The Littlest Activists: Family-Friendly Advocacy
Becoming an advocate for your child and family can help you get what you want and need. Joining others in advocating builds a family network, is energizing and empowering, and is important in creating positive change that can help build safety for individuals and communities. Best of all, knowing that we can work with others to change things for the better can help us feel safer in the world.
Getting involved in activism as a family communicates important values to children in an immediate, fundamental way. What change do you wish to see in the world? Here are some family-friendly ways to advocate and become activists with children:
- Identify a cause to support. As a family, choose a group, issue or charity to support. Brainstorm ways you can all help. And remember, help comes in many forms. For example, if you are concerned about the environment, attending a beach cleanup (or even making a pledge to pick up litter when you see it) can make a difference.
- Attend events. Rallies, marches and community events are often family affairs. Explain to your children about why you are attending these events and what you hope to change by attending. Make signs with children to carry and share your message.
- Get involved in “postcarding.” If there is a cause or election you care about, join a postcarding group to volunteer to write and send postcards. Have children put stamps on cards and suggest sentiments for you to write down.
