Page 53 - kids ebook

So, remember that I said there are lots of these cells? Well, the adult queens all emerge from the cells right about
the same time. But how many queens can be in a hive? (One!) Yup! One. So the battle begins…
And here you can add your favorite character embellishment to tell the kids the story of the first few queens that
emerge stinging the others trying to get out of their cells, then the piping, and the biting, stinging, and venom
spraying that follows. But be sure to read the room, if the kids are terrified - tone it down. If they are super into
it, then get into it with them!

Just an added note for my beekeeper friends, remember to talk with the kids, not at them. Constantly engage with
them. Answer their questions thoroughly. Also ask them questions about what they know, what they think they
know, ask them to make estimates, etc. If you have a quiet group, bribe the kids to answer by giving them trading
cards (see resources), stickers, bookmarks, etc.

Stings. I think this is the number one reason why beekeepers don’t want to talk to kids about bees! Time and
time again I hear, “Well I went into my grandchild’s classroom to talk about bees, and all they did was tell me
about their dog, sister, Aunt Sue, etc. that got stung once. So I decided not to visit another school!”

Here are a couple of ideas to remedy this situation:
1. Cut them off at the pass, and give a detour. Inevitably, you will get a sting story. So, let it roll, be attentive and
compassionate. Then, announce to the kids that you have been stung more in one day then they all have been in
their whole lives! So. You know all about stings, and you don’t need to hear anything more about that subject. If
someone else tries to tell you a sting story, immediately cut them off and remind them that you already know
about stings. Ask them to tell you something else instead. “What is your favorite kind of food? (Strawberry ice
cream.) Awesome! Who pollinates strawberries? Bees do! Aren’t bees awesome!!?”

2. Ask the teacher to have them do a sting story “purge.” The morning of the day of your program, have the kids tell
the teacher, and each other, all of the sting stories that they have. Just get it all out! If a kiddo tries to tell you a
story, immediately cut them off, remind them that they already got to tell their story, and redirect.

Don’t ever shame a student, and then move on from talking to them. They are trying to connect with you, which is
why they are telling you the story. Just sweetly decline the stinging story, and redirect in a really positive way.
This is especially important with grades K-2. They are so sensitive, and if you snap at one kid, the rest fell of the
students their friends’ pain and will have a hard time opening up to you. Guilty face… Yes, I did learn this the hard
way!

The Bee Crisis, CCD, etc. I’m a big advocate for advocating from a place of love, not a place of fear. So, be careful
as you breach this topic. Don’t whip the kids into a frenzy by convincing them that all the bees are dying and
we’re going to starve. Think of building new bee advocates like building a fire. If you pour gasoline on it, what
happens? WHOOSH!! A big, bright flame, and then it’s burnt out and is gone. But if you add small bits of kindling,
lightly give it a few puffs of air, then keep carefully and mindfully stacking on wood, you have a steady, long-
burning flame. I also offer up the anecdote of my undying love and passion for recycling. I don’t obsessively recy-
cle, or reuse, every scrap of paper because I hate the timber industry and want to put them, and those no good
loggers, out of business! On the contrary, my dad was a logger and millworker for the better part of three dec-
ades, so my passion comes purely from the obsessive love I have for our forests, tended to since I was small.

My best advice is to leave the sticky politics out of it, and just get kids really excited about (1) how amazing bees
are, (2) how important they are for our food system, and (3) how important flowers are to the bees’ heath. I al-
ways give kids flower seeds, so they can be part of the solution starting today. 53