Love Makes a Family

Product Information

What We Love: This book beautifully smashes stereotypes around what makes a family “real.” It is also told from the perspective of children and expresses a voice of innocence and love. We also adore the whimsical illustrations that are similar to the style of Ludwig Bemelmans’ Madeline . This inclusive board book pairs repetition with diverse illustrations to showcase a broad range of families and how they show love. Ultimately, it is love and not gender that form a family.

Kindness Makes Us Strong & Love Makes A Family are boldly illustrated declarations of love, acceptance and the different ways we can live out our values in our real lives. They're both populated by characters of different colors, ability levels, genders, and ages, while also ensuring that no one is specifically shown as "different" meaning lesser or unequal (a pitfall of many early 'melting pot' books or books that have disabled characters, but show them as people we should all be helping, for example). The books are simple reads, with simple messages, and little kids really GET THEM. They're perfect for talking about what kinds of ways love shows up in your family, and what kinds of ways you all can/do show kindness to each other - and also, what to do when kindness is hard. This is what I meant by books being a tool - If you're trying to teach your kids what it means to be a good human, and you don't have examples of how they can be good humans, then it is a lot harder for them to learn. The two most important elements in life are love and family. Family is key, and it’s a unique gift that should be cherished and treasured. They know you best, and they love you.Very sweet little board book about loving families involved in a variety of activities, from waking up in the morning, to visiting the zoo*, celebrating a birthday, playing together etc. all the way to bath time and bedtime. Each spread features a different family unit, including mom and dad, two moms, two dads, single parents, and grandparents. All are shown lovingly engaged with their children. Ask the richest people in the world what their true priorities are, and they will tell you that it’s their family. Such is the importance of a family to everyone.

But love, being an emotion, is not constant or guaranteed - especially if people are encouraged to take their feelings as reliable guides to decision-making. My wife taught in the public schools for 17 years, until 2016. She saw first-hand what living in a household theoretically defined by love meant to her second-graders - uncertainty as to their place in the family, strange men moving in and out of their single mother's home, "siblings" who came and went - or if in a traditional home of married mother and father, uncertainty as to whether or not love would leave and divorce break up the household. It was difficult to teach kids when they were never quite sure of what was going to happen next in their house.The goal of this unit is to help students understand that families come in all different shapes and sizes, and that no matter what a family looks like, all families love and care for one another. The world we live in is increasingly diverse, especially within family structures. As students are building their own identities, it is important for them to see mirrors of their own lives so that they can develop healthy identities, while also seeing windows into other lives so that they can embrace differences. Over the course of the unit, students will read stories that highlight a wide range of families and experiences, some of which may not be present in your school community. Ensuring that students see a wide range of families and experiences is crucial for helping students make sense of the world around them. Make it a point to see your family as often as you can. If work is an issue, then see them on your off days, or at least be bothered to see them every week. What is family without a bit of love every now and then? What We Love: Love Makes a Family is a small book that evokes big emotions. The fun, bright illustrations depict a wide variety of families — including multiracial, queer, and single parent. Additionally, students will be pushed to “read” the illustrations, noticing how illustrations in a text provide clues about events, settings, and characters. When discussing the text, students transition from focusing on clarifying and sharing their thoughts during a discussion to engaging with the thinking of others. Students learn how to build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others and asking questions to clear up confusion about the topics or texts under discussion. Each person has two families in their lives. One that they are brought up in, and one that they make themselves when they wed another. Love both the same, and you’ll see happiness in your life.