Here we are at the end of April already! April has a lot of special celebrations, and one of those is that it is Celebrate Diversity Month. Diversity is a hot topic in our society, but at its heart is the belief that we each carry value, and that this value should be celebrated and cherished. This is a worthy thought for each of us to hold on to. And it’s a belief that is important to teach to our children. So let’s look at 3 ways to teach our kids about diversity.
Diversity is defined as the range of human differences. So that includes so many areas of life and living. Basically, it’s OK for someone to be different from you in any way. This is what we can teach our kids about diversity. “They” don’t have to be just like you. Differences are what make our world interesting. It’s OK for someone to be different from you. This statement is simple enough for our little ones, and at the same time, it is clear and deep enough for older kids and even for us adults.
Let’s start with the sign for different:
And here are 3 ways to teach our kids about diversity in your everyday life.
Modeling
The best way for kids to learn any way of functioning in this world is for them to watch us do it. So let’s be great examples of celebrating differences instead of resenting them. Let’s help our kids see what’s great about something different. And let’s be the ones who respond with grace when things are different for us.
Experience
We can teach our kids about diversity by letting them experience different communities and environments. It can be easy to stay within the people group and the community that we are comfortable in without even realizing that we’re staying in a bubble. Are there ways we can go somewhere new or connect with a family who are different from us? Most of the time, these opportunities are right in front of us. Let’s be willing to take them.
Talk about it
As we go through our days, we end up with many opportunities to talk about differences with our kids. And that is really good. Our kids notice differences, and that’s where a lot of our embarrassing stories come from. What if we chose to talk about it instead of feeling embarrassed? When your kids shouts about how that lady’s hair is purple, take a good look at the purple hair, offer a smile, and tell your child that you see it and how it looks so fun, doesn’t it? If your child observes something about another person loudly or quietly, engage the statement and bring it to a place of complimenting or normalcy.
After doing this with my daughter for her younger years, she now approaches people who look different, and she tells them how much she likes their hair or their different way of dressing. As a teenager, she has adopted this idea of celebrating differences, and she decided that it is important to tell people when she appreciates their difference from her.
Let’s be the people who bring a smile to those who are different from us, and let’s teach our kids to be like that too.
At My Signing Time, we work hard to celebrate diversity in our shows. Take a look at some of our shows here in our Watch Free section, and remember that you can try it out with a 14-day free trial.