How to teach your child about cultural diversity

Teaching your children to understand and celebrate diversity is an important job for parents. Throughout their lives they are going to meet people from multi-cultural backgrounds with different religious beliefs. Some of those people might not even speak the same language. Your child needs to know that just because someone is different, it doesn’t mean that they should be treated differently; we are all equals. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to topics such as anti-racism and cultural diversity, but the earlier you start to explore these conversations, the better. A middle school in Herefordshire has shared some valuable advice on how to teach your child to respect other cultures.

Explore together with a world map or globe

Start by talking about the world we live in. Show your child a globe or world map and point out where they live and explain that their country is just one tiny part of the world. Then you can start to pick out some other countries and ask them if they know what language is spoken there and some of the cultural and religious traditions that are carried out. If they don’t know the answers, do some research together and see if you can find some famous people that come from that particular country or perhaps even someone you know in real life. Of course, you don’t have to investigate every single country in one sitting; take one at a time and expand your knowledge together.

Don’t make race a taboo subject

Don’t shy away from talking about the differences between various races. Instead, recognise them and talk about how amazing it is that we are all unique, despite all being human. Younger children, in particular, tend to be curious about people that don’t look like them and that’s perfectly okay. If you shush them when they ask questions about race or culture, they will start to think it’s a taboo subject and it shouldn’t be. The idea is to teach your child to celebrate all people and respect their differences, rather than feeling uncomfortable about it.

Celebrate cultural diversity

Talk to your child about racism and explain that it is unacceptable and unfair. Talk openly about inclusivity and explore diversity as best you can. This could be something simple, like trying a new recipe from a foreign country. Prejudice is not innate; it is learned over time and it can be avoided if you focus on teaching your child to treat everyone with respect and dignity.