The Bridge Core Values – Week 13 – Inclusion

Date: 02/03/08

I John 4:10-11 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son into the world as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

This week at Bridge Kids, we began by doing our six month talking stick ceremony, where we were able to switch out the current talking stick with a new one that is chosen by the kids. The use of the talking stick teaches us to respect each other by listening and including each other’s voice. We talked about how including others in conversation is a way of loving them and showing God’s Love. Love God, Love Others as Ourselves.

Today we started a new month topic related to our core value inclusion. At the Bridge we welcome everyone from all backgrounds and walks of life into a community where they matter. We care and endeavor to provide a safe place for those who have slipped through the cracks of family, church, or society. Our passion is to love people simply because they exist.

We started with a couple games “the greyhound and the rabbit” and “ring around the rosey” to illustrate what it feels like to be excluded and included. We talked about Jesus and how he included others that were not cool. There was Matthew who was a tax collector. No one liked him because they always owed him money. Jesus included him, and he ended up writing one of the books of the bible. Jesus included all types of people. He showed them respect, and love. God likes us to lovingly include others in our lives. It doesn’t feel good to be left out

We continued by playing “Respect Role Play” where we had different scenarios that allowed the Bridge Kids to come up with creative ways to include others. And then we ended by drawing a picture of us including someone that we wouldn’t normally include.



Dine and Dish:

Talk – Talk to your kids about what makes them feel included

• Ask your kids if there was an instance in their life where they were not included by others? Don’t fix it. Listen and tell your child that they were very strong to endure that. Don’t belittle the other party (it will be easy to do); make sure to show the other “excluder” respect. Your child is strong enough to manage through this difficult instance.
• Discuss with your kids times that you felt excluded in school, work, at church, brainstorm creative ways with your kid to handle that situation.

Do an activity together:

• Invite someone over – Choose someone who you have wanted to include for a time, and ask them over for a play date.
• Go for a walk to meet the neighbors – Get bundled up and go for a walk! If it’s around your neighborhood, talk to your neighbors (not neighborhood gossip, find respectful ways to start conversations, why you chose to live there, what they like/dislike about where you live).
• Backyard/Basement/Living Room Camping – Ask your child if one of their friends would like to go on a “camping trip” in your own home. Build a “tent” in the living room together….create a fake campfire out of construction paper and paper towel spools, get your flashlights and tell stories to one another….make S’mores in the stove (GrahamCrackers, Chocolate Bar, Marshmallows – assemble the S’mores and place on a cookie sheet. Set under the broiler for about 30 seconds. Check and see if the marshmallows have begun to get poufy– they’re done!)
• Include your kids in the chores –
  i. Dishes – Allow your kids to help you do the dishes or clear the table this week. Make it fun! Turn on the music or dance together while cleaning. Remember, your kids aren’t your indentured servants – give them some slack!
  ii. Laundry – Let your kids help you fold laundry. Even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly or if it’s not folded the way you like it, it’s ok. The world won’t fall apart if the towels are not folded symmetrically! The purpose is to let them help.