By: Rebecca Macsovits, Author of Guion The Lion and Founder of Curious B.E.I.N.Gs
As many of you know, the children’s book Guion The Lion was inspired by my oldest son Guion, who happens to have Down syndrome. In raising a child with Down syndrome, I quickly began to notice how Guion was (and still is) looked at differently. People see him and immediately see Down syndrome when he has so much more to offer if he is given a chance. He is a person with Down syndrome, not a Down syndrome person.
We’re all different, but that does not mean we should be defined by our differences or excluded because of them. In fact, I believe it’s our differences that make this world a beautiful and colorful place.
It was this realization that inspired me to write a children’s book that promotes compassion, kindness and curiosity. My hope is that through the whimsical adventure of Guion The Lion children will learn how appreciating differences and embracing new perspectives leads to unimaginable fun before they begin making judgements and assumptions about the world around them.
Now, two years after introducing Guion The Lion, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of Curious B.E.I.N.G.s as an engaging, educational resource for parents and educators.
The message of acceptance and seeing the world from another’s perspective portrayed in the story of Guion The Lion remains core to who we are, but we realized there is so much more we want to share and encourage that goes beyond a children’s book. We believe that choosing curiosity over judgment leads to a kinder world, and there are so many opportunities to cultivate curiosity as we parent and teach our children.
Curiosity primes the brain for learning, nurtures healthy relationships, counteracts boredom and exercises open-mindedness. We all want our kids to learn efficiently, develop healthy relationships, discover purpose and happiness and embrace new viewpoints and opportunities, right?
Choosing curiosity leads to better understanding of others’ lives, experiences and perspectives – even if they are different from our own. The more curious a child is, the more he/she learns and empathizes, which is why curiosity is so important. Let’s encourage our children and students to be Curious B.E.I.N.G.s!
Curious B.E.I.N.G.s are who we aspire to be, and we want to take you and your kids along for the adventure of leading a kind and caring life.
As Curious B.E.I.N.G.s, we believe it’s important to…
Will you join us? We’re eager to step into this opportunity to grow and could not have done it without the loyal support of our GTL Friends. Follow Curious B.E.I.N.G.s on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to the Curious B.E.I.N.G.s newsletter to receive engaging, educational resources that will inspire the next generation of Curious B.E.I.N.G.s.