Is your child comfortable with cultural diversity?
In a country like India, it is ideal to raise a child who is accepting of different cultures. Teaching your child about cultures apart from that of your own family will make them more broad-minded.
On the other hand, if your child is insecure or unaccepting of other cultural practices – such as their food or clothes – they may become adults with much more intolerance.
Here are some parenting tips to raise a child who is neither insecure of their own culture, nor dismissive of that of others.
Respect people with all cultural background
Teach your child to listen and observe other people's cultural practices and not judge them if they find something they cannot relate to. Asking questions for things or practices they don't understand will help them understand other cultures more. To raise a child more accepting of diversity, it is important that you too practice the same as children usually learn more by observing your actions, than listening to your words. Make sure you do not propagate cultural stereotypes at home as kids usually internalize these opinions from parents without any personal sense of judgment.
Befriend people from other cultures
Teach your child to befriend kids from other cultural backgrounds – whether at school, playground, tuition or neighborhood. This will also make them more comfortable in meeting adults from diverse backgrounds when they go to college or work.
Celebrate all kinds of holidays and traditions
Take part in festivals and traditional practices of not just your own culture but also those of other people's culture around you. This will help you and your child understand and embrace other cultures in a joyful atmosphere. This will create a great opportunity for cultural bonding.
Explore cultures through food
Food is one of the best mediums to learn about different cultures. Every culture has dishes of their own and eating them and learning about their food stories will not just broaden your child's palate, but also give them knowledge and appreciation of other cultures.
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Travel
Traveling is one of the best ways to learn and grow. It teaches you about different places, their food, lifestyle, values and much more. Truly living at a place with a different culture from that of your own, is one of the best ways to learn, absorb and appreciate other cultures.
Read more: How to raise children with a growth mindset?
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