When I was a child, I often lived with different family members who were not my parents. When my teachers would ask, "What did your mom say?" or tell us to give things to our parents, I felt like I was living a lie or that something was wrong with me because my home life was different.

I wasn't brave enough to say, "My mom isn't around," so I would just say, "My mom said _____" and then, I felt like a liar.

As a teacher myself, I try to use inclusive language to let children know that love comes in all types of human form and that doesn't only or always mean "mom" and "dad."

Let's dive in!

Art by: Nils Britwum and Sidney Lander