According to a recent report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there were over half a million unhoused people in the United States in 2020. With the numbers steadily rising, it is now more important than ever to initiate conversations with our children that we may perceive as difficult or uncomfortable.
It’s natural for children to be curious about the world, and what they see, hear, and experience in the community, on television, and at school can make an impact on them. If you’re looking for ways to talk to your kids about our nation’s unhoused population, here are some ideas to help get you started.
Words matter: why we say unhoused vs. homeless
Helping the unhoused community
There are many ways you and your children can help the unhoused community. We can arm our kids with the tools and social skills necessary to be able to speak up when required or offer a helping hand when able.
One way to do this is to volunteer alongside your children at your local food pantry or housing shelter — inquire ahead of time as there can often be age restrictions. All children regardless of age can contribute by collecting and distributing items for the unhoused people in your community. There are even kid-focused or kid-friendly volunteer organizations that allow and allow young people to help out in their communities.
“We used to make care bags and keep them in the car with toiletries, women’s sanitary items, non-perishable food, water, and gift cards, Anitra Durand told Mom.com. “When my daughter was 9 and kept asking me why we didn’t help those asking for money in the street, I realized I needed to feed her compassion with something meaningful that also kept us safer than handing out money,” the mom of three explained.
Talking to young kids about our unhoused population can seem daunting, and we may even consider waiting until they’re a little bit older when they truly understand. But by modeling empathy and compassion in the younger years and incorporating age-appropriate activities that give back to their community, we can instill compassion in our children while providing them with the tools and insight necessary to help their fellow human beings.
