🌈 Celebrating Pride Month: Helping Kids Understand Love, Identity, and Inclusion

June is Pride Month—a meaningful time to celebrate people for who they are, including how they feel inside and who they love. As a mom and someone deeply committed to raising kind, empathetic kids, I believe conversations about inclusion, identity, and self-worth start early. 

🏳️🌈 Why Pride Month Matters to Kids

You may wonder, “Is my child too young to understand Pride?” But the truth is, kids are already noticing differences—what people wear, how they express themselves, and families come in different shapes and sizes. Pride Month gives us the perfect opportunity to talk about those differences in an open, positive way. At its heart, Pride is about fairness, love, and kindness. And when we teach our kids these values early, they grow into more compassionate and confident people.

 

📚 Book Picks for Pride and Inclusion

These books are gentle, engaging, and perfect for summer reading:

  • 📘 Heather Has Two Mommies by LeslĂŠa Newman - A sweet introduction to diverse families and the idea that love makes a family.
  • 🖍️ Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall -A beautiful metaphor for being true to yourself and accepting others.
  • 📗 It Feels Good to Be Yourself by Theresa Thorn - A simple, honest explanation of gender identity that affirms every child’s right to be themselves.
  • 🐚 Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love - A celebration of self-expression, imagination, and unconditional love.
  • 🌈 My Rainbow by Trinity and DeShanna Neal - A true story of a mother supporting her transgender daughter’s journey to express herself.
  • 📕 When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff - A powerful story about identity, change, and creating a welcoming home.

🌟 Reading Builds Empathy and Confidence

When kids see a wide range of stories, families, and identities in the books they read, they not only learn about others—they learn to love themselves more fully. It sends the message: Who you are is enough. Who others are is beautiful.

💬 Conversation Prompt:

1. “Have you ever felt different from other kids? What made you feel that way—and how did it feel?”

→ This question helps kids reflect on their own experiences with identity and belonging, building empathy for others who feel the same.

2. “What do you think makes someone brave when it comes to being themselves?”

→ Use this to talk about the courage it takes to be authentic, especially when someone feels different or misunderstood.

 3. “If a friend told you something important about who they are, how could you show them support?”

→ This prompt encourages kids to think about being an ally and practicing kindness and respect in real-life situations.

 4. “Can you think of a time when you stood up for someone or saw someone being treated unfairly? What happened?”

→ Builds awareness around fairness and teaches the importance of taking action when something isn’t right.

5. “Why do you think it’s important that stories include all kinds of people and families?”

→ A chance to reinforce the power of representation in books, movies, and classrooms—so every child feels seen and valued.

Books and conversations open hearts and minds—and summer is the perfect time to fill your home with stories that spark inclusion, pride, and self-worth. Let’s keep the conversations going all year long.

For more kind conversations learn more about our NEW Conversation Club - Here

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