Leaning into Love - A Message from Julie

Image: CMTM with “Be a Kevin” hearts in the windows.

Image: Julie Butcher Pezzino

Leaning into Love

A Message from CMTM’s Executive Director, Julie Butcher Pezzino

Here at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM), it’s one of our favorite weeks of the year—LOVE week! We can’t wait to celebrate with you. The next several days are chock full of heart-filled activities, but how else do we lean into LOVE at CMTM? 

Firstly, love is inherent in our values. 

Our value of Belonging means we welcome children to come as they are and to be their authentic selves. Love is essential to a sense of Belonging. When we know we are loved, we feel like we belong. 

We take this concept seriously. Everyone who walks through our doors has value and worth, and we celebrate what makes us unique and binds us together as a strong community. We model this by encouraging everyone we work with, including our staff, to be comfortable and confident to show up as the unique, diverse, incredible, and authentic humans we are, ready to provide meaningful learning opportunities for children and families. We strive to be an inclusive and welcoming space for all. 

Our value of Community means we are committed to being a safe space and community resource for children and families across our region. Our shared sense of community is an outward expression of our love for our visitors here in Maine, across the region, and across the world. We do not tolerate hate in our community in any form.

Our value of Curiosity means we embrace asking questions, seeking answers, and thinking outside the box. We are open to diverse viewpoints and concepts, always coming from a place of empathy and curiosity. When we ask questions, put ourselves in others' shoes, and try to see things from different viewpoints, we learn and grow through a lens of love. This fosters empathy and understanding, even for our youngest visitors.

In addition to our values, we lean into love through our foundational approach to early childhood education and children’s development—a commitment to social-emotional learning. Ideally, love is one of the first emotions children feel upon entering the world, through the physical embrace and affection of a parent or caregiver. Later, that sense of love grows through quality time with friends and family, positive reinforcement, consistent encouragement from peers and adults, and more.

Love is critical to building the skills children need to navigate our ever-changing and complicated world. It is also an antidote to hateful words and actions, which can foster fear and anxiety and can deeply impact children’s emotional health and stability. In challenging times, kids build resilience by leaning into their emotions, being surrounded by thoughtful role models, and through positive, joyful experiences like visits to the Museum & Theatre. Our team at CMTM is here to support parents and caregivers as children they love build resilience and social and emotional skills. When children see the adults they love modeling empathy and curiosity, and building community with those around them, they are far more likely to follow suit. 

Every day, we put love into action through our work. This week, kids can explore love in many ways—making heartfelt cards in MakerSpace, enjoying a Love Bug performance in Maddy’s Theatre, and contributing to a collaborative “What I Love” mural in our atrium. But beyond this special week, our team is dedicated year-round to creating meaningful, engaging learning experiences, all designed with care, creativity, and love.

We are deeply committed to LOVE through our values, priorities, and actions. We invite you to join us this week to lean into love in all its forms, and we look forward to spending time with you! 

❤️ Julie