Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
376th Floor: We Must Defend the Innocence of Childhood in Today's Unsafe World
What does it truly mean to create a safe space for children in today's complex digital landscape? This question lies at the heart of our passionate conversation about protecting childhood innocence while preparing kids to navigate an increasingly challenging world.
We explore this tension between protection and freedom, examining how parents and caregivers can create environments where children feel secure without being sheltered from essential life experiences. These spaces nurture trust, encourage creativity, and build confidence. But making them requires intention and effort across multiple environments: home, community, online spaces, and emotional landscapes.
If you're passionate about creating safer, more nurturing environments for children to thrive, join us at one of our upcoming events or reach out to share your own strategies and insights. Together, we can elevate the spaces where our children grow, learn, and become the thoughtful adults of tomorrow. How will you create safety for a child today?
Look up, and let's elevate!
hey, it's jen the builder and la cori and hello everyone and welcome to take the elevator why are you? Chuckling. Well, I emphasize welcome, because this is a second take of this episode and I botched it right at the beginning at the last recording.
Speaker 2:It wasn't that bad of a botch. It was kind of cute actually. You're just being sweet, as always. So, jen, we got lots of announcements good announcements and I just want to jump into there real quick and then we can get out. But we're going to be at a few different places coming up real soon and I just want to tell people about it. So, if you have an opportunity, you're able to show up and support Not to mention first announcement YouTube. Our YouTube channel is going good and strong. We're building momentum and picking up subscribers. If you want to be entered into that raffle to win a ruffles plushie, make sure you subscribe and like one of the videos and we will enter you into that raffle how many people, would you say, are in the raffle already?
Speaker 1:uh, right now I'd say about 50, about 50 about nice, okay, and then we've got announcements and I'm gonna suggest, if anyone's interested in this, either you play us back or you get something to write with, because I believe you're about to just sound off some dates.
Speaker 2:Yes, we have September 28th where we're going to be a part of a convention. Is that one right?
Speaker 1:The one that's in Corona. Yes, yeah, so it's called ReaderCon, amazing con, amazing, yes, and I guess it would be a convention. There's 66 authors that are going to be there yes at the corona public library, right yeah so we're excited about that.
Speaker 2:We're going to be there with merch and books and all this good stuff, uh, representing the fuzzy furry forest, and jenco as well. Jen, did you remember the second one?
Speaker 1:oh my goodness, I hear um. I don't want to give wrong dates. I believe it's october 13th and 14th actually it's the 15th and the 16th.
Speaker 2:I was close, okay, so october 15th and 16th.
Speaker 1:This is the convention yes this is at the ontario convention um center and it's um. Oh, I wasn't prepared, but you know what? That's okay, I'm. Oh, here it is. It's the 39th annual children's network conference yeah and I looked at the agenda and this one's huge, so for the two days they have different workshops if you are attending and paying for registration, and I think it's 175 a day, not sure, but really good stuff on children's type of topics, right, medicare, adhd, sex slavery in the country.
Speaker 1:I mean it goes deep and I wish I could attend the workshops, but you and I are going to be there and I'm thankful as exhibitors, yes. Vendors, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:So we're going to have a great time networking and plugging into the community and seeing where we want to grow Exactly, and I actually skipped over one of the dates to talk about that one, but the other one was October 11th, and that is the Inlandia event that's going to be in.
Speaker 1:Riverside, riverside, that's the Riverside Book Festival.
Speaker 2:Yes, indeed In partnership with Inlandia.
Speaker 2:Right, yes, it's just going to be a blast, guys. No-transcript. Before I do that, I want to make a statement that I have no intentions on talking political. I have no intentions on bringing up one side or another, because, to me, the Genco Sound Company and Fuzzy Furry Forest do not lean in a political direction. We are about the safety and the safe place for kids to play, and I really want to make that clear before we get started. So, with that being said, jen, if you have anything you'd like to add, here's your moment. That being said, jen, if you have anything you'd like to add, here's your moment.
