On Wednesday, November 9th, Rev. Liz and I invited people to gather with us at the church to process the results of the presidential election. We began together in the Sanctuary, and then I met with a number of children in the Community Hall while the adults continued processing with Rev. Liz. I wanted to share with all of you what went on in my discussion in case you find any of it useful in your own discussions at home.
First, I asked how everyone was feeling. Many children shared they were sad or scared, some expressed optimism, and some expressed a need for distraction from the news. I shared that I was feeling sad as well and that today had been a very hard day. In sharing with our children how we are feeling, we validate their own expressions of emotion.
Next, I talked about how it is important to have things we can do to help us feel grounded when we are upset. I said coming to church and being together is one of the things we can do. I shared a five sense meditation that can be done anywhere at any time. For this meditation, sit silently and count five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. We practiced this meditation together.
Then, I talked about our Seven Principles, and how we will work to uplift those values in the coming years just as we always do. We compared the Seven Principles to the seven colors of the rainbow, then made bracelets using yarn with those seven colors to remind us that we carry those values with us and that there are many other people who share those values who will work to protect us and those we love.
If you would like more information about how to have conversations with your children about the presidential election, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at dre@uucss.org. We are not alone.