Page 16 - Parents Magazine (December 2019)
P. 16
EDITOR’S NOTE
especially proud of our guide that they’ve worked so hard
to orchestrating a meal train to spread and to instill in
for a friend in need (page 112) their children?
and the age-by-age ideas for As this issue was going to
volunteering with your kids press, Ellen DeGeneres was
(page 56). Even our holiday criticized by the Twittersphere
stories focus more on ways to for sharing a laugh with
create warmth and memories President George W. Bush
this season than on things at a football game. On her
to buy. And since you can’t show, she read one supportive
envision a world that’s loving response: “Ellen and George
without acknowledging the Bush together makes me have
divisiveness that also exists, faith in America again.” That’s
I point you to senior features exactly the point, DeGeneres
editor Katie Arnold-Ratliff’s said: “I’m friends with George
graceful essay, “Help Kids Bush. In fact, I’m friends with
Understand Hate” (page 60). a lot of people who don’t share
Executive editor Julia the same beliefs that I have.”
Edelstein sent me this quote by Dan and Aja echo her
Pope Francis, which her rabbi, perspective. In my long
Rachel Ain, shared at Rosh conversation with the couple
Hashanah services: “The (page 80), they went deep
enemy against which we fight quickly, explaining how their
is not only hatred in all of advocacy and their religion
its forms, but even more can coexist. To heal and
fundamentally, indifference; unite, we must be willing to
for it is indifference that listen to, and live alongside,
How Parents Can paralyzes and impedes us from people we disagree with.
doing what is right even when
In this special issue,
Change the World we know that it is right.” I’m not telling anyone which
values are right or wrong.
I chose our cover parents,
Dan Reynolds, of Imagine I am just hoping that, like
HAVE YOU EVER met a parent to shift the balance in my Dragons, and his wife, me, you can imagine a world
who, when asked if they want home, and I’ll bet you do too. musician Aja Volkman, that is kind and full of people
their children to be kind, said That’s why our December because of their work as allies who love, give, and care. I
no? Of course not. As mothers issue is devoted to raising of the LGBTQ+ community believe that our best shot is to
and fathers, we know it’s our children who are kind, within the Mormon church. raise young people who do.
job to teach our children to be thoughtful, and bighearted. Before I interviewed them, LIZ: ARI MICHELSON. WARDROBE STYLING BY JEN SMITH FOR ELYSE CONNOLLY INC. HAIRSTYLING BY RHEANNA WHITE FOR TRACEY MATTINGLY. MAKEUP BY LINDSEY WILLIAMS FOR KATE RYAN INC. PROP STYLING BY JOJO LI FOR HELLO ARTISTS. ON LIZ: DRESS, KAREN MILLEN. EARRINGS, VINTAGE PRADA FROM PILGRIM NEW YORK. GROUP PHOTO: ARI MICHELSON. DAN AND FAMILY: LIZ VACCARIELLO.
generous and caring. But The centerpiece, Catherine I wondered about things from
our message can get muddled Newman’s manifesto on a parenting perspective.
as they grow. I was shocked modeling empathy (page 36), How did they reconcile their
when Harvard researcher should inspire all of us to church’s views with the
Richard Weissbourd, Ed.D., make that a priority. I am values of inclusion and love
told me that in his study of
more than 40,000 high-school Sweetness all around!
students, about 80 percent Our crew flew to
Las Vegas to photograph
thought their parents were
our cover family. F O L L O W M E O N
more concerned about their
I N S TA G R A M
achievements or happiness
than their caring for others.
Yet when I reflected on the
conversations I have with my
own ninth-graders, I realized
that I’m usually asking about I took this Scan this code with your
shot of Dan and phone’s camera for
homework, test scores, teacher
Aja’s daughter more behind-the-scenes
reactions, and highlights from Arrow during my access (no app needed).
their sports and clubs. I want interview.
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