you check in the back seat to see if that person an idea or
to see if that person an idea or
to see if that person an idea or reaction to add or did you make them
reaction to add or did you make them
reaction to add or did you make them feel invisible you want to protect us
feel invisible you want to protect us
feel invisible you want to protect us kids because you love us he wants to
kids because you love us he wants to
kids because you love us he wants to make healthy decisions he wants to take
make healthy decisions he wants to take
make healthy decisions he wants to take care of ourselves he wants to pick up
care of ourselves he wants to pick up
care of ourselves he wants to pick up after ourselves see mom
after ourselves see mom
after ourselves see mom I was listening but us kids can tell
I was listening but us kids can tell
I was listening but us kids can tell when you’re stressed and we can feel
when you’re stressed and we can feel
when you’re stressed and we can feel that stress sometimes you don’t want to
that stress sometimes you don’t want to
that stress sometimes you don’t want to bring up topics that may appear scary or
bring up topics that may appear scary or
bring up topics that may appear scary or confusing in front of children because
confusing in front of children because
confusing in front of children because you don’t want us to worry but here’s
you don’t want us to worry but here’s
you don’t want us to worry but here’s the thing
the thing
the thing children start taking things and at a
children start taking things and at a
children start taking things and at a very young age
very young age
very young age remember how as a toddler they imitated
remember how as a toddler they imitated
remember how as a toddler they imitated something you said or did so at a very
something you said or did so at a very
something you said or did so at a very young age your children
young age your children
young age your children listening in on what you have to say
listening in on what you have to say
listening in on what you have to say about politics and they are taking it
about politics and they are taking it
about politics and they are taking it all in
all in
all in even if you are not necessarily talking
even if you are not necessarily talking
even if you are not necessarily talking to your child about politics you are
to your child about politics you are
to your child about politics you are still teaching them about politics I
still teaching them about politics I
still teaching them about politics I remember that during the past election
remember that during the past election
remember that during the past election some of my friends were getting super
some of my friends were getting super
some of my friends were getting super stressed about what was going on with
stressed about what was going on with
stressed about what was going on with politics I asked one of my friends don’t
politics I asked one of my friends don’t
politics I asked one of my friends don’t you discuss this at home and she said no
you discuss this at home and she said no
you discuss this at home and she said no I only watch the news and hear what my
I only watch the news and hear what my
I only watch the news and hear what my parents have to say I was shocked
parents have to say I was shocked
parents have to say I was shocked because I engage in important
because I engage in important
because I engage in important conversations and my household but
conversations and my household but
conversations and my household but that’s when I realized that my
that’s when I realized that my
that’s when I realized that my experience wasn’t common but back to my
experience wasn’t common but back to my
experience wasn’t common but back to my friend
friend
friend she was one of my friends that debated
she was one of my friends that debated
she was one of my friends that debated about politics almost every day at
about politics almost every day at
about politics almost every day at school but now I knew why her parents
school but now I knew why her parents
school but now I knew why her parents weren’t including her in the political
weren’t including her in the political
weren’t including her in the political conversation so she was bringing all of
conversation so she was bringing all of
conversation so she was bringing all of her thoughts and all of her stress to
her thoughts and all of her stress to
her thoughts and all of her stress to school but this started a lot of
school but this started a lot of
school but this started a lot of problems because an ever she said in her
problems because an ever she said in her
problems because an ever she said in her own opinions other kids would start a
own opinions other kids would start a
own opinions other kids would start a huge argument about it and the stress
huge argument about it and the stress
huge argument about it and the stress and the kids kept on building up and up
and the kids kept on building up and up
and the kids kept on building up and up and one of the main reasons was this
and one of the main reasons was this
and one of the main reasons was this parents weren’t including their children
parents weren’t including their children
parents weren’t including their children important conversations you may have
important conversations you may have
important conversations you may have noticed that ideas are funny things they
noticed that ideas are funny things they
noticed that ideas are funny things they don’t just float away
don’t just float away
don’t just float away they like to come out and be tested and
they like to come out and be tested and
they like to come out and be tested and mingle with others as kids we often have
mingle with others as kids we often have
mingle with others as kids we often have to hold and our ideas longer because we
to hold and our ideas longer because we
to hold and our ideas longer because we are not included in the important
are not included in the important
are not included in the important conversations that we deserve to be
conversations that we deserve to be
conversations that we deserve to be included in but I know that I love it
included in but I know that I love it
included in but I know that I love it when adults include me in important
when adults include me in important
when adults include me in important conversations because it makes me feel
conversations because it makes me feel
conversations because it makes me feel like my ideas matter and like people
like my ideas matter and like people
like my ideas matter and like people care about what I have to say I remember
care about what I have to say I remember
care about what I have to say I remember that when I was in third grade I was
that when I was in third grade I was
that when I was in third grade I was able to accomplish things an even higher
able to accomplish things an even higher
able to accomplish things an even higher reading level but only teachers kept on
reading level but only teachers kept on
reading level but only teachers kept on saying this Oh
saying this Oh
saying this Oh Emerson can learn this later I was being
Emerson can learn this later I was being
Emerson can learn this later I was being limited because they thought
limited because they thought
limited because they thought that I was too young and I believe that
that I was too young and I believe that
that I was too young and I believe that children should not be limited just
children should not be limited just
children should not be limited just because of their age hey I’m 11 so don’t
because of their age hey I’m 11 so don’t
because of their age hey I’m 11 so don’t wait until you think your child’s mature
wait until you think your child’s mature
wait until you think your child’s mature enough pop another chair now see what
enough pop another chair now see what
enough pop another chair now see what they have to say you may be surprised to
they have to say you may be surprised to
they have to say you may be surprised to hear what they know from even your
hear what they know from even your
hear what they know from even your conversations about politics I’d like to
conversations about politics I’d like to
conversations about politics I’d like to end with a challenge for each of you I’m
end with a challenge for each of you I’m
end with a challenge for each of you I’m making children in your life feel
making children in your life feel
making children in your life feel invisible let’s think about it this way
invisible let’s think about it this way
invisible let’s think about it this way the children of today are the leaders of
the children of today are the leaders of
the children of today are the leaders of tomorrow the children of today are going
tomorrow the children of today are going
tomorrow the children of today are going to grow up to be chefs authors
to grow up to be chefs authors
to grow up to be chefs authors librarians even your president are you
librarians even your president are you
librarians even your president are you role modeling the best possible behavior
role modeling the best possible behavior
role modeling the best possible behavior for children in your life or are you
for children in your life or are you
for children in your life or are you making them feel invisible so I
making them feel invisible so I
making them feel invisible so I challenge you to go home today
challenge you to go home today
challenge you to go home today and communicate with a child in your
and communicate with a child in your
and communicate with a child in your life because when we all share our ideas
life because when we all share our ideas
life because when we all share our ideas we can help shape the future thank you
”
Be First to Comment