>Has it ever happened to you that just when a heartfelt issue is going on in your own life, it keeps coming up in other places as well?  Last week, I wrote about a lightbulb moment I had as far as role modeling social inclusion when planning my daughter’s birthday party (see blog post below) and this week, the same issue is dealt with on NBC’s Parenthood and ABC’s The Middle.

I haven’t been able to get The Middle Clip yet, in which Mike Heck explains to the father of a Queen Bee teenage girl (who is excluding his daughter, Sue, from a sleepover party) why it is a parent’s job to teach kids that excluding others is not OK.  Have you seen it?  I think I may actually have been cheering aloud.  Not that the father of the Mean Girl actually seemed to learn anything…but watching Mike be a champion for his daughter was so great!

On this week’s episode of Parenthood, Christina uses every bit of strength, assertiveness, and heart she has to champion Max’s inclusion in a classmate’s party:

http://www.hulu.com/embed/fx_ZqW1UowMln3W_JRRtsA/1715/1809

Love it!

Have you ever done something like this to be a champion for your child?  You win some, you lose some–in these two episodes, Mike seemed to make no impact, though Christina did.  That’s how it goes in real life, as well as in Hollywood.  But I love that the issue of social inclusion is being raised on prime-time TV and that the simplest, most basic tradition of a child’s party is highlighted as the starting point for parents teaching kids that leaving others out is NOT okay.

A designer baby clothes boutique is partnering with me to reach out to the parents in their community.  This season, as you do your holiday shopping for friends and family with young kids, please check them out for their great selection of unique headbands, infant hats and baby tutus.