Speaker 1:I really like what you're bringing forward, corey, because I'm going to be very honest with people who are listening it was tragic news and, honestly, corey, you and I are in conversation and just sorting everything out, so we didn't want to use this platform to talk out things that we're currently experiencing that aren't clear, but one thing we do stand firm on is that we don't take political sides and we're very clear on our mission and, as Corey stated, it's to create and have safe spaces for our kids to play, and I really want to elaborate on that in this episode because, out of everything that's happened, there have been so many takeaways, and this one we stand firm on is that safe space for kids to play, and every word in our mission statement is so intentional. And so during this time, cory, you and I have been watching things and looking for certain things, and information and video have come up that we weren't necessarily looking for or really wanting to see at all no, not at all.
Speaker 2:And uh, with you bringing that up, jen, it just prompts me to dive really deep and hard and fast into. Can we just start really thinking about how to protect our children and if you don't want me to claim all of the children, can we protect your children? Can we protect their children? Can we protect children of the world? These are innocent human beings that have no clue of what's going on and, yes, they will eventually grow up and begin to understand that adults have their differences and adults think differently than they do, but right now, they don't get none of that, and so I just really want to stand firm on we got to protect these children and make sure that they're safe and they have a safe place to play and a safe place to think, a safe place to exist, to grow, to grow.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, corey, when you were a child, what did safe space mean to you? Where did you find that you were a child? What did safe space mean to you?
Speaker 2:Where did you find that? What it was for me was, you know, I did talk about the bullying. It was a little bit of a bullying situation, probably more than a little bit another. Um, I found a very nice safe space where the neighborhood kids were just neighborhood kids outside playing street football and basketball and, um, I didn't play a whole lot because I was very into music and and writing and books and stuff like that, even as a kid. But when I did play, um, it just was not a place where I was fearful. I, I mean, I never thought about oh, I just gotta say it death. I never thought about, you know, people bringing that to a space where, as a kid, you know, course, as we got to be teenagers, things changed a bit more. But I'm talking about the young kids, though, not the teenagers and the young adults. Of course, life changes as you get older.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I think another question that comes to mind, too, is adults moms, dads who are listening, caregivers do you remember time when you didn't feel safe growing up and then asking yourself how did that shape you? And I don't want to go deep into my childhood again, right, um, but if you can remember a time when you weren't safe and think about how that shaped you into adulthood, and knowing that you have the power to prevent that from happening to your children, I think is huge. Another question that comes to my mind is how do we Corey this is for you and I to talk about right now, I think is how do we think society has changed in terms of safety for kids compared to when we're younger? And what blows my mind is that safety was not a word that we, that was used so much when we were younger, but, my gosh, it is a huge word now. Right, safe spaces, psychological safety, and it's quite contradicting the emphasis on it now, and maybe there's an emphasis because it isn't safe to how it was before. So how has society changed?
Speaker 2:Well, the biggest change that I can just say without a hesitation is the world wide web. That's number one for sure. Social media is, uh, bonkers, bananas, it's out of control. Um, I've seen some stuff I didn't want to see, uh, as of last week, and I know that if it's on my phone and I have some pretty good safeguards that you know, just because I don't want to see certain things, I don't, I don't, I don't get down in certain things, but uh, I'm sure that these things are leaking on everyone's phone sure, yeah, we went to a very famous platform.
Speaker 1:Um, and what's that term, cory, when they say scroll the death scroll? Yes, and it was very literal yeah over this weekend and I just remember you and I were talking about that and I said, like you don't even get a warning, you don't even get, like what you're about to see is this, um, and it doesn't have the advisory, it doesn't have any of that stuff. When you and I were younger, corey, you had to buy DVDs if you wanted to see that kind of stuff and it was called Faces of Death.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Now kids can just be scrolling and we're adults and it's difficult and impossible to digest, yeah, and it's difficult and impossible to digest, yeah. And then you know being exposed to just other different things, right, if we're talking digital, yes, social media, I think, is number one. And then you think about gaming and the kind of games that kids are playing. Speaking of social media, online predators right, the World Wide Web has introduced that accessibility to our children.
