Sara opened the door and poked her head into the playroom to check in on Lilly. She saw her daughter contentedly amusing herself with her Asian dolls. Like so many days, Lilly was attending a tea party with her imaginary friends, complete with Asian dinnerware, cookies, and homemade place-mats. She was lost in her play time and it brought a smile to the lips of her mother. Several years ago when Sara adopted Lily from China it was the best day of her life. As they boarded the plane for the flight back to America, she thought of all the wonderful opportunities Lilly would have in her new country. Yet Sara was very mindful of how important it would be for Lilly to love and respect her birth culture. Many adoptive parents share this very important perspective. Cultivating a multi-cultural awareness in the home is not only important for adoptive families but for everyone. There are several easy yet valuable practices that families can incorporate into their lives to increase multi-cultural appreciation and awareness.
1. Start educating your children about other cultures at the earliest possible age. Young minds soak up information like none other. Use some of the many resources that are at hand. For example, there are many wonderful stories for children that introduce multi-cultural material. Visit your local library or head to your favorite bookstore to do some browsing. There are also a plethora of internet sites available for kids that provide a multi-cultural experience.
2. Make sure you as a parent are aware of any cultural holidays or significant traditions from the birth country of your child. Find ways to celebrate these special days or take part in these traditions. This will mean a great deal to your child, particularly as he or she grows.
3. Keep an open dialogue and embrace any queries regarding cultural practices or differences. The mind of a child is often ripe with questions. Children are inquisitive by nature and need to feel free to ask questions when they do not understand what they are seeing or hearing.
4. Celebrate the differences that exist within different cultures. Sometimes the misconception exists that different equals bad. This can be especially true for kids as they often do not understand what they have not been through. By celebrating cultural differences a child can learn that different is not wrong or scary.
5. Remember that you are the primary influence for your young child. As a parent, you have an amazing opportunity and responsibility to teach your child and to help mold his or her view of the world.
Sara knew that as the parent in a multi-cultural family she had the responsibility to educate her small daughter. Teaching her daughter to love and respect the culture in which she was born was so very important. Whether or not you are a multi-cultural family or whether you simply feel a responsibility to teach your son or daughter the special and beautiful heritage of the many cultures of the world, there is much you can do to celebrate the diversity of the world.
Filed under: House and Home | Tags: Adoptive Families,Adoptive Parents,Asian Dinnerware,Asian Dolls,Birth Country,Birth Culture,Cultural Appreciation,Cultural Awareness,Cultural Holidays,Cultural Practices,Imaginary Friends,Lilly,Local Library,Mind Of A Child,Open Dialogue,Place Mats,Play Time,Playroom,Plethora,Tea Party. | No Comments »
