Spartanburg author hopes her books inspire children to improve their lives and the world
A Spartanburg School District 6 educator is using her talent for writing to inspire and encourage children when learning about violence and other issues plaguing our world.
District Six Chief Communications Officer Cynthia Robinson has been writing for several years and is the author and founder of Rhyme-Time Learning Adventures. She has published nine children's books.
"I love to write, I love children and I love to inspire children," Robinson said. "I used to write poetry and stories, and my parents would encourage me to write."
Her first book, "Today will be a Great Day," tells the story of a boy who uses positive affirmations to help him get through the day. Robinson hopes children and adults will use the same exercise to help them improve their lives.
"I want my children to see that you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to, and to put your faith in God," Robinson said.
'Dear Children of the World'
Robinson's most recent book, "Dear Children of the World," is for elementary-aged children. It gives parents guidance on helping to explain violence and other tragic events. Robinson said some of these events can tarnish a child's perception of the world. Robinson's book gives parents the flexibility to expand the discussions at an appropriate level for their children.
Her husband Rockmond Robinson, a clinical counselor at Dorman High School, said dealing with emotions and tragedy is a struggle at any age.
"Adults can help manage and make processing a tragedy a little easier for children," Rockmond Robinson said. "Oftentimes, children are more open and willing to talk about tragedy than adults suspect."
Robinson, the mother of four children with the oldest an adult and the youngest a 6-year-old, said she was inspired by her youngest child, knowing she would have to talk to him about tragedies he hears about in the news and elsewhere.
"I knew that with my youngest child, who is 6 years old, that eventually I'd have to have a conversation with him," she said. "I knew that, eventually, the conversation would come up. I wanted to be the first person to introduce and explain these situations."
There is a mental health resource guide in the back of Robinson's latest book to guide parents.
"If they (parents) want to go into deeper detail, they can do that," she said. "There are no right or wrong answers, the way the book is written is open to different interpretations."
Robinson said she is excited about writing her latest book and hopes it will inspire children and parents to create a better world.
"I'm sad we even need a book like this, because I want my children to grow up in a world where there is love and they feel cared about," she said. "When children experience stress and hurtful situations, they do not understand how to process them. In the end, I want children to feel inspired and I want them to grow up in a world where there is more love and less hate."
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Spartanburg children's author writes book to explain tragedy and emotions
