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Photo of kids walking up to get on a school bus
Uncategorized

Natural Strength Parenting Tips to Prepare You For Back to School

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Believe it or not, it’s already time to start preparing your family to head back to school. Back to school season can be incredibly stressful for kids and parents alike. Fortunately, you still have some time to utilize Natural Strength Parenting™ to mentally prepare your family before that first chilly morning at the bus stop. You can also connect with a Parent Connext™ parenting specialist to develop a plan to succeed this year. State an Intention Start by setting an intention with your child for the new school year. Ask, “what can you do to make this year your best yet?” It may be as simple as building independence to get ready on their own in the morning or something more aspirational like balancing academic achievement and extracurricular activities by developing and using time management skills effectively. Whatever the intention, work closely with them to develop the skills, provide encouragement, and celebrate with them when they are successful. Critical to their success is the specifics of the intention they set. Get curious with them and ask “What do you need from me to succeed?” Then make sure to build in accountability. “What steps will you take to succeed?” “How will you know if the intention you set is working? How will your experience at school be better?”    When your child sets an intention, with your support and encouragement, they will be focused and more confident as they move into the new school year. Build On Their Strengths Change can definitely be a trigger. Consider how you felt your first day at a job or on a new team at work. It’s ok to acknowledge your child’s fear and anxiety and offer the idea that these feelings subside as you become familiar with what was once ‘new’. You may help them to remember a time when this has happened for them in the past and how it felt better over time. This is a great time to focus on your child’s innate strengths and which of those they may have used to manage a new situation in the past. Every person has 24 character strengths inside them. You can discover your family’s strengths by taking the VIA Character Strengths Survey located on the bottom of this page. Back to school time is a great opportunity to lean into your child’s strengths of Bravery, Love of Learning, Leadership, and Curiosity. “It’s very brave of you to sign up for a new club this year.” “I am excited that you used your Love of Learning to try an honors class this year.” Focusing on your child’s strengths rather than trying to “fix” something helps them feel valued. Take a Mindful Minute Sometimes, despite your best intentions, your kid will be anxious about returning to school. This is your chance to be fully engaged with them in the moment. Actively listen to their concerns and let them know you are listening. “I hear that you are worried about your first day of school, but you smiled when you talked about seeing your friends again?” Offer them a different way to envision the first day of school. “What would it look like if you spotted a friend and were able to walk in together on the first day?” If necessary, take a moment just to breathe with them. These calming moments can deepen your relationship and positively affect their mental health heading into the chaos of back to school. Take Time For Yourself Remember this time of year is just as stressful for you as it is for your kids. Back-to-school shopping, coordinating carpools, rearranging schedules, and doing your regular everyday responsibilities can be overwhelming. Set an intention for yourself to be prepared and ready to help your kids succeed (or at least appear to be prepared!). Lean into your own strengths: Love, Fairness, Judgment, Leadership, and Perseverance. Your kids will look to you for guidance, and your tone sets the tone for the family. Take a moment for yourself. Sit outside and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of these final summer days. Back-to-school time can be chaotic, but it doesn’t have to affect your family’s mental health adversely. Setting a clear intention for your kids, discovering and building upon their strengths, and taking meaningful time to be present and engage with them will go a long way in relieving some of the stress of this busy time of the year. Download our Back to School Quick Tips.

Graphic of a blue backpack full of school supplies and text that says "Back to School"
Uncategorized

Back To School Quick Tips

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Use Natural Strength Parenting™ to help your family ease back into the school year. Need additional support this year? Connect with a Parent Connext® parenting specialist today. State an Intention Start by setting an intention with your child for the new school year. Ask, “what can you do to make this year your best yet?” Get curious with them and ask “What do you need from me to succeed?” Then make sure to build in accountability. “What steps will you take to succeed?” “How will you know if the intention you set is working? How will your experience at school be better?” Build on Your Child’s Strengths Acknowledge your child’s fear and anxiety, and offer the idea that these feelings subside as you become familiar with what was once ‘new’. Every person has 24 character strengths inside them. You can discover your family’s strengths by completing the Spotlight on my Strengths survey. Take a Mindful Minute Actively listen to their concerns and let them know you are listening. “I hear that you are worried about your first day of school, but you smiled when you talked about seeing your friends again.” Be present in these moments. Use them to take a few deep breaths or otherwise relax with your child. Take Time For Yourself Take a moment for yourself. Sit outside and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of these final summer days. Stay Healthy Ensure your child understands the importance of following your school’s safety protocols. Download our Back to School Quick Tips and Spotlight on my Strengths survey here.

