We hold these flags up high, with pride

Some big concepts are challenging to teach kids.

I’ve stumbled as I’ve tried to explain death, serious illness, racism, and pain. I’ve wondered if I am covering kindness effectively or if I am using the right words to explain empathy. Am I cementing those ideas deeply enough into their hearts?

Respect is another one of those big concepts that we desperately want to get right as parents. That we need to get right.

I’m fortunate that in our house I have a partner in these efforts. One who finds the words when I’m at a loss and can make the impact our world so desperately needs.

That Kind of Respect

It was a Thursday evening when my husband, Glen, brought each of our kids a flag home from the Pride rally he attended at work. The kids were excited to wave their flags and march around, but wanted to know why the flags were rainbow instead of red, white, and blue.

I explained that these flags represented that we should treat everyone equally, that you can be who you are, and that you can love whoever you want to love. Certainly it was a bit simplistic, but they are in preschool.

The kids liked that answer and kept waving the flags until they got distracted by something else, like kids do, and dropped them on the floor.

Glen quickly picked the flags up and stopped them both in their tracks. He told them that we treat this flag like we would the American flag and do not let it hit the floor. This flag means something special, and we respect everything it stands for.

That Kind of Love

That’s the kind of world I want to live in. That’s the kind of world I want for my children.

A world full of respect for each individual. Respect that comes from a principled place, that’s ingrained in our being, that’s held up high.

Beautiful respect. Awe-inspiring respect. Respect that fills our hearts with brightly colored joy and love.

Like a rainbow.

That Kind of World

When I see the flags safely hung on bookshelves and bureaus, I know that we are doing something right. That the message got through that Thursday evening, and that there will be a reminder again tomorrow.

The world I want to live in, the world I want for my children…we need to create it.

And I think that if we’re all in this together, we will.