#PlinkitParents - Meet JoAnn!

Celebrating our Plinkit community and honoring what parenting means to you. Learn better. Play smarter. | [View this email in your browser]( Parenting made simpler. Written by experts. Designed for intentional parents. #PlinkitParents - Meet JoAnn Mother’s Day may seem like a lovely reminder that many of us are journeying down the same river together. But we’re not, really. We’re each beautifully distinct from one another - carrying different stories and perspectives forward with our own families. That’s what makes us so delighted to share JoAnn’s journey through parenthood in this month’s [Plinkit Parents.]( Meet JoAnn! Her determination to forge a path for her children that is different from her own experiences is thoughtful and stirring. Her self-awareness and growth mindset gifted us pages of wisdom. But it's the intentionality with which she strives to be an example of character to her children that struck us. And it’s this discovery of our best selves - because of parenthood - that connects our journeys that's very much worth celebrating today. So, to all the mothers and motherly figures in our lives and in our memories, happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for tirelessly sharing your best self every day. Name: JoAnn • Kids / age: 2 children, ages 8 and 10 Biggest parenting challenging right now: - My constant personal parenting battle is trying to stay off the emotional roller coaster when my kids are having a tough time. It’s hard not to get frustrated or hop on the emotional roller coaster when my kids bicker, disagree, or are having an emotional moment. The best advice that my husband and I learned from our school counselor is that we don’t have to get on that roller coaster. Our job is to stay on the platform! "'The only thing you can control is your attitude and effort,' is our family's mantra when our kids encounter new, uncomfortable experiences." You're co-leading your school's first Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Parent Affinity Group. What are some of your hopes and wishes in catalyzing this group? - Growing up, I have distinct memories of drawing my portrait with blonde hair and blue eyes, just wishing I looked more like my peers. I can remember instances when classmates pulled the corners of their eyes to mimic my eye shape. Another time, I approached a neighbor’s backyard and he yelled that he was going to kill me because I was a "Jap." - I really want my kids to have a different experience. So through our API group and our school’s efforts, I hope for my kids to be comfortable in their own skin, to make authentic connections with families who value that all skin colors are beautiful, and for my kids to see me modeling that same compassion and upstanding that I ask of them. "Parenting is an exercise in the unknown. Get comfortable not knowing!" [READ JOANN'S STORY]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20parent%20profile%20inspiring%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2Fplinkitparents%2Fjoann%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Raise Responsible Children - Introduce Chores]( Doing chores as early as ages 3 or 4 is the best predictor of success in young adulthood. Here's a game plan for making chores an every day habit. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2017%2F08%2Fintroduce-chores-child%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Community Engagement - How to Talk About It]( Answers to popular questions on teaching your child about civic engagement and how to explain social issues. Hint: the language you use matters. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2018%2F12%2Fcommunity-engagement-how-to-talk-about-it%2F) [Share]( PLINKIT POST [Raise an Upstander - Guiding Principles]( Core concepts your child should know when being an upstander and how to practice them in your daily routines. [READ MORE]( [Forward](mailto:?subject=Something%20Interesting%20from%20Plinkit&body=I%20found%20this%20Plinkit%20article%20interesting%20and%20thought%20you%20would%20too.%20Check%20it%20out%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fmyplinkit.com%2F2021%2F04%2Fraise-an-upstander-principles-to-teach-children%2F) [Share]( *Featuring API characters, written by API authors, or illustrated by API artists in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month. Full booklist [HERE.]( READ + SHARE [What I Am]( A celebration of the complexities that make us beautifully human, told in a vibrant and relatable narrative for kids. From the creator of the beloved [Little Owl’s Night.]( [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [It Fell From the Sky]( Spectacular illustrations. A unique tale about the consequences of greed. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [A Boy Named Isamu]( A tribute to the Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi and his vision for natural forms. Evocative artwork so that young readers can see as the artist sees. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [From the Tops of the Trees]( A profound story that speaks about historical truths and an inspiring message of hope and resilience. [BUY NOW]( READ + SHARE [Are You an Echo?]( Multiple award winner. Show your child a different way of looking at the world -- through the life and work of Japanese poet Misuzu Kaneko. Thought-provoking and soulful. 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