When I set out to make JoMo Kids, it was no light decision. Yes, I thought it would be a fun and exciting challenge and a way to tap into my own sense of wonder. But creating content for children is a serious commitment. There are countless hours of research needed, consultation with experts and drawing feedback from kids, parents and communities. Any kind of messaging or media produced for children requires careful and sensitive consideration at every step of the way.

I found myself asking things like what my mission was or should I have a code of conduct? What would something like that even look like? I really had no idea. But after researching ethics statements from organizations like the United Nations, The Fred Rogers Center, Sesame Street, various School Boards and Early Education organizations… I found something that resonated close to home.

Through my research, I eventually came to discover a local organization called the ECEBC (Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia) Code of Ethics and the 10 Core Principles by which it abides. It is very moving, and I encourage you to visit their website and order the book on their merchandise page. It also created a foundation for JoMo Kids to create its own. The JoMo Kids Commitment To Children is based on 10 principles, and they are as follows:

• Principle 1: To promote the health, education and well-being of all children

• Principle 2: To provide high-quality early learning programming for all children by drawing on specialized knowledge, education and diverse perspectives

• Principle 3: To demonstrate care, compassion and inclusivity for all children through responsive and reciprocal relationships

• Principle 4: To create relationships with communities, parents and leaders in support of ongoing educational opportunities for all children

• Principle 5: To establish and maintain respectful partnerships with teachers and allied professionals to support the well-being of children and their families

• Principle 6: To work in ways that affirm and enhance human dignity, respect fundamental human rights, and celebrate difference, inclusion and diversity

• Principle 7: To maintain the knowledge, skills and self-awareness needed to be professionally competent when interacting with children of all ages

• Principle 8: To promote the prioritization of personal health, well-being and mindfulness

• Principle 9: To demonstrate integrity and respect in all our relationships

• Principle 10: To advocate that enhancing children's education around the world is vital to establishing healthy and resilient communities

Let’s Talk About Freddish

I’ve also come to believe in the philosophy of Freddish: the commitment to understanding that children take their feelings and understanding of the world very seriously.

Fred Rogers (AKA Mister Rogers) put an extraordinary amount of care into the words he used with children. In an adapted excerpt from the book “The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers,” author Maxwell King shared the contents of an illustrated manual that two of the show’s writers created in 1977 - “Let’s Talk About Freddish” by Arthur Greenwald and Barry Head. It was a guide to “the demanding process of getting all the words just right for Mister Rogers.”

This nine-step process for translating tone and language for children is as follows:

1. State the idea you wish to express as clearly as possible, and in terms preschoolers can understand.

• Example: “It is dangerous to play in the street.”

2. Rephrase in a positive manner

• As in “It is good to play where it is safe.”

3. Rephrase the idea, bearing in mind that preschoolers cannot yet make subtle distinctions and need to be redirected to authorities they trust.

• As in, “Ask your parents where it is safe to play.”

4. Rephrase your idea to eliminate all elements that could be considered prescriptive, directive, or instructive.

• In the example, that would mean getting rid of “ask”: “Your parents will tell you where it is safe to play.”

5. Rephrase any element that suggests certainty.

• That’d be “will”: “Your parents can tell you where it is safe to play.”

6. Rephrase your idea to eliminate any element that may not apply to all children.

• Not all children know their parents, so: “Your favorite grown-ups can tell you where it is safe to play.”

7. Add a simple motivational idea that gives preschoolers a reason to follow your advice.

• Example: “Your favorite grown-ups can tell you where it is safe to play. It is good to listen to them.”

8. Rephrase your new statement, repeating the first step.

• I.e., “Good” represents a value judgment, so: “Your favorite grown-ups can tell you where it is safe to play. It is important to try to listen to them.”

9. Rephrase your idea a final time, relating it to some phase of development a preschooler can understand.

• Example: “Your favorite grown-ups can tell you where it is safe to play. It is important to try to listen to them, and listening is an important part of growing.”

Freddish starts with the basic premise that children are complex beings who are worthy of respect. Changing words because “not all children know their parents” simply allows more kids to resonate with the message. Reframing statements away from good versus bad helps children develop critical thinking skills. And emphasizing the “why” of doing things promotes their inner voice.

The JoMo Kids Commitment To Children and Freddish are the core principles by which I develop content for children. I’d love to hear your feedback, and let me know in the comments below if you might have anything to add.

See you on the farm!