It was our pleasure to speak with Poni Colina from Camp Ten Trees for Summit Session #2 about gender and how to discuss gender identity with nanny kids. Camp Ten Trees is a residential camp for LGBTQ youth and youth of LGBTQ families, based in Washington State.
Our Takeaways:
-Communicating with the parents ahead of time about how they’d like you to address sensitive issues like gender identity is crucial.
-Educating yourself about the spectrum of gender utilizing tools like the gender unicorn is exceptionally helpful when it comes to developing a better understanding so that you can guide a questioning young person towards helpful resources.
-Approaching these tender conversations with acceptance, respect, and a supportive kindness will have a huge, positive impact on your nanny charges.
-Young people are intrinsically open to learning new things and we can play an integral role as caretakers in supporting them as they encounter others who may present as different, by showing them respectful ways to interact with people and situations that may seem unusual or new for them.
Where To Learn More:
Organizations:
Trans Student Educational Resources
Books For Youth:
Red by Michael Hall
Who are You? by Brook Pessin-Whedbee
Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
Annie’s Plaid Shirt by Stacey B. Davids
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
Sparkle Boy by Lesléa Newman
From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea by Kai Cheng Thom
They Call Me Mix by Lourdes Rivas
They She He Me: Free to Be! By Maya Christina Gonzalez
The Gender Wheel by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Learning about how to model acceptance and sensitivity to all people is a journey and we are so appreciative of folks like Poni Colina and others who light the path. Thank you for joining us for Summit Session #2, and we look forward to having you for Session #3 where we’ll be discussing ‘Respectful Care’ with Danielle Bujnak via Newborn Care Solutions. Click the button below to participate!
Have your nanny kids ever approached you with questions about gender identity or expression? We’d love to hear your experiences – reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram, and check out the other posts on the blog!
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