Showing Belonging

This conversation can help you explore with your child the ways we all show commitment to our groups/teams/communities.

Ask your child about the ways the people in this photo are showing that they are part of the same team. What might happen if someone in this group didn’t clap with the others? What if someone decided not to wear the uniform that day?

Being a part of a group is always important to us so we just naturally choose to show agreement and support if at all possible. Sometimes we do even if we don’t like/agree with the rest of the group. Have you ever been with a group of friends who did or said something mean to another student – and it made you uncomfortable? What did you do? Speaking up is difficult – because we know we might lose those friends. And they might start being mean to us.

Some differences are fine – maybe even good. But sometimes we have to make sure the world understands the real us –

Photograph: STR/AFP/Getty