This is a collaborative post.
Teaching Your Kids to Respect Other Cultures
However, it’s important that our children learn to respect people’s differences; age, gender, race, religion, whatever it might be. Sometimes we forget that our children are not born with an innate ability to respect other people; it is something that they must be taught. Here are some tips from a private school in Cambridge, who open their doors to international students from all over the world.
Think about introducing your little one to books, both fiction and non-fiction, that explore different cultures around the world. The main character in the book might have a different way of life, which you can discuss with your child; you can point out the similarities between your family and theirs, as well as how interesting the differences are.
Essentially, the idea is to expose your children to different cultures and religions throughout their lives, both in books and on TV, as well as out in the real world. Perhaps you could even think about celebrating other religious holidays and cultural traditions in your own home, to familiarise your child with different ways of living as much as possible. Prepare a calendar with all of the upcoming religious holidays so that you don’t miss any and investigate how best to celebrate.
Above all, you must lead by example when it comes to respecting other people and their cultural differences. You cannot expect your child to be open-minded and tolerant of others if you are not. Try and embrace diversity as much as possible in your home and refrain from making stereotypical comments or jokes. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the type of TV shows and games your child is consuming, as they might be reinforcing negative stereotypes and racial prejudices.
