As parents, we want to raise a generation of people who are kind and accepting of others. Therefore, it is important that we teach our children how to be inclusive at a young age. The Kangaroo Forest has compiled a list of tips for teaching your child about inclusivity:
Introduce new cultures and lifestyles
In early childhood, children spend most of their time with their families. Therefore, they often do not encounter people of other cultures and lifestyles. Once they begin attending daycare or school, your child will begin noticing all the ways in which people are different — and they will likely have questions!
Before your child begins attending school, we recommend showing them educational programs featuring a diverse range of characters. It is important for children to see examples of different races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, disabilities, lifestyles, and more; more importantly, your child should see that people from all walks of life can coexist.
Encourage individuality
Once your child understands that no two people are the same, they can begin to embrace and celebrate what makes each person unique. To start, encourage your child to embrace their own individuality. What makes your child unique? Where do they come from? What does their family structure look like? What are their cultural and religious practices?
Instill in your child a sense of pride for who they are. Remind them that there is no shame in what sets them apart from others. Once they learn to accept themselves, they are closer to accepting the differences in others, as well.
Define inclusivity
When introducing the concept of “inclusivity”, begin by asking your child how it makes them feel to be excluded from a group activity or game. They will likely agree that it doesn’t feel great to be left out. Once they understand how it feels to be excluded, you can introduce “inclusivity.” To define the concept in simple terms, explain that inclusivity means that you welcome all to participate, regardless of their race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, disability, lifestyle, etc. It is important that your child understands that exclusion is bullying and never a nice thing to do.
At The Kangaroo Forest, we celebrate diversity in our classrooms and encourage our students to practice inclusivity in all that they do. Interested in learning more about our programs? Contact us today!
