Raising kids to be open-minded and inclusive within a multicultural world can sometimes be challenging for parents, especially with how much prejudice there is out there right now.
Children are very innocent individuals but capable of significant change. What they learn depends on the people around them, including friends, teachers, and family members. With so many things to consider, knowing how to control what your kids learn at home is crucial to helping them grow into better adults.
Teaching Kids About People's Differences
One way parents can help their children become open-minded and inclusive is to be honest about why other people are different. This could be regarding how they look, think, or behave.
Parents should avoid giving their children a personal or biased view on any of these subjects, as tricky as this may be. This will allow children to form their own opinions and make their own choices based on their personal preferences.
Embracing All Forms of Diversity
Parents should also empower children to embrace all forms of diversity around them. Children can learn a lot from different people, and parents should avoid limiting the number of opportunities that their kids have to grow.
One benefit of teaching children to be more open-minded and inclusive is that they will develop a more profound sense of self-worth and become more positive throughout their lives.
Get To Know Your Kids
Every child is different, and parents should take the time to get to know their kids and how they change as they grow older. The main goal is to give them an opportunity to see things from other people's perspectives.
Quratulain Zaidi, a clinical psychologist at MindnLife in Hong Kong, says that an open-minded person listens to their opponent in a debate to see if the information they provide makes sense or if their mind can be changed.
Creating Cultural Awareness
Another tip for parents who want to raise open-minded and inclusive children is to instill cultural awareness, especially in kids who live in diverse neighborhoods. Some ways to do this are through festivals, books, music, art, and toys.
One example is celebrating Chinese New Year at home by holding arts and crafts activities with your children. Parents can also buy their children toys and clothes with different styles influenced by other cultures.
Travel as a Family
Physically going to places with a different culture from what your kids are accustomed to is a great way to expose them to diversity. This also naturally teaches them inclusivity, as they are the ones who are different in a place that already has a set culture.
Going on trips also helps children develop empathy for other people. It encourages them to experience a new way of life, which requires them to empathize with how other cultures live in different places.
