Tolerance: Understanding, Appreciating and Working with Others

What You Need to Know

Today’s classrooms are more and more diverse and children are learning about different cultures. Many children will have even more exposure to different cultures than their parents, but it is still an important job for parents to help teach their children tolerance.

• The Nemours Foundation tells us that, “Success in today's world — and tomorrow's — depends on being able to understand, appreciate, and work with others.”
• Tolerance is a respect for the many differences among people. It can be thought of as the opposite of prejudice.
• The values and attitudes their parents demonstrate on a daily basis are often those that children will imitate.
• Parents can teach their children by talking with them about tolerance and respect.

The most important thing parents can do to teach their children tolerance is to model it themselves.  

• Take a trip to the library and have your child choose books that will open up a discussion about different cultures. You may want to get a list of available books ready before you go or request books to be put on hold ahead of time.
• When you see unfair stereotypes on television or in a movie, discuss them with your children. Let them know that it’s okay to ask questions as long as they do it respectfully.

For more on this topic, see the complete article:

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