Embracing other cultures

It wasn't intended but when I saw it was Commonwealth Day toda, I couldn't delay in posting this blogpost. We are quite lucky to live is country which is multicultural. As someone who was born and brought up in France coming to England was a shock especially when I saw how they loved celebrating other cultures like Diwali or Eid! You don't get to see that in France. But it's disheartening to see such a multicultural country has voted for Brexit and seen an increase in hate crime.

That's where good parenting will help. As parents, we have the responsibility to bring up our children as well rounded. We need to teach them respect to ALL people regardless of colour, race, religion or ethnicity. If that respect is taught from the beginning, when they grow up, they'll only see people as people and not defined by any other things. I have never bad-mouthed another culture not even a back-hand comment because kids pick up things around them very quickly. As parents, we are setting an example me if our example is to be respectful of all people then they'll reproduce that. Tell also copy the opposite of that's what they see.

Which is why since a young age, I always take my kids to any big cultural celebrations! Of course w celebrate our Tamil events but we also celebrate everything from St Patrick's Day to Eid. Before I take them anywhere to celebrate a culture, I quickly research so I get facts right. And so like that, we celebrated our first Holi. Holi is an North Indian celebration to welcome the arrival of spring. I had no idea what to expect except that they'll be a lot of colours to be thrown around and to wear a white t-shirt. So off we went to a family friendly Holi event in the neighbourhood on a rainy Sunday afternoon. We were welcomed by lots of food and loud music which immediately got us into a dancing moods. There were lots of games for kids and at the end, for about an hour, all we did is spayed coloured water and threw coloured powder to each other! I had a blast and he kids had a blast.  We were exhausted but at least now the kids have expanded their knowledge now on cultures. It was a good thing too that we went because Mahi's nursery is v eh proactive in celebrating all cultures so Holi will be discussed and Mahi can now share what it actually is. We'll be celebrating our first St Patrick's day this Saturday (minus the 🍺) . All I know is that we'll be wearing green. I still need to do my research on why Irish people celebrate St Patrick's Day.

It's important to be open-minded about all cultures. I don't know what the future holds for my kids but al I know is that the community where they'll be living will be more diverse than it is. So by celebrating all these different communities, my kids have a better understanding of different people and respect each and every one they'll encounter. In return,  hopefully, the world will be kinder to them.