I am a ‘ShineBright’ Ambassador and have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.
Every year since I can remember, I’ve enjoyed watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer whenever it comes on television at Christmas time. I’ve sang the song, made crafts depicting the famous reindeer with the shining nose, and introduced my daughter to him as soon as she was old enough to understand words. There are just so many great lessons in the movie, and now that Ayva is older and in kindergarten, the message of celebrating differences in the world is even more important.
Look, I know it’s just a cartoon and it’s supposed to be entertainment, but cartoons and entertainment are often the way little children learn. It’s a great way to start conversations about very important subjects in a way that’s safe for little ones. This year is the 50th anniversary of Rudolph on television, and PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center wants to make sure parents don’t miss the chance to talk to their kids about acceptance, respect and diversity in a way that they’re able to understand.
When Ayva first started school, she was concerned about being 1 of only 2 African-American students in her class. She noticed that her hair was different, her skin was different, and she was worried about fitting in. I talked to her teachers about it, and we all have been working together to help Ayva understand that none of us are alike, and that our differences is what makes the world interesting. There are children in her class that are short, others who are tall, some have curly hair, others have straight hair, but they are all, each and every single one of them, special!
About Shine Bright
That’s the purpose of Pacer’s Shine Bright campaign. They’ve created a toolkit to help parents encourage their children to celebrate differences in order to help the world shine brighter. Using Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as a conversation starter, they’re discussion and activity guide is a great resource for parents. There are themes to explore like diversity, acceptance and kindness, as well as questions like, “How do you think Rudolph felt when he was excluded by the other reindeer?” You can be sure to have some great moments of discovery with your children as they talk through Rudolph’s situation and are able to relate it to things they might be experiencing.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer comes on Tuesday, November 9th at 8 PM ET/PT on CBS. The beloved movie is now also an ebook – “The Legend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and one dollar from each purchase will be donated to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. You can also get a “ShineBright” t-shirt, and a portion of all sales will be donated to the cause. For more information or to purchase the eBook or t-shirt, visit PACER.org/ShineBright.
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