When I think about culture, I usually think about a large group of people brought together as one, bound by a way of life, traditions, and beliefs. People come from various cultures, societies and have very different upbringings than one another, thus what factor plays a part in uniting people with one another? I always wonder what type of force creates bonds between two opposite individuals. In abundant cases, individuals sharing similar values allows them to connect, it inflicts a feeling of belonging and understanding. But most importantly, the confidence and comfort to approach a foreign individual is the first step towards sharing a mutual understanding between one another. As a young adult, being exposed to individuals from different cultures and upbringings at an older age was not very beneficial as it would have been if I got the chance to experience this at a younger age. It never really occurred to me how important it can be in shaping a child’s mental growth, actions, and understanding of his/her surroundings.
Generally, culture helps build social structure and balance in a community, it creates bond between a group of individuals experiencing a similar way of life. There are a various number of cultures worldwide, that vary with different ideologies, traditions, actions, looks and appropriations. The most important factor of life that binds all these differences together is acceptance, and this a very fundamental way of thinking that children should be taught to execute from a very young age.
Children reach a certain age where they start to become curious and ask many questions revolving around their surroundings and what they are generally exposed to. Throughout their school years, they come across different types of individuals whether it may be their peers, classmates, teachers, and more. Each and every individual is unique in his or her own way, and each individual belongs to their own culture, whether it is similar to others or completely different. This is when the idea of acceptance, respect and understanding plays an important role in shaping a growing individual’s mind.
So, how do we ensure that our children are receiving proper understanding of the various cultures around them?
There are a huge number of ways a child can learn more about different cultures and learn to respect a wide range of contrasting customs and traditions around the world. Some may include:
- Trying New Cuisines: Studies show that trying different foods from around the world can give children a sense of understanding of how other individuals go about their everyday lives. This can also be a fun activity for children, as they can attempt new recipes, and discover what they like and don’t like. Recipes can be as simple as making a pizza representing Italy, or tacos representing Mexico, and Falafel representing middle eastern culture. This can also teach children that “Mom’s food” is different for other children around the world. Thus, if mom is making “Yakhne” or Stew today, a mother in China is preparing Dumplings for her children.
- Looking at/ Making Art: Art is also a very important aspect of culture and differs from one culture to another. Having children engage with different pieces and styles of art from around the world can help them detect similarities and differences between their own understanding and whatever is new to their eyes. For example, children may look at calligraphy to understand middle eastern culture, or experiment with pottery work to understand sub-Saharan African traditions. Having your children play with different materials, explore their malleability, experiment with color, and more, also helps enhance their creativity, and builds more understanding of the world around them.
- Learning Different Languages: Exposing your children to different languages from around the world helps with their communication skills, as well as understanding of different cultures. Studies show that learning new languages at a young age is much easier than learning a new language at an older age, thus your children will have a wider range of understanding of the different individuals around them. Even if this option sounds a little exotic or too much to endure, teaching your children how to greet others in different languages, teaches respect, acceptance, and thoughtfulness towards others. A simple “bonjour!”, or “Guten Tag” (Hello! In French & German), to a foreign friend will make his/her day and show a high level of respect towards them and their culture!
To sum things up, there are many ways to teach your children about different cultures, other than the examples listed above. It is important to note that your child’s understanding of the way the world works is extremely important throughout their developing years. This does not only teach them how to be accepting, and respectful, this also makes them more knowledgeable, empathetic, and wise when placed in new environments. This trait also helps children adapt to their surroundings in a much easier way (especially when visiting a new country or entering a new school), thus making them feel more comfortable and at ease.