Ways to Help Children Value Cultural Diversity in Jersey City
All humans have distinctive personality traits and physical features. The ability for us, as adults, to recognize and understand the differences between people feels simple, but this may not come naturally to kids. Fortunately, as their language competence and mental abilities develop, they begin to notice the similarities and differences between themselves and their peers. This is simply their way of expressing curiosity. And our job as adults is to model empathy and acceptance of diversity. Also, living in a supportive community that hosts many festivals and provides opportunities to enjoy and celebrate our differences helps tremendously. So, if you are wondering how to succeed in this endeavor, read on. We have compiled a list of ways to help children value cultural diversity in Jersey City and view it as both a strength and source of pride.
Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF): Respect for diversity
Childcare educators mainly use this framework, but we believe it worth implementing at home and in everyday life. What EYLF means by respecting diversity is this:
- honor the language, history, and tradition of different cultures among families;
- acknowledge that diversity contributes to our society and provide evidence about the ways it does so;
- respect the different aspirations families and communities hold for their children and foster children’s motivation to learn;
- provide opportunities for children to learn about similarities and differences and view them as valuable and honorable.
One of the best things about Jersey City is that it is a community that is culturally aware and supportive. With numerous schools, activities, and events that promote diversity, you shouldn’t worry about your family’s acceptance once you become a part of this community. So, if you and your family are planning on moving here from another part of New Jersey, the only thing you need to worry about is how to arrange the moving process so that it runs smoothly. Long-distance relocations can be stressful for everyone, especially for kids. And that’s why we believe it is a good idea to prepare your kids, in advance, for all that the city has to offer. This will get them excited about the move and let them know about activities and events to which they can look forward.
Ways to help children value cultural diversity in Jersey City
Children can base some of their stereotypes on physical traits, such as race, gender, or age. However, they mainly understand the environment through categorization: good-bad, can do-can’t do, etc. As a result, they might tend to identify with a group of children that have a similar appearance to them. This is where parents’ and teachers’ roles are essential.
When parents or teachers talk negatively about the differences among various groups, a child will learn to separate themselves from those that are different. On the other hand, if parents and educators help children value and appreciate diversity by modeling behavior, they will be more open and kind towards others.
Here are our top tips and activities you can do to help children value cultural diversity in Jersey City:
- Practice unity and use kind language.
- Have a specific country-themed event.
- Expose your kids to world music.
- Don’t forget to respect your culture and tradition.
- Learn a foreign language.
- Volunteer as a family.
Practice unity and kind language
Do not model differentiating yourselves based on race, ethnicity, or religion. Instead, parents should set examples of supporting cultural diversity for their kids by being kind to different people.
Another way of doing this is to refrain from using comments and observations that categorize people. While making a particular comment may seem harmless, it will implant ideas that children are likely to retain. That’s why it would be best to remain neutral when talking about differences while at the same time having a supportive and affirmative attitude.
Invite family and friends to a culturally-themed event
This one doesn’t have to be super fancy and break your bank account, but it can be an opportunity to create a family tradition while learning about other cultures. For example, you can have a French-themed evening, where everyone dresses the way French people do and you prepare popular French dishes for dinner. This can be followed by each person sharing an interesting fact about France and having a quiz at the end of the evening. The options are countless. The important thing is to have fun while implementing a tradition of great cultural value with your family.
Listen to world music
Today’s technology and gadgets offer enormous possibilities. Therefore, turning on any type of music at any time of the day is almost always possible. Use this as an opportunity to turn everyday car rides to the grocery store or school as a melodic educational entryway to another country.
Another positive aspect of living in Jersey City is that it offers numerous musical and dance activities for you and your kiddos to try and enjoy!
Respect your culture and tradition
To appreciate another’s culture, it is important to value your own. For instance, if you make holiday gatherings a big deal in your home, and you have them feature aspects of your culture’s traditions, this will foster respect for your culture in your kids. This will, in turn, provide a healthy foundation for your children to explore and respect diverse cultures.
You can even create a scrapbook with pictures and notes about the holidays you love and what you did. This will be of enormous value once your kids grow up and have their own children.
Learn another language
Learning a foreign language offers tremendous benefits to children. Their cognitive and problem-solving skills improve, their creativity and views expand and gain another dimension, and their ability to reflect is promoted.
Learning another language also opens the door to an entirely new culture, history and people. In addition, it gives your child the ability to create international friendships and leads to more broad-minded views.
Family volunteering
As a family, pick a cause to which you are all drawn. It can be anything, from taking care of the park and animals to helping those in need. Volunteering gives a sense of purpose and cultivates social skills and compassion. Helping others offers a wonderful feeling, and we can all agree it is a great gift to give to our children. Jersey City offers a lot of volunteering opportunities, so be sure to check them out!
The takeaway from ways to help children value cultural diversity in Jersey City
Role models are important to our children. Primary caregivers and educators are some of the first people our children admire, respect and seek to model. One of the ways to help children value cultural diversity in Jersey City is to make sure you model kindness to everyone. We should be neutral and open about the differences among ourselves because our kids learn from us. Let’s teach them that this world is a wonderful place with numerous cultures that offer wonderful stories, songs, art, food, and much more.
Author:
Angie Sims
Angie Sims worked in the travel industry for 6 years, and now she works in the relocation industry. For the past 3 years, she has been specializing in helping people with their domestic and international relocation. Angie is also a full-time mom and a part-time blog writer. Based on her own experiences, she writes about traveling and moving with children on her blog.
Updated on September 8, 2023
