Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries

Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries

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Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries
Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries
2 Simple steps to raising smart readers

2 Simple steps to raising smart readers

A free guide to igniting curiosity in kids for culturally responsive parents and educators

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Ashia Ray
Oct 10, 2024
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Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries
Ignition Notes for Benevolent Incendiaries
2 Simple steps to raising smart readers
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Protecting your kids - an alternative to book banning

At some point, your kiddo is going to come across some incel garbage on YouTube, a messed up meme at school, or some random supremacist advertisement full of misogynist horrors.

And you won’t be around to unpack how problematic it is and protect their impressionable little brains.

So you could do like I did for the first few years of their lives. Obsessively pre-screen all the media they could ever consume.

I never censor my kids’ reading, but I used to read every book they read, asking about the problematic tropes I found in each story.

(Mostly gently! But okay, occasionally with a long rant about subtle bias and the violence of erasure.)

As they venture out into the world without me, I want them to celebrate intellectual freedom - to explore whatever they are curious about, without me lurking over their shoulders.

That’s why I spent so many of those early years coaching them on how to read during our bedtime stories together.

Image: Unsettling scenario of a hysterical pixar-esque family, mom wearing a blindfold, arms up and hands out in alarm as her children huddle against her in fear, blocking their own eyes with their hands, in front of a wall of ‘dangerous’ rainbow (quaintly queer coded) books. The image is extra unsettling because of the random arms and strange tooth & gumline situations created in by the AI image generator I used. Feels about right.

Raising Luminaries creates workshops, training, and educational resources for parents & caregivers igniting the next generation of kind & courageous leaders. To receive new posts and keep it free for marginalized families, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.


Kids need skills to notice problematic messages in the media - even (especially?) when you’re not around

You want your kids to feel safe picking up controversial political novels, terrible dinosaur robot erotica, and thrilling sci-fi fantasy as they grow and explore the world.

But you don’t want to raise kids who absorb all the bullshit books and movies tell us about saviorism, white supremacy, ableism, and misogyny.

So instead of prescribing which books to read, banning libraries, or hovering over them for the rest of your life - show them how to get curious about the stories we consume.

Asking questions like…

  • Are the makers of this book writing from lived experience?

  • Who benefits from us reading this story?

  • Who’s voices are missing from this story?

Foster your kiddo’s responsibility to not just consume more, but consume critically.


Step 1: Model Critical Reading For Kids

You’ve got dinner to prepare and your kid just slipped ten dollars worth of pennies into the vents of your car. You don’t have the time to walk them through each and every single book!

So I made this easy for you.

Download this free guide by Raising Luminaries to get started. Use the questions and guidance to get your kiddo thinking about different perspectives, who’s missing, and how the stories they read reflect the culture we live in.

preview of the printable raising luminaries kids critical reading guide, a workbook that looks more appealing to kids than a bland tedious book report

Free Guide

Join the The Luminary Braintrust parenting support group to support my work on Raising Luminaries aaaand get access to even more workshops, trainings, and tools to make the endless tasks of parenting and advocacy much easier

Join The Luminary Braintrust


Step 2: Listen to Real Kids

preview of Isabela's radical book review by a real kid, on the story "Hooray for she, he, ze and they!' written by Lindz Amer and illustrated by Kip Alizadeh
preview of Isabela’s book review of “Hooray for she, he, ze,a nd they” by Lindz Amer & Kip Alizadeh

I have a weird ick. It’s adults who recommend children’s books without testing to see if they are actually engaging for real children. Ageism! It’s gross!

Now that my kids are getting too old to review picture books through the lens of a little kid, I’ve teamed up with a with young reader in our community who can give her perspective on whether a book is actually fun and interesting to read.

Everybody, meet Isabela, our #OwnVoices kid’s book reviewer. Isabela volunteered her review on the book ‘Hooray For She, He, Ze, and They!’ through her perspective as a trans 7-year-old.

Anime-esque illustration of Isabela (‘cause she’s a minor and we don’t want to post her real picture) along with her bio: “Isabela (she/her) Isabela’s favorite sport is soccer and her favorite colors (at the moment) are purple and orange (they change a lot.) She is a trans girl contributing #OwnVoices book reviews through Raising Luminaries since 2024, starting at the age of 7.

If your kiddo has strong feelings about a book that represents an identity they are proud of, leave a comment on Isabela’s post and share with us - what books do your actual kids recommend, and why?

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image: Bold text "Feeling terrified about the election? We got you. Three elements: The first is 'calm amidst the chaos: learn concrete somatic practices to steady yourself in times of fear and uncertainty." The second is "community support" Connect with other parents feeling the same dread and overwhelm, building networks of mutual aid to keep each other safe." The third is "real tools for real change: model courageous action for your kids, even when the world feels like it's falling apart."

Showing up for your community despite fear and uncertainty

How do you hold space for your kids and community while living under the shadow of impending doom?

Join our parenting workshop to be the caregiver you kids need - even when the world feels like it's falling apart.

'Parenting Through Uncertainty' is the second in the series of our 'Parenting The Path of Least Resistance Workshop' Series, Hosted by Raising Luminaries & Come Back To Care.

Join Us

Register by October 16 to receive a recording or attend live for a bonus Q&A session. Donations welcome, but sliding scales and free attendance are available if cost is a barrier for you.


raising luminaries: online gatherings supporting caregivers. let’s get together!

Makign Space for LBT & Ignition Notes Supporters: What does support look like for you?

Bonus hangouts for the lovely folks who support my work here and in the Luminary Braintrust. We’ll unpack our current challenges, brainstorm ways to support each other, and get excuses to say ‘no’ to the bullshit that keeps draining us.

  • Tuesday, October 8th - 2p ET | 1p CT | 12p MT | 11a PT

  • Thursday, October 24th - 6p ET | 5p CT | 4p MT | 3p PT

  • Tuesday, November 12th - 2p ET | 1p CT | 12p MT | 11a PT

  • Thursday, November 28th - 6p ET | 5p CT | 4p MT | 3p PT

Learn More

LBT members: Log into the member portal for deets & Zoom links. Paid Substack supporters: see below for the log-in info.

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