Dear Ms Rachel,
My name is Sarah and I am also an educator and a mother. My oldest is 6 and my youngest is 2.5. My oldest is brilliant, creative, and energetic. My youngest, like your son, has a speech delay. I don't how his development progressed, but I'm sure you were a major part of his early intervention. My youngest is on the spectrum. She loves your shows. Thus far the main bits of communication she does manage are mainly songs attributed to you.
I survived an international flight alone with my then almost 2 year old, thanks to downloading many of your videos ahead of time. She binge watched you for almost 10 hours that day.
It's clear that you are talented, educated, and thoughtful. So I started following you on social media. At first, I was delighted to get insights about your show and collaboration efforts with Elmo (for example).
Then, someone must have started sending you videos and heartbreaking stories of children suffering in Gaza. You, as an advocate for children, couldn't bear the images you saw. You started posting about Gazan children. That's not a problem, their suffering is unimaginable and cruel. But you never posted about the children of Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan... You only posted about Kfir and Ariel Bibas very rarely (twice to my recollection) and never about the horror children faced being kidnapped by terrorists or the ones brutally orphaned on October 7, 2023.
Ms. Rachel, I live in Israel. I am a Jew. I may have immigrated to Israel personally, but my heritage links back to this land for thousands of years. Every time you posted about Gazan children, I prayed you'd also mention something about other children suffering from war, famine, and lack of humanitarian aide.
My youngest was watching your bedtime YouTube show when the Houthis shot ballistic missiles at Israel 2 nights ago. The Houthis are real life pirates terrorizing not only Israelis (Muslims, Jews, Druze and Christians too), but also the global economy and shipping routes. Can you imagine hearing "you brush your teeth" while air raid sirens wail?
Ms. Rachel, I beg you to stay in your lane. Be a content creator. A childhood development advocate and educator. Your shows and songs are magic. But everytime you post an unverified statistic and heart wrenching picture, you endanger the lives of children living through a war. You clearly don't understand what influence you have and the affects of your reposted misinformation.
Your heart is in the right place but your actions are like in a knife through truth and equality.
Here are some ideas of other ways you can advocate for children.
1. Support Humanitarian Organizations – Donate to or volunteer with groups like UNICEF, Save the Children, and War Child, which provide food, medical care, and education for children affected by war.
2. Advocate for Safe Zones – Support international efforts to create and enforce protected areas where children and families can seek refuge from violence.
3. Promote War Crime Accountability – Push for investigations and legal action against those who violate children's rights in conflict zones.
4. Pressure Governments and the UN – Write to policymakers and international leaders, urging them to prioritize peacekeeping efforts and enforce protections for children under international law.
5. Support War-Affected Schools – Fundraise for or donate to programs that rebuild schools and provide learning materials for children in war zones.
6. Combat Child Soldier Recruitment – Advocate against the use of child soldiers by supporting demobilization programs and organizations working to rehabilitate former child soldiers.
7. Ensure Access to Medical Care – Support initiatives that provide emergency medical aid, mental health support, and trauma recovery services for war-affected children.
8. Promote Psychological Support – Advocate for trauma-informed care programs and safe spaces where children can receive counseling and emotional support.
9. Encourage Ethical Media Coverage – Push for responsible reporting that sheds light on the impact of war on children without exploiting their suffering.
10. Engage in Grassroots Advocacy – Organize local campaigns, school projects, or fundraising events to support children in war zones and spread awareness in your community.
There are many organizations for women and children that are already working in the field and I'm sure would love your support.
1. Women Wage Peace - "A decade of dedication, determination, and action toward a political agreement achieved with women’s participation. Women Wage Peace is the largest grassroots peace movement in Israel with over 44,000 active members."
https://www.womenwagepeace.org.il/en/
2. Kids for Peace - "In the face of rising hate and fear, Kids4Peace connects youth from different religions and backgrounds and empowers them to be agents of change. Through our award-winning dialogue, leadership and social action programs, youth gain the skills and confidence to bridge divides, promote understanding, and seek justice in their schools and communities."
https://k4p.org/
3. Seeds of Peace - "Inspires and cultivates new generations of global leaders in communities divided by conflict. We equip them with the skills and relationships they need to accelerate social, economic, and political changes essential to peace. Our network now includes 8,000+ alumni throughout the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the United States who are uniquely positioned to lead change."
https://www.seedsofpeace.org/about/
From one representative of education and motherhood to another...
Please change your angle.
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