A Letter From Little Angels

Dear Parents,

Living in a diverse community of people is something to be celebrated, but, in the current political climate, can also be scary, confusing, and frustrating for many of our children. We want you to be aware that there has been a lot of talk about Donald Trump in the Preschool A and Pre-K classrooms recently. In our community, we never want to dismiss a child’s feelings, whatever they may be. Instead, we want to redirect them into a healthy conversation about what we can do and assure them that their parents, as well as their teachers, will always keep them safe. As a parent, stay informed, but, also, if your child is within earshot of adult conversations or news bits, explain some of the information in an age-appropriate way. This will avoid confusion and fear of what they do not understand.

At the bottom of this email is a list of some of the phrases that we are giving to our teachers to help with some of the fears and confusion that some of the children are expressing. Please feel free to read through them and use them, as well. These are starting points for the teachers who will be carrying on the idea of “kindness”, “respect”, and “love” this month and beyond.

To make clear, here at Little Angels, we believe that we are all equal. Little Angels is committed to creating a safe space for ALL people, regardless of their race, religion, culture, sex, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or ability. We stand in support with our immigrant, refugee, and Muslim families. We believe that our community is stronger because of the diversity we have with our staff, as well as the children and their families. You are safe here.

Thank you for being a part of our community,
Little Angels Management Team

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. I know it’s not what you wanted, but the people voted and that’s what happens in a democracy.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. We’re still going to do what we’ve always done, which is practice loving kindness, and to stand up to bullies.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Let’s try our best to be thankful for what we have, instead of mad about what we don’t have.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Your parents and your teachers are always here to talk to and we will always do our best to keep you safe.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. Here at Little Angels, we respect one another. We may come from different places and believe different things, but we treat one another with the same respect we expect to be treated with.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. There are many heroes in this country, and they will work hard to keep people from doing the bad things. And even if it takes a long time, heroes don't stop fighting.”

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. There are a lot of smart people whose job is checking on the president to make sure he does the right thing — just like your mom and dad and your teachers have checks and balances on you to make sure you're making good choices."

“I know you’re feeling [label the feeling]. If we all are more open and kind, maybe others will learn to be as well. Trump might have some things to teach us, and we might have some things to teach him. If enough of us act with kindness and respect, he might change too."