Teaching Your Child to Respect Other Cultures

We live in a world filled with unique and wonderful people, all of whom have different upbringings, religious beliefs, and views on the world. As such, it’s important that all children grow up celebrating and respecting diversity. Parents can help with this by teaching their kids about different cultural traditions and customs from all around the world. Here are some tips from an independent school in Shoreditch to help get you started.

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Respecting others should be a fundamental life lesson you explore with your child from a very young age. They need to understand and consider the thoughts, feelings, opinions, rules, and rights of all other people, not just those in their family or close social circle. As a result, they will find it easier to get along with people and build relationships, both personal and professional. 

Has your child ever seen a world map or globe? Now’s as good a time as ever to show them one and teach them that there are billions of people living all across the planet. Explain to them that within each of these countries, people will speak different languages, where different clothes, have different skin colours and have different views. Let them ask questions and reiterate to them that each and every one of these people within these countries are equally as important. 

Another way to teach your child about different cultures is to explore some special events and traditions celebrated by different people. There’s a huge list of options, from Thanksgiving to Diwali. Perhaps invest in a calendar and make a note of when these events will be happening so that you can prepare your own celebrations. Consider what foods are traditional eaten on those days, what clothes are worn and what music is listened to. Make sure that your child learns where these events come from and why they happen, rather than just having a little party at home; the idea is to turn it into a learning experience. You can also explore different cultures through food, music, and film.

Most importantly, you will need to be a good role model for your child. Avoid making stereotypical “jokes” about other cultures or jokes about other people in general e.g., what they look like, how they dress, what they believe in etc. Doing so will not harness the sense of respect that you’re trying to teach. Explore the notion that we should all treat people the way that we wish to be treated.

This is a collaborative post.