Speaker 2:And so we can kind of lead you in a certain direction of where we're going is because we're book authors children's book authors, and because we spend a good amount of time with kids and talking to them and reading to them. It's important to know that when they get a chance to ask questions, they're really, really quick to ask the question that they don't feel comfortable asking people that they're with on a regular basis. So we may hear some of these questions. We may be in the room when these conversations go down. So this is why it's important to us, because we really want to make sure that as much as possible. I know there's going to be something that slips through the cracks at some point in time, but never on this level, where you're seeing someone losing their life uh, it's. It's just not a way for a child to experience that, um, at that age right, right, and we were also talking about news.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Okay, let's just even go back to before World Wide Web, and it was TV news. The world society had enough sense to play the rated G version of news during prime time and because it was during late hours that more than likely it was adults watching.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:That's when they exposed more information on the news and it was still late hours that more than likely it was adults watching right? That's when they exposed more information on the news and it was still censored yes, we.
Speaker 1:It feels like we had the mindset to protect the children right. We're going to talk about protection a little bit, and if you hear excitement in my voice, it's because I'm very excited and passionate about this um, and I'm so. I think, first and foremost, what are we doing right now on this episode? We are bringing awareness yes to the things in our world that make it no longer safe for kids to play, yeah, and to grow and to thrive right and just to be clear.
Speaker 2:We see the people online arguing back and forth and presenting what their side or their facts may be. We see disagreements and fights breaking out amongst people, but the thing we've got to remember is that the children are watching, the children are paying attention and they're taking notes.
Speaker 1:Yes, and can we say this While they're taking notes of that, they're also taking notes of our behavior. Yeah, so if adults are bullying, if adults are excluding or giving people a lack of belonging or calling names, hello, even in what we want to call, in the most innocent kind of conversation whatever that is kids hear that and they're sponges and they just take what you're saying and will run with it, right?
Speaker 2:So, and a kid will say something just to sound like mom, dad, uncle, aunt, friend, even if it's out of context, they'll just say it because I want to sound cool like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I want to note too, corey, that you mentioned neighborhoods, and so part of the way our world's changed is the unsafe neighborhoods not monitored, and that's another conflict for me, because we've got cameras everywhere and we're monitoring less. There's so much more access to our children. I was on um instagram and I'm seeing kids, young kids like five, and they're doing get ready with me videos putting makeup on, doing hair and just and so they're now in a world where they're comparing, where beauty is now skin deep.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean? It's just all these things. You're seeing it? And how do I react to this? Because a reaction gosh. I hope that, as as a society, for people who still have hope, there should be a reaction. Yeah, and in my reaction, I just find myself really praying for the state of the world that we're in and and our children, who, in all of this, are the innocent ones yeah right, um.
Speaker 1:So I want to talk about because we started off with online spaces, corey what makes online spaces so tricky for us parents to monitor.
Speaker 2:Well, most websites. If they have any kind of content that requires you to be of a certain age, all you have to do is push a button.
Speaker 1:And that's how they said.
Speaker 2:Well, we, we asked yeah right, right um so, or they make you put a birth date in yes, and I think there's still safeguards for parents to yeah on their phones like what websites or what platforms can't be right, right?
Speaker 2:um, and, but I gotta say it, you know, there's a lot of parents that just hand kids phones. There's a lot of uh adults that say you know, uh, I don't know where your phone is here, take this, I don't know where your tablet is, but watch it on this. And I've seen the smallest of of small kids navigating on digital devices like a pro. Yeah, so it's scary.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is, it is. So I wanted to circle back to something that came up. Sure, let's talk about safe and sheltered and how we balance protection with freedom, because we believe in freedom, right to create, to imagine, that's play. There's a freedom there, yeah, but we can be so paranoid and I understand that we just listed a bunch of things but we can be so paranoid to where we hold on so tight and we shelter. How do we balance that?
