Consciously Expose Your Kids to Many Cultures

How do you talk to your children about different cultures? How should you react if someone makes and insensitive remark?

What You Need to Know

Children are naturally curious. They notice differences in appearance and will ask questions to learn more. Use these opportunities to teach your children about diversity and the world around them. The NYU Child Study Center suggests the following to help your child learn about the multicultural world we live in.

• Provide the basics. Provide a nurturing environment where your child feels valued. When children have a healthy image of themselves, they are less fearful of those who are different.
• Set a good example. Your child will notice if you are respectful of others and is likely to do the same. If others are disrespectful in front of your child, deal with the issue immediately.
• Answer questions. Answer your child’s questions in a relaxed tone. If you’d rather give a full answer privately, let them know it’s a valid question and that you’ll talk about it more when you get home.
• Let them experience different cultures. Choose schools, programs, and experiences that are diverse. Read books with characters of different cultures or facts about other cultures.

Make a conscious effort to give your child exposure to other cultures. There are many resources you can use to help your child learn more. 

• Learning through the arts is a great way to see what other cultures are like. Use music, art, and books to create fun ways to learn. A simple online or library search for “multicultural children's books” will get you started.
• Do a family history project together! Research where ancestors came from and talk about the different cultural backgrounds. This also gives you the opportunity to introduce some great vocabulary like ancestors, immigrants, and traditions.

For more on this topic, see the complete article:

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Preparing_Children/