Photo of. young girl wearing a face mask with mermaids on it
COVID-19, Uncategorized

Help Your Children Become Comfortable Wearing Masks To Protect Themselves and Others

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Wear A Mask To Protect Yourself and Others Among the most significant impacts the coronavirus pandemic has had on our culture has been the shift to wearing face masks to protect ourselves and those around us. While wearing a mask is not uncommon in other parts of the world, specifically in regions that have previously battled respiratory outbreaks such as SARS or MERS, the concept is relatively new for Americans. Recent surges in the number of cases and the latest science have The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urging all Americans to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As states look toward the start of a new school year, many, including Ohio are also imploring their residents to wear masks. The fact is wearing a face mask is a big change and can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and a little scary, especially for kids. Consider how you feel about wearing a mask to the grocery store, the bank, or anywhere you’re going to be around others. Your child’s anxiety and confusion are likely much worse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are currently “advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.” Wearing a mask, along with social distancing, is important to mitigating your risk of being exposed to or spreading the virus. Your kids, like you, are probably ready to get out of the house, so before you head to the store, or out to exercise, or anywhere you are going to be around others, prepare your kids to wear their mask safely and to be ready to see others wearing masks. Pro tip: Model the behavior you are seeking to create. If wearing a mask is important to you, make sure you are wearing yours as well.  Prep Your Younger Kids Start by checking out photos of different types of masks. You may be wearing a mask you purchased online, a friend or family member made for you, or even one you made yourself, but it’s a good idea to familiarize your younger child with masks. Look up characters in movies like Batman, Spider-Gwen, or Darth Vader. Explain that they may see lots of different types of masks but explain to them that whatever the mask looks like the person is wearing it to protect themselves and you. Explain to them why you are wearing a mask. It is essential that they understand the risks of getting sick and how a mask may protect you and your family. This may be a good opportunity to discuss your family’s values of health, safety, and respect. After all, one of your main goals as a parent is to keep your children safe and healthy. Also remember that kids are great at overusing their strength of creativity to create their own stories that may be far scarier than reality.  Finally, have them try their mask on a favorite doll or stuffed animal before trying it on themselves. Make sure they are comfortable wearing their mask and keeping it on for the amount of time you will be out. This PDF from Affinity Consulting can help. Pro tip: Masks with their favorite characters, familiar design, or favorite colors can help your child feel more comfortable wearing their masks.  Make Sure Your Tweens, Pre-Teens, and Teenagers Are Safe Your older children probably have a better understanding of how viruses are transmitted and may know more about the severity of the current pandemic. They may also have more anxiety because of this. Start by having a conversation with them about the pandemic and make sure you are sharing as many easy to understand facts as you can. Answer their questions and offer reassurance where you can. Make sure they understand how to put on and remove their masks safely. Make sure they only touch the straps or ear hooks. If they touch their masks or are wearing a bandana or buff-type cover, make sure they wash their hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer immediately afterward. Finally, if your teen leaves a trail of their possessions across the floor when they come home (their backpack, their shoes, their coat, their keys, their phone) they are probably going to toss their mask as soon as they walk in their door. Make sure they don’t leave their masks lying around. Either throw away disposable masks or wash cloth ones regularly. Pro tip: Keep your conversations brief and to the point while addressing any questions they may have. While this is important you want to make sure your child is not overwhelmed.  Getting Back To The New Normal Social distancing, caution, and masks are likely going to be part of our lives for a while as we learn more about COVID-19 and move toward decreasing the spread or finding a vaccine. As government restrictions, including stay-at-home orders, are lifted you may find your family getting “back to normal”. This may include going shopping, attending church, going out to eat, attending camp, or playing sports. This may put them in situations where they are wearing their masks for extended periods of time and where they are around others. Make sure they understand if they need a break from their masks, take a few GIANT steps away from everyone else, safely remove the mask using the straps or ear hooks, and take a break. Before they are near others, make sure they put their mask on correctly and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. Wearing a mask in public can help mitigate the risk of spreading droplets that may contain the coronavirus or other infections. While it may be different and scary, it is an important and responsible way to protect your family and those you may encounter. Having open conversations with your children, answering their questions and addressing their fears, and making sure they are comfortable

