By: Hannah Scott

Kids can be curious and love to ask lots of questions. Yet, ironically, adults tend to silence them. We silence them out of shame, lack of time or ignorance about an issue. Rather than admitting we don’t have the answers, we ignore their searching eyes and change the subject. But if you still see that dancing light of curiosity in your kid’s eyes, read on.

According to artist, author, and advocate Nora C. Meléndez, after birth, the very adults charged with caring for a child can tragically remove their agency. A child’s understanding of complex issues is only as good as the lessons others have offered them. The lessons we pass on to our kids often originate with our unhealed, adult-size traumas, where the pain is quickly transferred to the next vulnerable generation without conscious thought.

Nora realized the importance of empowering her kids and how this intersects with the true essence of democracy. After her partner’s arrest in 2018, he was automatically transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where the US government sought to deport him far away from his family as quickly as possible.

Here began some painful chapters for the young family. It took eight months to get Sergio back home. After several timely interventions from twelve different community organizations and the kindness of strangers, the family won more time to keep fighting the system together from home.

“After those first eight months, it took our family six more years to feel somewhat stable. But we worked for significant change in our community to give back just a bit of what we received. Others worked fifteen years to prevent family separations through deportation in our county. We became empowered and gained strength because others shared their own strength with us,” Nora added. 

Write Out Loud 

As a mother of three with an anthropology background, Nora is fascinated by human responses to life’s surprises. Nora began to see that her family’s experience was just a fractal of the larger immigrant community tapestry. But how did their unique experience fit into the richer narrative? How could the family continue to help empower others? 

The answer was simple yet profound: By bringing the work home and teaching their kids the true essence of democracy. We can help them grow into empowered adults. Nora got to work on creating tools where individuals are more guided by empathy and respect from an early age.  

With these significant ideas in mind, Nora wrote A Kid’s Book About Democracy.  

Through her 66-page, easy-to-digest book, Nora introduces the concept of democracy as a form of government that relies on non-violent communication. The book is also an open invitation to talk with children about complex issues using a more universal style and empathy.

And without providing a specific formula. In an open-ended fashion with a lot of white space for creativity, the adult can work through the book with the child. Practicing democracy involves asking questions and requires curiosity and authentic daily interaction. That’s what this book enables.

“When adults allow children to take the lead, kids gain confidence and learn to advocate for themselves. Everyone learns to communicate their feelings in healthier ways through this practice. Especially the adults who may often need it most,” Nora explained.

For Kids and Grownups

With this book, Nora hopes to bring awareness and practice of empathy back home. “Practicing empathy in their everyday lives will help children understand how their participation is important overall,” Nora said. “We all need a lot of practice, and the more quality conversations we have, the more we build a strong foundation for healthier expressions of our daily feelings and needs .”

Kids are bombarded with information from all sides, even subconsciously. They will continue to be curious and ask questions for which we may not have a ready answer. By committing to learning with our kids, instead of silencing them, we can find the answers together and keep them along this journey of discovering new perspectives. 

To build a peaceful world, we must co-create and wield tools of peace. Primarily, the art of conversation is a fundamental tool.

According to Nora, that’s the concept of democracy practiced at the basic level. Resources like A Kids Book About Democracy are a good opportunity to start many such important conversations. We can raise our kids to take up the bigger problems with confidence.

And continue to do our best now so that each kid has the energy to offer their own powerfully creative and unique solutions to the problems they are likely to inherit. Kids are instrumental in creating a country where justice, compassion, and sustainability are the priorities. Their seat at the big table has been empty long enough.

Published by: Nelly Chavez