Global Citizens - Team Earth

by Jen Rodehaver

Jen Rodehaver

08/11/2024

Let's Be Global Citizens!

There is an advertisement featuring a celebrity extolling "Team Earth". Corny as this sounds, your child will gain lifelong benefits from being part of a global community. Tolerance, trust, and a sense of adventure are qualities parents hope to instill in their children. But how - when a few Americans live near a border and extensive travel isn't available to everyone? 

Here are a few ways to encourage your family's exploration of other countries with or without a passport: 

1. Acquire a globe. Nothing can replace the 3D representation of our planet. Children love to explore the earth with its continents and oceans in a concrete form that makes sense to them. Nations come and go so do not worry if it is out of date. What is important is sparking curiosity. 
2. Expose your kids to the luscious variety of sounds from other lands. Play foreign language lullabies to your baby. Change up what tunes you play while cooking in the kitchen. When your kids are old enough to enjoy live music take them to concerts. Find an African marimba band or Balkan orchestra. Music truly is the international language!
3. Watch nature and travel programs together and use the largest screen in your home. The incredible photography and fascinating content about animals, people, and places will astonish everyone. Most children will respond to an invitation to snuggle up on the couch. A lively conversations is likely to follow. Ask open-ended questions about what they notice. 
4. Participate in a cultural exchange program. Immerse yor family in a memorable form of cultural awareness. Host an exchange student: this young person lives with you as a sibling to your kids. Host an international au pair: these adults ages 18-26 live with you and take on responsibilities such as childcare, transportation, and other household support. Your role in either case is that of a surrogate parent who ensures all participants receive value from being part of an extended family. These relationships often last for years beyond the term of residency. 

Notice that recipes are not included on this list because without contect foreign dishes will not bring the world closer to your child. Traditionally, cooking is how cultural appreciation has been taught in schools along with holidays, which may not be the best representation. The challenge here is to push beyond St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo and apply your own creativity. Start with your spice rack and the origins of its contents. How else will you cultivate your child's appreciation of the remarkable diveristy within our shared planetary home? 

Jen is the parent of well-traveled children, a former host mom, and currently places international au pairs with host families around the country. Reach her at Jen.Rodehaver@LCC.culturalcare.com.