Parenting Tolerant Children

Most countries are now unique melting pots of many cultures making up their population. With growing numbers climbing ever higher in birth rates, it is imperative that children be taught tolerance, understanding, and community values from an early age. The only way to ensure that a peaceful future among mankind will have a chance to succeed is to create foundations that can be continuously built upon as a child grows. Where does a parent start when trying to teach these values to their child?

A parent must first identify opportunities for exposing their children to multiple cultures. Folk festivals, local farmers markets, street fairs, art museums, even restaurants featuring international cuisine are all viable sources for learning, and experiencing, different cultures. In addition to introducing cultural awareness, thought must also be put into building tolerance towards others with disabilities, individual lifestyle choices, gender, and race. Unfortunately, bias still exists and is carried over from one generation to the next if not halted in the developmental years. One positive side of teaching tolerance is that your children may become a teacher to another child if given the proper tools. Kindness, compassion, and tolerance spread quickly among children and provides a sense of peaceful stability. When children are not focused on differences, they are able to build stronger friendships based on mutual respect and commonalities in their personality.

Additionally, a parent should always keep a constant line of communication open with their children. Be prepared to answer questions about someone's background, culture, language, or any other physically distinguishing feature. Children are inquisitive and curious. If a parent doesn't know the answer to a question, search for the answer together. If a child reports intolerant, or even dangerous, behavior at school, or in an extracurricular activity, encourage them to speak up and tell an adult. Bringing awareness to exclusion, or intolerant behavior that directly impacts another person, is something that relates as much to safety for self and others, as much as ensuring that their peers are treated equally.

When watching television, walking through a park, or hanging out at the mall with a child, ask questions about how they feel about people. What do they think are defining qualities in a person? What makes a person creative, intelligent, hard working? Pay close attention to their answers and ask follow up questions if necessary. A conversation should never be a quiz, but children are expressive people who appreciate giving their input and having it considered. Since teaching tolerance is a valuable tool for growth, gaining their perspective is necessary to gauge how they truly feel about people, and expose any curiosity or questions they may have.

Raising tolerant children should not be a forced package of rules, but rather a gently guided set of values that are developed, and nurtured. Every child is different. Teach them according to learning styles that are best suited for them. The world is a big place to explore. Whether addressing international, or local, customs help them take advantage of it by expanding their views and venues. Make sure they have the opportunity to interact with people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures. Making activities fun is the best way to go about this type of socialization. Play games, listen to world music, or visit local festivals.

Finally, parents should always be mindful of what they say. Children soak up cues from their parents like little sponges. They are perfectly capable of relaying this information for life, and to as many people they may encounter. Continue to nurture your own adult view of tolerance. Learn about cultures and places you've always wanted to visit. Make dinner for your family using new international recipes. Make tolerance a family activity. After all, the goal in building tolerance is to bring people together. Making it a family affair is only natural.