To prepare your children for the complexity of a multi-cultural world, it is important to introduce them to differing cultures. Travel is the first way, but by no means is the only way. Of course, when you travel with children, you introduce them to a myriad of new sensations. Other cultures have difference architect styles, different colors of buildings, different music, foods, and of course, language. Your child will be immersed in new sensations. The positive aspect of this experience, is opening your children up to new experiences, and widening their knowledge of the world.
If you do not have the means, or the desire, to travel with your children, there are still countless ways to introduce your children to new cultures. Take them to ethnic restaurants. Many times, restaurants with foods from other countries have pictures of their homelands on the walls, music from their countries, and of course, their food. If your children enjoy foods from other cultures, they will often be more open new, cultural experiences.
Another way to prepare your children for a multi-cultural world, is to bring home foreign movies with sub-titles. Children can see other children like themselves doing similar things. The children in the movies may dress differently, may speak another language, but your children will see that they are experiencing emotions like themselves. Your children will also see how cars, buildings, and land looks in other countries, by watching the movies.
There are always cultural festivals to take your children to. Here, children get to hear music from another land, and eat the prepared foods sold from the vendors. Many of these meals are homecooked and served with pride. Many times cultural festivals introduce original clothing from differing countries. Often too, these festivals express the music and songs from the original homelands. These festivals are a wonderful place for your children to see and hear sights from the differing cultures. These festivals are also a wonderful place to develop friendships with new people.
Another way to introduce children to other cultures, is to read to them out of translated books from other countries. Often these books have artwork in them from other countries, and express the lifestyles lived in far off lands. This will pique your children’s imagination, and open their minds to border crossings. Art is an excellent medium in which to overcome differences in others.
Finally, there is the Internet. Google maps with your children. Let them point to a country, then google information about that country. Including your children in the process is a fabulous way for your children to travel to other lands. They also get to use the computer in the process. The computer is bringing everyone together. People from all over the world can e-mail each other, send each other photos, and even find husbands and wives.
It’s an exciting world to bring your children into. The people of the world are living amongst one another. The more people unite together, the harder it will be for governments to divide people from each other. The old world is dying away. The new world order is one of multi-cultural experiences, intermarriages, unity in spirit, and travel around the world. Let your children be the diplomats of the new age. Start by teaching them about other cultures. Prepare the way for them.
