Tips On Raising A Child In A Multi-Cultural Environment

The world has shrunk over the past 50 years, as cheap air travel allows people to travel to the far corners of the globe and one of the patterns that have emerged is multi-cultural relationships. If your partner comes from a different background, there will be many cultural differences and what might be very important to you, might mean little to your partner.

Compromise Is The Key

There is little chance of domestic harmony without some kind of compromise, as very often the differences in beliefs and values can be as stark as black and white. It is very important for you to discuss cultural differences with your partner, which will enable you both to come to agreements. This, in turn, will avoid having a conflict in the child’s presence. It is very important that you and your partner put on a united front when dealing with cultural differences, which is why it is important to talk about these issues beforehand. If you would like some further reading on the subject of cultural clashes within the family, there are excellent articles you can find online.

Early Learning

When the time comes for the child to begin his or her education, finding a good preschool is essential as in the right environment, your child will be exposed to different cultures and this will help him or her understand that people do have different beliefs and values. Choosing the right preschool for your child is essential as he or she will be spending time there on a daily basis and you can also talk to the carers about cultural awareness and they can reinforce the right practices.

Discussing Cultural Differences

It is a good idea to openly discuss cultural differences with your child and this should be very open. Any questions the child might have should be addressed. More often than not, problems with cultural awareness stem from differing opinions of the parents that have not been discussed, so it is important for both parents to have a mutual understanding about both of their cultures.

Cultural Pride

Children should be proud of their cultural heritage and as a parent, you can help by teaching your child about your culture and helping him or her to have a better understanding of his or her own roots. It is likely that in some ways, yours or your partner’s culture is not practiced where you are living, but this should not mean that you have to ignore your heritage. The world is becoming more culturally aware and this helps for children from different cultural backgrounds to better cope with these differences and teaching your child to respect other people’s beliefs is an important step that should not be overlooked.

Communication is the key to overcoming obstacles with cultural differences and both you and your partner should openly discuss both of your cultures and be united when discussing this with your child.