Hey webinar lovers,
I am surprised to learn that some people are upset or offended about our upcoming webinar on how to help children cope with scary events. I never anticipated that an effort to provide my colleagues with information about helping children who are fearful due to recent events would be so divisive. In fact, when we produced similar webinars in the past, no one objected. So, here’s our statement about the webinar on Tuesday, January 19, Scary News and Young Children: How to Help Children Cope with Violence Around Them:
I consider this period of time a national emergency for young children, their families, and their educators. , In my opinion, it is our responsibility as early educators to set aside our personal political views so we can educate ourselves about how to help children. The webinar is not a political statement, it is an effort, as always, to help early educators.
Some people have complained that we did not cover similar topics during the protests this summer. In fact, we did offer webinars in response to the brutality during this period, they just did not have the same title. The topics were trauma, media, racial justice, and equity. In addition, in late 2015 when angry rhetoric heated up during the runup to the 2016 election we launched a series of webinars in response. Please refer to the Recordings and Slides page on our website to see all of the content.
BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS: What makes the attack on the Capitol very different is that it was an antagonistic planned attack with the intention of overcoming our government. It was not a protest. We always tell children to “look for the helpers,” and it was the helpers being attacked. Children are traumatized to see the people they are supposed to turn to in an emergency being attacked. There were images of military and police officers being brutalized while American flags flew above, and our country’s leaders locked in a room while people beat down the doors. It was no less traumatizing to see people who were exercising their right to peaceful protests being traumatized by police officers. We addressed that and we are addressing the attack on the capital. It’s all very frightening, and our goal is to help educators help children cope. Please put aside your personal bias and think about the children and your professional responsibility to care for their mental health and social-emotional development.
I hope this helps everyone understand our intentions.
Warmly,
Fran
Fran Simon, M.Ed.
Engagement Strategies
Early Childhood Investigations Webinars
Thank you for this important and much needed resource – your feedback is spot on and HIGHLY APPROPRIATE. Look forward to the discussion.
Thank you Fran–I cannot fathom why anyone would object to this webinar! Thank you for providing it–much needed at this time!
Everybody has their own comfort level on having difficult discussions with children. I, myself, love having these conservations with children and my families know that upon entering my classroom, if the children are wondering about something or are wanting to share an event that occurred and that is important to them, we will. Thank you, Fran for making this statement, but for me, I cannot wait for this webinar. I want to be the best educator I could possibly be for the families in my program and webinars like this can definitely support my journey.
ECI Webinars are one of the first “helpers” I turn to for information during this critical time in young children’s lives. I am registered for this one already.
Please know that I am not offended by the topic of this webinar. As educators we are often faced with the tasked of supporting children and families in difficult times.
Helping us teachers is huge and these are scary times and we should not hide the truth to our children , I thank u
Thank you.
I’m sorry you have to go through the explanation of it all!
I agree our children need their trusted adults to be prepared andhave the answers they need
So beautifully stated.
Clear, positive, and needed good intentions.
Thanks for offering this much needed webinar.
Hi Fran,
I am also shocked to hear that people would be offended by your webinar. I am so thankful that there are agencies/professionals addressing these types of issues because they are very real, and as Early Childhood professionals, we know that children are affected and afraid, as well as adults and there definitely needs to be some type of support for Educators on how to deal with this when it comes up. The more support that is out there, especially during these difficult times, the better the chances for people to be connected and know that they are not alone. Thank you so much for offering this webinar and all your other webinars. I’m truly grateful for the work that you do.
Keep doing what you are doing which is supporting teachers of young children as they struggle to help children cope in these frightening times. I for one appreciate your presence and have never perceived it as anything other than knowing what children need and sharing it with those who care for them. Anyone who doesn’t get that is woefully ill-informed.
Thank you for your courage to touch on such difficult subjects. I am looking to learn and grow and it is in time of uncomfortableness when we grow. looking forward to it.
Thank you for prioritizing this important conversation!
Thank you Fran for your explanation. while I took no offence, I am happy you are addressing this and explaining to the group that this was not a protest but an insurrection. One of the main problems in at least California is that civics is not longer taught in California in our schools. So many people are in ignorance and have to learn about what this action really was and try to process the event at the same time. The topic is advanced for my age group but I have decided to watch to help my grandchildren process this event. Thank you
No offense at all! This is the reality we are living and need to keep each other informed and educate others about it. Please proceed with offering the webinar. We are very grateful for all the webinars you offer because they are very informative and it helps us educate families.
