This is a common question after reading Riley the Brave to a group of children, and it opens the door to wonderful conversations about diversity and the many ways to make a family.
You might talk about skin tone or hair color.
You can incorporate grandparents, foster parents, and families with step parents.
So many possibilities, BUT…I remember how awkward I felt trying to figure out how to talk about this stuff when I first started working in the world of foster care and adoption.
Here’s some language that I’ve found helpful…
- Riley’ bear parents (or birth parents) might not have been able to take care of him.
- His first parents might have had some tough big critter stuff, so maybe the elephants are being his safe big critters while they get some help (i.e. foster care).
- Or maybe the elephants adopted him.
If a child asks, “So he’s a foster kid?” you can respond, “Maybe he’s a cub in foster care,” a gentle way of getting in that person-first language.
If they say, “So he’s adopted? That’s weird,” it’s a great chance to normalize adoption. “There are lots of ways to make a family. You might live with the parents who gave birth to you or with a step mom or step dad. Riley might have been adopted.”
❓❓❓If this sounds a little confusing, it’s because it IS!!
But I’m here to make it a little easier!
Riley the Brave is a story for families of all shapes and sizes – kids still living with bio mom and dad can relate to our little hero. And it was *especially* important to me that the children who often have to make a few mental leaps during story time won’t have to do that with the Riley the Brave series.
Just tell me who the elephants are!!!
Sorry, it’s not gonna happen. Each child gets to decide for themselves. I know the ambiguity is hard for our adult brains, but the cub who was adopted or is living in foster care, the child being raised by grandma and grandpa, the kiddo with two moms or two dads…they can all put themselves in the story just as well as anyone else!
? It’s not the end of the conversation, just the beginning!
Stay tuned for more blog posts, and join the conversation on Instagram.
Don’t have the book? Check it out at your local library or grab a copy here.
