These are challenging and crazy times. We get conflicting directions and information, to be sure. But we are also getting great ingenuity, kindness, entrepreneurship and integrity.
Here are some ideas of great things that are happening and the people who are doing them.
1. Famous female leaders and entertainers are doing a weekly story hour. Michelle Obama reads her favorite children's books on Mondays at PBS Kids (pbskids.org)
On Thursdays at 7 pm, Dolly Parton reads her favorite books. (Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on YouTube).
2. HOPLITE is a fitness and wellness program for kids (IG LIVEHOPLITE RECESS Mon/Wed/Fri @4 pm linktr.ee/hopliteclub ) using "ambassador coaches" who happen to be kids!!!
3. Wonderful parenting book suggestion: "Permission To Parent: How to Raise Your Child with Love and Limits" by Robin Berman MD. Although this book came out in 2015, it is totally relevant now and available on Amazon. Robin Berman is a psychiatrist and the book is filled with a combination of medical research and useful anecdotes. She talks about first and foremost establish a routine to your day and how it is okay to tell your child "go figure it out" when they need to find something new to do. The more fragile you treat your child, the more fragile they will be. This kind of parenting will actually build imagination and character. How about that!
4.The New York Public Library is hosting a challenge to replicate a favorite book cover @nypl. You and your children can all do this and embody the fun of literature and illustration. Tag your photo with #bookcoverdouble on social media and everyone can be part of this ingenuity. Some book covers that have been submitted are: Matilda by Roald Dahl, Running With Scissors by Augustin Burroughs, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and Arthur Writes a Story by Marc Brown. What will you pick?
5. Random act of kindness: The power of purpose, the new app Purposity helps you give generously while helping your own community. It is a web based platform in targeted cities and communities.This is an app that you can download and with one click be matched up with a business in your area and some kid in need so you can buy that child in your own town who needs new sneakers, a baseball bat, new glasses, an iPad or whatever it might be, big or small. This was the inspiration of Blake Canterbury, a young man in Atlanta Georgia, doing the right thing.
Lead by example, make an imprint.