Inspiration Rising
From a Child’s Point of View uses arts education to create conditions for eco-anxieties to dissolve, opportunities for inspiration to rise, and for children to imagine relationships that will create a future they wish for.
What We Do
In elementary schools in Bellingham, Washington, children in every grade are learning important and age-appropriate information about the environment.
But children need more than just the facts about habitat loss and warming seas. They need hope and they want a safe place to live. They want to look forward to their future.
From A Child’s Point Of View has two elements, like two sides of a coin: the titular program, which provides an opportunity for children to work through climate anxiety in the classroom through drama and activities; and Project We Beam, which produces public-facing art installations that share the fears, dreams and ideas of the children in these classrooms to inspire empathy, action and understanding in our community.
Reassure
At the moment a child expresses anxiety, the adult in the room is the safe harbor. After a pause, in moments of calm, ask what one thing the child would like to do. Simple, doable actions, no matter how small – for example, pick up trash in your local park, close the tap when brushing teeth at bedtime.
Listen
Make space for fears to be spoken. Dignify the emotional truths of the child. Listening is an act of respect. To be heard is a consolation. “Of course! We’re all worried.” No human, child, teen, or adult can take logical action steps when worry consumes.
Donate
Support public art installations presenting their astonishing pragmatic ideas, solutions, and inventions to their community. Create the conditions for inspiration to arise to fix the many things that have gone so terribly wrong. From a child’s point of view, we can.
Meet the Founder
Hi, I'm Lisa Citron
I have been a school teacher, a journalist, a fund development and PR officer in corporate healthcare, and the founder and director of a national nonprofit organization. Now, I direct the organization, From a Child’s Point of View in Bellingham, Washington.
My mission is to put a spotlight on children afraid of the future, and willing to do what they can, for example, recycle, and eager to imagine inventions to fix dreadful problems.
I am inspired by one of our 5th-grade students. Observing his and his classmates’ ideas about climate change, he said, “The more you know, the more ways you can help.” When I heard his confident understanding, I knew our teaching connected.
What an inspiring project!