Introducing Diversity

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Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to live where I do. Where all of the houses are similar. Mailboxes are perfectly positioned and sanctioned by the Home Owner’s Association. Lawns are manicured and pristine. And the kicker? The majority of people, for the most part, look exactly like me.

I have developed beautiful friendships in this community and appreciate what the neighborhood has to offer, but I knew it was going to take some effort to expose our children to diversity, or as Webster defines, “the quality or state of being different.” To move outside the bubble. To teach them the value of learning about others. Here is what has worked for us.

Children’s Literature and Storytime

Books featuring people of color or written by diverse authors are a great start. It shows my children that some people look different than them, and differences enrich our life experience. Some books we enjoy are Global Babies by the Global Fund for Children, or It’s Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr. You may also want to visit, “Mother Goose on the Loose Bilingual Storytime” at Kettering Moraine Public Library

One of our favorite books.

Toys and Music

Choosing a variety of diverse dolls or action figures is a creative way to incorporate learning about differences into natural play. Also, my toddler and 11-year-old have been inundated with music ranging from salsa and merengue to bluegrass. “Kids World Party” by Putumayo Kids will get little feet moving!

Visits

Take part in a tour to immerse yourself into a cultural learning experience. We have taken our children to visit the Islamic Center of Greater Cincinnati in West Chester. They have a “Know Your Neighbor” event once a month or you can contact to schedule a different time.

Through the Niagara Foundation, we also joined a Muslim family for a fast-breaking dinner during Ramadan and, subsequently, have made lifelong friends.

Events

Festivals or community gatherings featuring a specific group are plentiful. A quick web search for our area produced celebrations of cultures ranging from Italian, Latino, Jewish, or Indigenous communities!

Conversation

Perhaps the most important way to teach your children about diversity? Talk to them. It’s never too soon. Have conversations at the dinner table about the importance of valuing others who may not look like them. Show your children, through your actions, that being different is beautiful. That there is life outside the bubble.

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Carrie Breitweiser
Hello, I'm Carrie! A transplant to Springboro from Cincinnati, always in search of new adventures and fun for my family. Married for five years now, I have a three-year-old little dude and am a stepmom to a 12-year-old boy (going on 16). Trained as a Social Worker (LISW-S), I left my job of 10 years to temporarily dive into the life of a SAHM. In my "spare time," I love to hit the trails for a run, travel to distant lands, or dabble in photography.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Fantastic post! I appreciate your thoughtfulness and the deliberate way you go about inserting diversity into your family’s normal life. When it is normalized like this, children naturally adapt to it and embrace the experiences even more!

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