Speaker 2:Well, I say, just be involved. The more you're involved with school, after school programs, sports programs, that's, the less you really have to worry. You can't expect well, let me say it like this you can expect anything, but you can safeguard a little bit better if you're involved. And a lot of times when our kids were younger, I would just make sure I'm at practices, I'm at rehearsals, I'm at recitals, I'm at everything that I can possibly be at, and when I just couldn't be there, I'm making sure that you're there to safeguard and see things through the way they should be seen through. Yes, and I'm not trusting that anybody's gonna do what they're supposed to do.
Speaker 1:I'm trusting that I'm gonna do what I'm supposed to do yeah, and in addition to being very present and involved, I just remember the conversations, the communication and the openness you'd have with the kids. Oh, yeah, about friends, about things that they're doing, asking them questions to find out their thought process. You weren't doing the. Because I said so, I mean you beautifully led through conversation and really understanding how they're making these decisions, what they should factor in right, so you provided guidance instead of just saying here's what to do, with no explanation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I tended to be an over-communicator when it came to the kids only because my parents were the because I said so type of parents and although I listened to what they said, because they said so, I always had questions. And so I may go and do what they told me to do, but come back and ask questions. It just gave me the mindset that when I become an adult, when I become a parent, I'm going to explain so that there's no questions in their minds dancing around and then lack of understanding. Yeah, yes, now guys, I'm not saying that I did everything perfect or I did everything right. I think I did a pretty good job, but at the end of the day, you have to make you secure with your parenting.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely. And one thing for sure is that I've learned through your parenting style, corey, is we would talk about, okay, this is what we need to do, and you weren't lazy about it, like you acted on it, and I want to make sure that I share this. It is especially in a single parent household. It's tough. It's tough to play both, and time is of the essence. You're tired and it is easier to just let your kid get busy on the phone or play video games, and that one was a big one for us was the gaming.
Speaker 1:I definitely I think I created barriers for you to parent effectively in those areas, because, as a parent, you know you want to see your child happy and sometimes the things that make our kids happy in that moment are not what's healthy for them, right? And so, yeah, it is going to take a little bit of more time, more energy, to actually put crayons in paper and create, and just create, that space, because this is what I want to talk about now, when you're creating a safe space, cory. What is a safe space technically, and why does it matter?
Speaker 1:well, you say technically technically, oh sorry, out technically Like what is a safe space? How do you?
Speaker 2:define that. It's a space or a place where and when I say place, place in your mind, place in your home, place at school. It's a place where your child feels comfortable in their own skin, their own skin. It's a place where they understand that no harm is going to come to them because of where they are or what they're thinking or what they're experiencing. Now, if they should openly talk about any particular subject, it should be up to the adults that are around them to guide them into a safe space to deal with that situation, and I know that's real tough, especially in this day and age. But that's what it, as you said, technically should be. And why is that important? Because you want to. If the child is at school, you want to deliver that child back home in the same condition or a better condition than they arrived.
Speaker 1:I love that.
Speaker 2:And if they're in a bad situation, then you want to give them a better situation as they transition to the next place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, definitely, yeah, yeah, definitely. And what that comes to is you're giving them a space where trust is nurtured right, creativity is allowed. It's a place, I also think, where they build confidence. I love what you said, that they're in a better condition than they were in when you got them Right, and I think that's the importance of a village, a world, a community coming together to create these spaces for children and where they can learn to be resilient, because I think this is another topic. You'd mentioned the word comfort or comfortable. My mind goes, is comfortable the same as safety.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Right, there's going to be times of discomfort, but I think to your point. What's the guiding principle? Is that the condition that you put them in Right?
