How To Raise Globally Conscious Kids
After talking with a few multiracial families lately, I'm seeing a popular question. It keeps coming up and I think it's a fun one to talk about together!How can I raise globally conscious children?Many of us think our kids are automatically exposed to diversity because they're growing up in a multiracial family, but it shouldn't stop there. We should always be exposing our kids to different cultures and ways of life.It helps them feel more confident in their biracial identity or multiracial family. It also helps our kids to be a part of a generation that understands how important ethnic diversity is in our world.We all have so much to teach each other and I for one want to teach my kids how great it is to learn about people around them. I want to nurture their curiosity and teach them it's okay to ask questions. I want them to have that little fire inside of them that makes them want to know how people live around the world.So many of the world's current problems could be solved if we simply cared about people around them. The first step is learning to be globally conscious as a family. Show your kids what it looks like and have fun doing it!
How To Raise Globally Conscious Kids
Watch foreign movies together!
This is an easy one! Head over to Netflix and check out all of their foreign family films. All you need to do is put on the captions and you're good to go. You'll hear fun new music, see different places around the world, and your kids will start asking questions!It's a fun way to get your kids exposed to a different culture and find a new family favorite movie!
Cook a dish from a different country.
Find a new cuisine to try out and let the kids help prepare it! Get their hands dirty and have fun! You can even take it up a notch by using utensils used in different parts of the world as well! Kids tend to be hands-on learners and cooking is a fun and simple way to learn something new. Not to mention it means family time!
Give up utensils for a night and see how they eat in India.
After eating Indian food with my hands for almost eight years, I hate eating it with a fork! I would never have expected it but now it's normal in our house. Teach your kids the technique East Indians and Ethiopians use when eating with their hands.
Attend a local community festival celebrating a different culture.
Most towns offer different cultural events throughout the year. Check out your town's website and see what they have to offer. Then schedule it into your family's calendar.These events can be a show, food show, music, crafts, or fun activities. It's a great change of pace for family night and helps your family step out of their comfort zone to try something new.
Fill Your Home With Diverse Books
This is one of my favorite ways to expose my kids to different cultures. We always look for books that talk about kids from across the globe. Each book is a glimpse into a different child's life and the customs they follow. This helps broaden their views because it becomes normal for them to see diversity.
Listen to popular hits, even if it's in a different language!
Turn up the music and dance! We have dance parties at our house every night and recently we've been listening to new music. One night we'll listen to Bollywood music and the next night we may be listening to music from somewhere deep in Africa.The kids love it and are always searching for new music to dance to!