Kira Jewett: We need kids’ perspectives!

I deeply enjoyed all the wonderful perspective and commentary offered in “Ordering off the kid’s menu,” [Gazette, Feb. 24] in which 9-year-old Azai Dugger offered his go-to local restaurants. But beyond mere enjoyment, I was struck by how rare — and how necessary — a child’s perspective is in a local newspaper.

How often do we get to hear about the importance of a stuffed penguin having a friend to hang with? What adult would attend with rapt interest to an ongoing “claw machine” war between two downtown treat shops?

Food writer Robin Goldstein, by prioritizing preserving Azai’s “original wording and phrasing” and keeping adults from too much prompting, has given us a window into a new and joyous perspective on our city’s eateries. Imagine how valuable such a perspective could be on our schools, local politics, sports — any of the things we adults pay attention to, as well as some that we don’t but probably should.

Truly I believe our community would be richer, healthier and more connected if the Gazette included more articles like the one from Goldstein and Azai.

Kira Jewett

Florence