In an increasingly international world, it’s important for children to learn about and respect other cultures and traditions, in the same way that we like ours to be respected. Celebrating other cultures can also enrich children’s life in a variety of ways, and broaden their viewpoint. It’s never been easier to mix with people from all walks of life and reap the benefits of learning about and getting involved in their traditions. If you’d like to learn how you can teach your child to respect other cultures, read on for some advice from an English summer school.
Mark cultural occasions
Get your calendar and a pen and work with your child to research different cultural celebrations such as Ramadan and the Chinese New Year, and then mark them in the calendar. This will impress upon your child that it’s important to recognize and celebrate such traditions. Make an effort to throw a party or get involved in a local community event centred around the celebration so your child can learn about the culture and get to know the people. They might be able to taste different foods and observe certain rituals being performed, which will broaden their perspective and help them realize how diverse and interesting the world is.
Watch foreign language films
Your child might enjoy watching foreign language films with subtitles, or movies set in another country, which will introduce them to a different culture and way of life. They may even start to pick up some of the language, or it might spark a lifelong interest in another country’s lifestyle and traditions. Encourage them to learn more by researching different aspects of the culture themselves, or speaking to friends who have a different heritage to them. Your child might also be interested in reading books set in another country and looking at pictures of the people that live there.
Get involved in the community
The best way for children to learn about and develop respect for other cultures is to give them opportunities to mix with people from different backgrounds. Take them to community events where they can talk to people from other cultures and learn about their way of life. Encourage playdates with children from a different heritage so your child learns that people should all be treated the same no matter where they come from. You could also take them to local restaurants where they serve different types of cuisine – anything which exposes your child to alternative cultures.
Lead by example
Make sure your child sees you respecting and celebrating other cultures, and tolerating differences of opinion and lifestyles which are dissimilar to your own. Embrace the diversity in your community, and encourage your child to do the same. That also means avoiding making negative comments or jokes about unfamiliar traditions or judging people who live differently. Try to avoid stereotyping people and impress upon your child the importance of treating everyone equally.
Respecting other cultures is something children have to learn, and how to interact with people from all walks of life is an important skill we have to teach them.
