1. What makes someone a good brother or sister? Friend? Neighbor? Make a list of your child’s answers. Throughout the week, go back to the list and ask “what could we do to be a helper today?”
2. Talk about a time you needed help with something. Explain what you did and what happened. Ask, “What can we do when we need help? Who can we ask to help us?”

Younger children first start to see themselves as helpers within their families. Give your child small but significant chores like filling a pet’s water bowl or helping Dad sort the laundry. You can include your child in the decision-making about chores by creating a chore list and asking, “how do you want to be a helper this week?” This gives you a great opportunity to talk about how much we can accomplish when we work together, and your child might enjoy taking time to explore how the characters of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood cooperate in this Neighborhood Day game.

When talking to older children about being a helper, you might start to explain that just like everyone in the family has a role, there are things we are responsible for talking about and doing to keep our communities safe and healthy, as well. You might take this opportunity to read picture books about race and racism -- and discuss topics like diversity, discrimination, being an ally, and being a good friend. You can also use role play to talk about the importance of resolving conflict with friends and within our communities.