Thanksgiving and Hunger--Facing Reality

I love holiday themes, up to a point.  Right now, many of my materials feature turkeys and a few food items.  I do this because school teachers also focus on it, and the kids are exposed to the vocabulary during their regular school day.  I am a related service to their education, so I need to support what is already happening.  Personally, I also love Thanksgiving traditions in my own family. 

One thing I try not to do though with some children is speak glowingly of massive Thanksgiving meals.  I don't make books about Thanksgiving meals (although I have used familiar children's literature about these meals). North Carolina is ahead of the pack in food insecurity in children; and some of my students are among these who don't know where the next meal is coming from. 

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I also do not suggest Thanksgiving menus or ask kids to draw pictures of what belongs on a Thanksgiving table.

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I try to be sensitive to the issues of my kids, as I think all of you are.    I've seen anger in the eyes of my older students when I ask them what they did for Thanksgiving, so over the years, I've altered my questions to be more general.  When coming off of Thanksgiving, I don't talk about the gluttony that I enjoyed with my own family.  I'm blessed to be well off, but don't need to flaunt it.

I do spend a little time with the kids asking them what they are thankful for.  Sometimes we do a group "thankful project"--everyone has something they can appreciate in their lives.  The actual meal I've enjoyed, however, I keep low key, and only in vague terms, for they may not have had enough.  

It's a balance---offer the vocabulary, use the words of the dominant culture, but don't raise anxiety levels in children who are in need.





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