KIDS AT HOPE PLEDGE

I am a Kid at Hope!

I am talented, smart, and capable of success.

I have dreams for the future, and I will climb to reach those goals and dreams every day.

All kids are capable of success, no exceptions!

TREASURE HUNTER PLEDGE

As an adult and a Treasure Hunter, I am committed to search for all the talents, skills and intelligence that exist in all children and youth. I believe that all children are capable of success, no exceptions!

With Winter Break and the holidays right around the corner, Home and Family is the perfect focus for this month. Home and Family is one of the four life destinations we time travel to when envisioning our future.

When I think of home, I think of the place where I feel safest, where I make cherished memories with the people dearest to me, and where I can be myself 100% of the time. When I think of family, I think of the people in my life, both those I was given and those I have chosen, who love me unconditionally, are there for me whenever I need them, and inspire me to be the best version of myself. It is the people in my life that create my home. It is the way we treat each other with love and care that makes us family.

As "Home and Family" is a destination kids visit when they mentally time travel to their future, we often ask the question, "What do you want for your own home and family?" Common responses are something like "a mansion" or "a house on the beach" or "I will have a wife, four kids, and a dog." While this is a start to articulating your future, I encourage you to think deeper. Instead, answer this question: "What kind of home and family do you want to create for yourself?" How can you create a home and family that gives safety, unconditional love and acceptance, support, and inspires you to be the best version of yourself? What can you do now to ensure that your family receives these things from you?

As we go through December, I hope you experience much joy, love, and fun with your family. Remember: a house is just some walls and a roof. A home is what happens when you fill a house with a family.

From the website for the Dignity and Respect Campaign:

For some cultures, December marks the season for holidays. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and sometimes even Milad un Nabi are just a few of the celebrations that American citizens will commemorate this month – not to mention the closing of the calendar year.

But December is also observed for another, lesser known reason: it is the Universal Month for Human Rights.

So what does this mean exactly?

It’s important to first understand how the Universal Month for Human Rights started. It began in 1948, when the United Nations wrote up a document called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This happened after the Second World War, because the U.N. wanted to prevent the atrocities that had occurred. They created the document as a way to properly define what human rights would be protected universally.

The very first article of this declaration makes it clear what the purpose is. It states:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The rest of the document lists out what these rights are. It emphasizes how important it is to work towards protecting freedom for all in order to keep peace.

How can you observe the Universal Month for Human Rights?

There is a lot of turmoil in the world. Open up any newspaper or look on any Facebook or Twitter feed and see the many challenges our planet is constantly facing.

One of the most important things you can do throughout the course of this month – and even beyond – is to find common ground with the people around you. We must remember that all human beings were born into the same world we were and that, despite our differences, we must learn to function here together. Human Rights Month is about acknowledging that people of different races, religions, cultures, and beliefs are still just that: people. We must be careful of differentiating ourselves from others so much that we forget this.

Take the time to learn about another culture that is different from yours – perhaps a culture that makes you nervous or uneasy. Research their history or perhaps make a new friend that is a member of that culture. You’ll start to see quickly how similar all people really are. You’ll start to see just how important it is that everyone be treated with dignity and respect.