Blue icon with an iceberg on it
Parent Connext™, Parenting Tips

Tip of the Iceberg; What Big Emotions Lie Beneath the Surface of your Child’s Behavior

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What you see in behavior from your child is just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath are big emotions that can be hard to wrestle with for a child. Natural Strength Parenting™ can empower you to help your child understand what may be causing big outbursts by helping them identify what may be happening inside or ‘under the water’. Intentional parenting, as part of the Natural Strength Parenting™ approach, means being proactive instead of reactive in your parenting. When your child present emotions, it’s easy to react to what you see and hear. But that may not tell the entire story. Why is your child acting sad? Or worried? Or angry? There’s something causing their surface emotions. Rather simply react to their emotions, try and figure out what’s causing them.  Start by asking powerful questions. Instead of the ‘typical questions’ that will get standard one-word responses; “What’s wrong?” or “how was your day?”, ask your children more specific questions about their emotions. If they have recently heard or seen unsettling news, ask them what they think about the situation. Spending time actively listening to their answers to powerful questions can provide deeper insight into how your child is feeling. Sometimes your child may “flip their lid” and may not be able to answer you in a calm, logical manner. If they’ve already flipped their lid, remember what emotions may be lurking under the surface of the iceberg and respond with empathy.  Once you understand what is causing your child’s expressed behaviors you can work with them to find ways to manage their emotions. Lean into their strengths (link to What Strengths Will You Use Today?) to help them positively approach their emotions. For example, if they are expressing anger towards a friend or peer, lean into their strength of perspective to help them understand the other person’s point of view. This can help them manage their anger and work toward a resolution.  You can also introduce mindfulness to help your child cope. If they are acting withdrawn or shutdown because they are overwhelmed or anxious about their schoolwork, you can have them practice a mindful activity to help them redirect their anxiety. The S.T.O.P. activity can help your child stop, take a breath, observe their situation, and proceed with a calm, clear mind. Link to Characters video for younger kids, PDF for older. Understanding what is really causing the emotions your child is expressing by being fully present in the moment with you can help lead to and healing. Share this with your child in a calm moment to spark a conversation and inspire understanding. 

Photo of a mother grabbing food with her two kids sitting with their plates
Mindfullness

Mindful Eating

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Mindful eating is a mindful awareness exercise to help ground you in the present moment and bring awareness and attention to your five senses. This allows you to practice laser vision and focus. Give it a try! Download this exercise for your family today!

Graphic of a chalkboard with "RACISM" written in white getting erased by a pink eraser
Diversity

