I am a ‘ShineBright’ Ambassador and have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.
My daughter and I just finished watching "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" for the second time this holiday season (we DVR'd it from last week!). As a kid, it was one of the few holiday specials that my family and I always stopped and enjoyed together. It's a classic that has stood the test of time with 50th anniversary being celebrated this year! There was only one question I always brought up to my parents, "Why did everyone think Rudolph didn't deserve to be treated like every other reindeer at the North Pole?"
Right from the beginning they tried to hide his nose. They didn't want him to talk about it and they even tried to cover it up. As you watch, you realize Rudolph not only is special because of his nose, he's really special because of his heart.
Rudolph accepts friends who don't seem to fit in, whether it's Hermey, the Elf who wants to be a dentist, Yukon Cornelius, the explorer who lives by himself in the tundra and, most importantly, The Island of Misfit Toys, where Rudolph puts himself aside to find a place of acceptance for all of his different friends.
Rudolph showed acceptance to everyone he came in contact with, even though, he usually didn't get it in return.
My daughter asked me why the people that Rudolph called "friends and family" didn't accept him at first. I told her, sometimes it's hard for people to understand something different. Rudolph understood that, much like his nose, everyone shines bright. We are all different in our own way. Our uniqueness makes up who we are and there is nothing wrong with that. Nobody wants to look at a canvas with just white paint— it doesn't make a picture!
To deepen this discussion a little further (because the opportunity was right there!), I used some of the tools and activities from www.PACER.org/shinebright to spark a conversation about peer pressure and bullying. I think my daughter is pretty well versed when it comes to acceptance and diversity; as we have taught her to respect everyone at a very young age. But I also want her to know that being bullied is never OK, and to know what she should do if she's ever in that situation (tell a teacher, guidance councilor or or parent as soon as possible!).
As parents we have to seek out these moments and teach our children to embrace the differences in all of us and how they make us 'ShineBright'.
For more information, including an online discussion board and an activity guide, visit PACER.org/ShineBright.
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