Anita of BhashaKids and Aditi Wardhan Singh discuss the realities of raising kids in a multicultural way. Aditi is an author, editor, published and founder of Raising World Children. Hear what inspired Aditi to start her path-breaking platform which focuses on "Raising Mindfulness Through Books & Culture" and supports other authors in that space.
Tips for parents on raising multicultural kids:
- Be consistent in language & cultural immersion. You must do it daily.
- Watch movies (with captions on) and read books together. Pause to discuss points - what does this tradition mean? What happened in this scene?
- Question traditions. Be a conscious parent and decide what you want to pass on to your kids. You don't have to parent the way you were parented.
- Make holidays and rituals your own. Take what is meaningful to you and don’t feel compelled to pass on things that don’t feel right for the sake of tradition. For example, at Rakhi, both siblings can exchange bracelets, not just sisters giving to the brothers.
- Watch what we say to kids - is it uplifting or critical? A small comment on a child’s appearance or language can derail their self esteem.
- Talk to your kids. Have conversations on tough topics. Look for learning opportunities to help kids think for themselves.
- If your kid encounters a racist incident (which is bound to happen wherever you live), don’t laugh it off. Talk them through it, help them process their feelings and come up with a plan for the next time.
- Keep an open mind! Choose to be a mindful parent.
Recommended Resources:
- Fun movies to watch with your kids: Krrish, GolMaal and Dhamaal
- Raising World Children Website: check out the kids’ corner for recommended book lists
- Anita recommends Dr. Shefali Tsabury’s work on “Conscious Parenting”.
Check out BhashaKids Hindi Bilingual Collection
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