Speaker 2:Right, and I've shared this before, but I want to briefly brush over this, just so the current listener is not sitting there saying what does this guy really know about all this stuff? Well, I have a little background and I chuckle, because this was a very big part of my life working in the non-public school area. I was a crisis counselor. I worked in a substitute teacher capacity Now, I wasn't teaching at the moment, but I was, you know, aiding the sub or the teacher at the time. Just to give you a little bit of background. The kids had some medical problems, medical issues that they were being diagnosed with, and so there was a degree of monitoring that needed to be done.
Speaker 1:And mental health issues.
Speaker 2:Right yeah, mental health issues, and I served as a one-to-one, which means I had to be within a proximity of a child all day, every day, without question.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And even in the bathroom I had to be at the door just in case something were to happen and I needed to assist this child, and so I knew the high importance of safe spaces and making sure that children returned home in a better condition than they arrived at school, because a lot of times they arrived at school in very questionable mindsets. So I know a little bit about this and I think that's you being humble about it?
Speaker 1:Yes, and then also for those who are wondering, we were also in youth ministry for over a decade and it ranged from sixth graders to seniors. It ranged from sixth graders to seniors and then we started to get into college age for a bit there and then couple that with our own experiences and, above all, being parents ourselves, so the empathy goes deep. We very much can relate and, yeah, and we have a bunch of stories that we could share if that time were ever to come and be allowed. So I just want to kind of go towards the end of this episode with being that. We have now talked about our experiences. Let's talk from our hearts about how parents, how caregivers, can create safe spaces In four areas At home, in the community, online that one was a big one that came up and then emotionally so at home, I think we talked about open communication, being present, involved Routine, involved routine, kids love routine, implement those things.
Speaker 1:Routine is one of the best things you can give your kids. And, of course, love, compassionate Grace and love as they're growing up and figuring things out. And also on yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah and just to kind of guide the conversation in the proper direction. We are not talking about those extreme situations where the child is in a very bad place and we're talking about how to get them into a better space, because we're not qualified to talk about that stuff. And so just if you're listening and you're saying well, what if this and what if that? We can't address that, seek professional help. Absolutely Yep.
Speaker 1:These are more the day-to-day. Absolutely Well, kids are, yeah, growing up. Okay, thanks for bringing that up. Sure, because we can't talk about. There's no disclaimer, there's no advisory on the content and here. We are not doing that ourselves right right all right.
Speaker 1:So in the community um, I hope kids are still playing outside, but, like just an advocate, being an advocate for safety and parks in your neighborhood Hopefully there's a neighborhood watch type of thing and then getting involved in after school programs and using your voice in those spaces. Sports still such an amazing way to bring kids up right because they're learning team effort, they're yeah, and able to feel safe and comfortable yes, yes, um we.
Speaker 1:I've been blessed to see coaches in my life and my brother's life growing up saying that without a dad, I really feel that one particular coach, coach louise, and I always think about him and I wonder where he's at today. But my brother's coach he just took my brother in as his own and it was beautiful and you could trust him. My mom made sure he was trustworthy right, not just because he was coach, but she was very involved, always there and she knew it was going down and if you know our mom, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Speaker 2:She made sure yes yes, and probably still is making sure right, which is, you know, I.
Speaker 1:I do want to bring this up, and I'm just gonna leave this here and we could talk about it later. Mom did do that, and I think what happens, though, is that we automatically trust people because we think we should, right, and if you were to talk to my mom today, what she would say is you do a check on everybody. Yes, including family. Yes, including people that you may go to church with.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay, I'll come off that right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, get off that toolbox.
Speaker 1:All right, so how parents can create safe spaces online.
Speaker 2:Oh boy, if you want to ask me, I probably will be too extreme because I would say just, you know, there's no need for it at certain points. Need for it at certain points, um, I'm sure that there will come a time when you need to, but three to five, just not necessary yet in my opinion.
