Without ignoring the myriad horrors of the day that appear in our news feeds, I continue to be proudly labeled as a pathological optimist. I keep finding the silver linings in these seemingly endless and horrific challenges. Turns out, I’m in great company. Bill Gates was recently the guest editor for “Time Magazine” with the words “The Optimists” grandly emblazoned on the cover with powerfully supportive data inside encouraging our hopefulness.
It’s the power of the human condition that we dig in and work hard to improve the lives of our families, our communities and our world. Your read of this month’s issue will take you on countless journeys of failure, challenge, pain and heartbreak that turn into something miraculous and positive through knowledge and action.
Our feature is an opportune guide to help empower parents to stimulate your child’s voice at the earliest age and to teach them that their body is their own. The thought of my own #MeToo experience at 19 instantly propels my heart to race, throat to tighten and flashback to my frightening inability to utter, let alone scream “no” or call for help when I needed to. “How Do We Teach Boys about Consent” featuring “Spare Me the Talk” author Jo Langford adds advice for raising our boys with a healthier idea of consent because we’re able to really talk about what it means to choose whether you want physical affection or touch.
A healthier idea of failure also removes cobwebs of my mind harking back to circa 1996 when my eldest and then middle schooler needed to experience failure rather than be excessively coddled and enabled. Translation and upside: I quit repetitively checking in on homework so that failure could translate into young adult success, responsibility and ownership. You’re getting the short version of this 180 turnaround, but, beyond a doubt, this was one of the best parenting plays my husband and I eventually agreed on.
Turnaround extraordinaire is how we define Dominique Davis, a former drug dealer turned community leader who has impacted countless kids in King County and beyond.
And finally, we’ve shared some ideas to help find that place and space for your family to enjoy Feb. 14!