Thank you!
These complaints from other colleagues only shows how divided our country is. Sad to say that we are living during hard times and our children are looking to us as their trusted “adults”.
Thank you for this. I am saddened by the fact that your point was missed. Regardless of which side you fall, this was scary. And we should support children during ALL scary times. That means what may be scary to the children, not necessarily us.
Again thank you. I appreciate the work you are doing.
Thank you to all amazing instructors on these topics
Your position is very clear we should protect and help children to manage and handle all the mess up adults do. It is our responsability. Thank you for your effort!!!!!
Hi Fran and ECIW Team,
I just wanted to let you know that I fully support this webinar and the statement that you put out. It’s so important that our teaching is relevant to what is going on in the world around us, as our children and families are directly impacted by it. Thank you for what you are doing!!
Thank you for taking on the difficult job of addressing this topic! It is more than just needed, it is necessary. I applaud you for not cowering to negative comments and moving ahead!
Thank you for this statement!!
You are right on. How anyone could object is beyond my understanding.
Thank you Fran for once again lining up important and timely topics for webinars!
Fran – Doing what is right almost always comes with objections from someone. As was referenced in today’s presentation about difficult conversations with toddlers, we must do what is right without being curtailed by the fear of someone else’s feelings. I applaud the rapid response you have provided for us to help our children at this time. The assault on our capitol and brutal attacking of officers of the law IS different from the peaceful protesters this summer which were also upsetting. But other than looters and vandals, the brutality was FROM those in authority, not directed toward them. There was still a respect of sorts and certainly a fear of striking back. Just as children think their parent(s) can protect them, they expect the law to protect them or reprimand them if they are “out of line” even though adults comprehend the wrongness of those actions against groups just trying to be heard. But to see those who are supposed to be strong enough to protect being beaten down, some by the American flag no less, is traumatizing for children and adults that do understand. Thank you for this webinar and don’t listen to the nay-sayers!
I so appreciate your sensitive treatment of this subject and want to acknowledge your responsive communication.
Hi Fran,
Thank you for sharing your statment. I am sad that people would make this webinar political. I agree with you that we need to put our problems aside and think of how scary this is for our kids.
Thank you for putting this type of webinar out there for us!!!!!! YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!!
Thank you for your candid response to the situation. I believe we are in a time where we need to take a stand. Bias needs to be addressed and pointed out to those whom have willingly contributed to the problem. Thank you for taking a position that addresses the issue with an emphasis of caring for children. I look forward to more of your webinars.
Thank you for creating training experiences that are relevant to our present circumstances. I agree that the focus is always the children and what will support them and help them feel safe and secure. In my experience, Early Childhood Investigations always does that, which is why I recommend them to my staff. Keep up the great work!
I deeply appreciate the variety of webinars, trainings, and resources you have provided especially over the past year. As an Education Coach to Head Start teachers who must interface with children 2-5 and their families everyday, many of whom are in high risk categories an neighborhoods the information and resources you have provided have been a strong source of support for the work I do. I look forward to continuing to work with teachers to help them understand and cope with the fears and anxieties they and those they serve experience and the work you do has been spot on in helping me do so. Thank you for the work you do and I look forward to the up coming webinar on Jan. 19th.
I don’t think Educators are trying to be hurtful or bias or what ever their comments have been, but fear they are exhausted at all the upset in this world today that we are trying to stay positive and trying to protective children from all of this. Childhood is suppose to be a time of happiness, love, exploration and sadly it is becoming a world of violence as we see in all the other countries. It becomes so so real when you sit there explaining to a child their world around them is in trouble and it may hurt their well being. We do answer their questions as they come up to the best of our abilities. God help us all and pray for peace to come in the next 4 years for all of us to try to work together.
I myself I”m glad that you have these wonderful webinars. They really help me explain to the children what is going on around them. Thank you very much . I really enjoy them keep them coming.
I”m grateful that I’m able to watch these free webinars. They provide me with a lot of knowledge. and information about children. I will watch any type of webinar you provide thank you.
Thank you for supporting the children.