Speaker 1:again, this is strictly my opinion and so if you are a parent who's of a different opinion and you're like now my, you know, now my online is a part of the world we're in right, and there's actually good things that they can learn. I mean, we can list some things that we've seen, especially on youtube, that are great for kids, right? So just teaching discernment right I think is huge and like you said earlier, cory, being involved and being present in the digital world and engaging with them and then just setting those healthy boundaries.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was a powerful word.
Speaker 2:And I'm open to being changed. Yes, and I say that and I hope you hear me, because so many people should be open to the change of your opinion If you're wrong and willing to say I was wrong about that. So if you tell me, corey, I think there's a need for this age group to be exposed to the World Wide Web because of A, b and C and I'm wrong, I will tell you I was wrong, I changed my mind.
Speaker 1:Love that and I will vouch that that is the space we're in um, because, you know, here we are about elevating our everyday thoughts and elevation includes being open to other thoughts, other ways of doing things.
Speaker 1:So if you're one of the people that reach out to say, oh, that was a great episode, I really enjoyed that, or please go above and beyond for Corey and I right now and tell us some tips that you've learned that create safe spaces for children. That's so important and we want to share those. This is how we start to function as a community and do what's right for our kids. It has to start with conversation has to core.
Speaker 1:You said that to me earlier. How do we start a conversation on this? Always a starting point. So here's the invite for conversation. Um, have that with us, please, and we'll make sure to share it. If you want want to be on the elevator, we'd love that too, and we welcome that. So last space to create safety, of course, is emotionally, and I just want to say this piece and see maybe what you think. It's just creating family culture. Culture isn't just about at work, it's there's family culture in your home, where feelings are respected and kids know that they're valued. Culture has come up for me a lot lately mission values, especially in companies, and and we forget sometimes what's the culture like in my family? What? What are our principles? What are we saying, are our values and how am I holding true to that and role modeling that to my kids? Right, yeah, do you have anything you want to add to emotional so much?
Speaker 2:jen that's another episode, that's a whole another episode, but I will say this, just on the surface of things, um that, emotional stability is probably number one because, that's what a child walks out of the front door with. Every single day that they go to school, every time they go play with their friends, that emotional instability or stability is what literally guides them through the day, and so if they don't have that walking out of the front door.
Speaker 2:it's pretty much going to be a messy day, so we really owe that to them to give them emotional stability and emotional strength so that they can power through the rest of their days.
Speaker 1:spaces that we're creating at home. Prepare our children for navigating unsafe spaces in the world right with courage. Yeah, what you do at home for your kids is gonna protect them and help them when they do experience something unsafe. So let's, let's go ahead and do this. After hearing today's episode, if you could just do one thing today to create a safe space for children, what would it be? What would it be? I think, cory, you and I have noodled on that question. We've also noodled on the question about what's a safe space or what's an unsafe space that we would like to transform for the next generation and that's why we've been so passionate and hardcore about fuzzy furry forest, not just in books but in curriculum, in practice, in time with the children.
Speaker 1:So I'm going going to circle back those dates that we shared in the beginning, so important to us, and hopefully we've given you a little bit more what and why to.
Speaker 1:Genco, and here's my invite to you If you are passionate about these spaces for kids, I wish you would come see us at one of these events, just to be able to meet you in person and to give you some resources and just talk about where you might get plugged in or what this looks like. We love to partner with like-minded individuals and like-minded meaning. We want to elevate the world that we live in. We want to elevate the spaces that our kids are growing up in absolutely um good job, jane.
Speaker 2:I'm really happy about this episode me too.
Speaker 1:Me too, um, thanks for allowing us this space to share this, uh, and I just want to reiterate that there have been a lot of conversations, corey, that you and I are having. I really feel like it's going to be a heavy impact heavy in a good way for our future episodes here. So please stay tuned, share us. I don't ask my I don't really ask for y'all to share take the elevator with people, but I am going to ask it this time because it's critical that we start having these type of conversations and start looking out for others and using our voices. Yeah, yeah, so you know us to Take the Elevator. We say look up and let's elevate.