A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children Part 2

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A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children Part 2 Having a Conversation About Race: A Guide for African American Parents By Guest Blogger Linda Felder, Character Effect Specialist, The Character Effect™ The posting of the inhumane killing of George Floyd on Facebook was a reminder to African Americans that in the eyes of white America, Black Lives Don’t Matter. The flagrant arrogance of the white police officer to take a black man’s life without regard for his humanity is the ultimate of evil personified. African Americans have lived their whole existence being treated as less than human or at least not considered equal to their white counterparts. However, the killing of Mr. Floyd has caused America and the whole world to look at race relations and diversity in every aspect of today’s life, work, school, and socially. The injustices African Americans have been dealing with for over 100 plus years are now trending in every news thread, twitter, and hashtag that’s printed and that’s “Black Lives Matter!” It’s not that Black lives are the only lives that matter. It’s that everyone needs to recognize and acknowledge that the lives of African Americans are important because innocent black males and females are dying at the hands of police officers without any accountability or consequences for their actions.  Until we are seen as humans and not chattel, there will always be the need for a declarative statement, “Black Lives Matter!” The conversation of race relations and diversity must be had, and it must be done in an intelligent manner with everyone listening and not just hearing what’s being said.  African American children need adults in their lives who are going to provide them with a positive identity and fight for equity! Our history and culture affect our concepts of race and national origin. The basic building block that we use to teach children about diversity is something that we adults must continue to learn and relearn. We must visit and revisit. “To help our children be better citizens in our diverse world or diverse society, we have to speak the language of diversity. The language of diversity is a spoken language that challenges us to speak with people who have differences and different opinions on important issues. It’s a mindset that says, “I want to engage you to get to know you regardless of our differences.”  What messages are you communicating to your children about differences?  What words are you using in your home to describe yourselves as African Americans?  What word are you using in your home about other ethnicities or cultures?  Words have different meanings depending on your race and culture. For example, I had a conversation with a colleague about me considering to wear my hair “natural.”  I had to explain that when I made the statement, “I’m getting a perm.” This is an example of how one statement means two different things for two different ethnicities. For Black women, it means relaxing the curl pattern in the hair using a chemical relaxer. For white women, it means putting curl into the hair. This is active listening and talking with each other about cultural identity. For our children to have a positive identity, we must make sure they know their history, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Our history is not for us to be bitter, it is to inform our children we are an intelligent people with a great history of being architects, engineers, lawyers, and inventors.  We made a tremendous contribution to the building of this nation and we continue to be assets to the world.  Yes, Black Lives Matter, because you’re my son, you’re my daughter and your life matters.  You have value and you have worth and no one is given permission to take your life because he or she doesn’t know how to speak the language of diversity.

Graphic of a chalkboard with "RACISM" written in white getting erased by a pink eraser
Diversity

A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children Part 1

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A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children Part 1 Having a Conversation About Race: A Guide for Caucasian Parents Tough conversations are usually the most important ones to have with your kids. And right now, there is not a tougher, or more important, discussion to have with your children than that of racial inequality and injustice in America. If you’re a Caucasian parent, this may be a difficult, and perhaps uncomfortable conversation, but it’s necessary. We hope that these tips help you engage in a successful dialogue about race with your family and begin to be a part of the positive change we so desperately need in our world. Check Yourself This may be the hardest part of all. Just starting the conversation. Following the civil unrest caused by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minnesota, you may be feeling a wide range of emotions yourself. From anger to confusion, to helplessness. 2020 has not been an easy year, to say the least. Considering that we are not out of the woods yet with the COVID-19 pandemic, having to address another global crisis with your children may seem insurmountable as the issue of racism itself. So, start by taking care of yourself. Turn off the television, put down your phone, and take a moment for you. This is an excellent time to practice a little mindfulness to center yourself. You can sit for a moment with your thoughts, taking a few deep calming breaths to clear your mind. If you need some guidance on mindful breathing, watch this video. Natural Strength Parenting™ Tip: If you want to go further with mindfulness, download our Body Scan activity. Have The Conversation It’s time to start the conversation with your kids. Be intentional in your approach. This is not a conversation that should be avoided.   Children can begin to notice racial bias at a shockingly young age. For your younger children, start by exposing them to a range of media that demonstrates diversity and representation. We’ll link to some books you can explore with them. Seeing individuals that don’t look like them in movies, videos, and books can help them broadly understand diversity. The fact is that most of their family, neighbors, and friends probably look like them. Talk clearly about physical differences and the reason behind them. Explain that a person’s genes determine how they look, from the color of their eyes to the shape of their nose, to the color of their skin. Allow them to explore their strength of curiosity by asking questions. Your older kids will be more aware of the differences between people and are likely to know more about injustice, inequality, and racism. Ask them what they have seen on the news, heard online, and what their friends are talking about. Answer any questions they have and acknowledge, embrace, and empathize with their feelings. Your older children will be more likely prepared to use their strengths of perspective and social intelligence. Natural Strength Parenting™ Tip: While acknowledging that their unique perspective is important, part of flexing that strength is being able to understand and accept other people’s point of view.  Know The History Read up first. Providing historical context to the issue of race in America is very important. Lean into love of learning here and be prepared to answer tough questions, and research the ones you don’t have answers to together. From slavery at the dawn of our country to the civil rights movement of the 1960s to the more recent violence against young Black men, our country has a complex and complicated history when it comes to race. Talk with your children about these events so they can understand the reasons for division in our country so they can share the desire to heal. For your younger kids, explore fairness and bravery with them by discussing Rosa Parks’ protest on December 1st, 1955. Ask powerful questions like “why was it unfair for her to be asked to give up her seat?”. Challenge them to be brave and speak up if they see someone being treated unfairly. Your older kids may be ready to explore more complex civil disobedience in reaction to racial injustice by listening to Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches. Hearing his words and exploring his actions can help inspire leadership and demonstrate perseverance for your older children. Don’t Ignore The Really Difficult Stuff It’s difficult to understand fairness when so many of our own citizens are being treated unfairly. We all want our children to be safe. Unfortunately, the idea of “safe” can be quite different between white and black parents. While you may talk to your child about being safe while crossing the street to visit a friend or about “stranger danger”, most Black parents have a different idea when discussing safety with their children. For African American families “the talk” is usually about how to deal with the police. Watch this video with your children to see real parents discussing this issue with their own kids.   This can lead to a frank discussion of violence against African American men and women. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of stories to start with. Rodney King in 1991. Timothy Thomas in 2001. Trayvon Martin in 2012. Atatiana Jefferson last year. And of course, George Floyd this year. Among the many others. All of these incidents ignited civil unrest and brought our nation’s long-festering issues with racism into focus. For a little while. Revisit these stories and explore the motivations behind each incident. Discuss the results and the outcomes. Ask your child if they think things have changed. Natural Strength Parenting™ Tip: Practice your strength of honesty when dealing with these painful stories. Be sure to stay close to the facts of each incident in an age-appropriate way. And remember it’s ok to be vulnerable in the fact that you don’t have all the answers.  Model Appropriate Behavior and Be an Ally So, what’s next? First, continue to monitor the news and be aware of your child’s exposure to what they hear

