As adults we are navigating many of the most difficult times we have seen in decades, and now as parents/caregivers, we are looking for more language, words, resources, tools, etc. to teach our children about all the happenings around them. Children often learn through play, through experience, and through us as parents/caregivers.

We have had the honor of staying connected to one of the amazing girls we have helped welcome into her forever home from her birth country of China. At a young age, Juliese learned that “looking different” can be hard and her experience with peers who were not as accepting, lead her to write a book to help teach other kids what it feels like to not be accepted and to encourage more kindness. She wrote The Newest Flower in hopes of spreading joy and acceptance and teaching other children the profound effects of being kind.

Consider adding The Newest Flower to your bookshelves these days. A simple way to teach our children is to read a book and start to talk to your children about acceptance and kindness to others who may look different than ourselves.

For more tools to help you and your children navigate through the current world, check out our Resources page.

Written by Lindsay Bragdon, Adoption Program Director at The Maine Children's Home for The Connected Community @ MCH.