Graphic of a chalkboard with "RACISM" written in white getting erased by a pink eraser
Parenting Tips, Uncategorized

A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children An Introduction

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A Parent’s Guide to Having Critically Important Conversations About Diversity, Racism, and Equality with Your Children An Introduction An Introduction By Guest Blogger Cheryl Riley, Team Lead and Senior Therapist, Beech Acres Parenting Center Talking about race is usually difficult and uncomfortable for most people. Talking about race right now, in light of the senseless and tragic deaths of unarmed and defenseless African American men and women simply because they were Black- that’s likely terrifying for a lot of parents. Yet, it is absolutely necessary and urgent that you talk to your children about racism and how to be an antiracist. We are the original teachers and role models of our children. They naturally look up to us and want to be like us. That’s why it’s so important for parents to model the right behaviors and attitudes at home. What you do and say when no one is around, is actually more important than when there is an audience. Parents should start with the very fundamental concept of valuing all human life, regardless of the person’s race or ethnicity, and explain the importance of expressing human dignity, respect, and compassion for each other. From there, make the discussion personal and relatable, by delving into conversations about their friends or perhaps relatives who are people of color. When children can connect racism and how it negatively impacts people of color to someone they know and care about, that takes the conversation to a new level and it’s more impactful. America has a very long and complex history with racism and Black people. It is often said and true, that we must know our past before we can move forward into our future. Author Ibram X. Kendi has several books that do an excellent job of explaining all of this. “Stamped from the Beginning” details the extensive and lingering history of America’s relationship with Black people. Kendi explains that “racist ideas did not arise from ignorance or hatred. They were created to justify and rationalize deeply entrenched discriminatory policies and the nation’s racial inequities.” His book provides the tools and resources to uncover implicit biases and inherent racism. He also just put out a book for much younger children (0-3 y.o.) called, “Antiracist Baby.” Being an ally in the battle to dismantle and eradicate racism, means you have to be willing to do the difficult work of self-reflection and internal examination of your own beliefs about race. It’s not good enough to be “nice to Black people” or “have a Black friend.” Being anti-racist means you do not tolerate racism in any form, whether it’s covert or overt. Kendi has a book for this as well, “How to be an Antiracist.” The Amazon review states, “This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.” There is no certain age when it’s appropriate to discuss race issues with your children. Parents need to gauge their kids’ maturity and ability to grasp the concept. However, don’t wait until something happens. Get ahead of it and be proactive. Integrate this kind of brave discussion into your everyday lives. The more you talk about race, the more comfortable you and your children will become with the topic, and the more knowledgeable you become, the better allies you will be. We’ll be sharing resources for both Caucasian and African American parents to have these important conversations with their children. Let’s make a difference. Together.

Photo of the male and female anatomy signs mixed together over a tan background
Parenting Tips, Uncategorized

Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Fluid Fast Facts for Parents

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Important discussions around gender are happening more and more in today’s families. These discussions are important and can help you support your child if they have questions about gender identity. Here are some fast facts to help you have those discussions. NEW! Sign up for our text message-based course, Understanding and Supporting Transgender Youth. In this course, you’ll be given a brief introduction to who and what the term “transgender” refers to. You’ll also learn ways to support transgender youth while they learn about and express their gender identity. These courses are designed for today’s parents by our parenting experts. Click here to sign up today! Fast Facts on Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Fluid First, some definitions to help you understand these terms. Transgender is a broadly used term for persons whose gender expression and identity are different from their sex at birth. According to The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, 700,000 people in the United States identify as transgender. While adolescents already face many challenges, transgender youth often struggle with additional challenges and difficulties. Non-Binary individuals don’t feel like one gender or the other. Gender for them is more “fluid” than we’ve traditionally thought it to be. Non-binary gender identity is simply one term that may be used to describe individuals who may experience a gender identity that is neither exclusively male or exclusively female or is in between or even beyond both genders. Non-binary individuals may also identify as gender-fluid, which is a person who does not necessarily identify themselves as having a fixed gender. How Can You Support Your Child? It is critical for parents to be supportive of their children as they discover their gender identity. A recent study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health discovered that the average age that transgender youth notice their gender incongruity is age 8. As these youth head into puberty and adolescence, it is imperative that they have the support they need. LGBTQ youth are at an increased risk of being bullied, In fact, stopbullying.gov reports that over 50% of LGBTQ students in grades 9-12 experienced cyberbullying. Developing their social intelligence, self-confidence, and perseverance can help them navigate difficult situations. The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement in support of transgender youth in 2017. In this statement, AAP stated: “As pediatricians, we know that transgender children fare much better when they feel supported by their family, school, and the larger community. Shaming children based on their gender identity or expression is harmful to their social-emotional health and may have lifelong consequences. This includes public discourse that de-legitimizes the contributions that transgender individuals make to society.” Parents can support their kids first by listening. This can be difficult territory for your child and you to navigate. Build upon their strengths of bravery and honesty. These are demonstrated in sharing their unique self with others. Being open, honest, and supportive will establish trust with your child. Be careful to not force labels on your child. It is important to respectfully address them using the pronouns they are comfortable with. Letting your child be who they are, helps them define themselves and their own personality. Identify their individual strengths and help them develop those by spotting them, naming them, and encouraging the use of those strengths. As always, seek professional advice if you feel ill-equipped to help your child with this or any issue. When parents learn their child is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or gender-expansive (LGBTQ+), they may experience a wide variety of emotions. Confusion about their child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression. Worry about how their child will be treated by others. Concern because they were taught being LGBTQ+ is wrong or even sinful. So, what to do when your child comes out? At Beech Acres Parenting Center we believe the best way to help children is through their parents. You have the strengths you need to raise capable, caring, contributing children and we’re here to help. You can download our Fast Facts on Transgender here. Beech Acres Parenting Center affirms the worth and dignity of all children. We believe that discrimination based on gender identity or expression is damaging to the health of children, families, and society. As the fight for inclusion moves from public restrooms to school locker rooms, Beech Acres unequivocally and emphatically stands in solidarity with transgender youth, and all transgender individuals. Read more… Additional Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/ transgender.htm https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/how-many-people-lgbt/ https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/06/health/teens-gender-nonconforming-study-trnd/index.html https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/life/parenthood/transgender-nonbinary-youth https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/a/adolescent-medicine/programs/transgender Our friends at the Cincinnati Public Library put together this reading list featuring transgender, non-binary, and gender-fluid characters.

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