Young children are naturally egocentric. They tend to look at things from their own point of view. It’s understandable, then, that children may be concerned or confused when they meet people who seem different from them. Those differences may be in skin color or other physical appearances or disabilities. They may be differences in how people talk, what they eat, or how they celebrate holidays or other customs.

When we help children realize that differences are okay and so are similarities, we’re setting the stage for a lifetime of appreciating diversity.

Here are some ways you can help your child develop an appreciation of diversity in our society.

You can help your child respect others by the way you greet people, talk with them, and talk about them afterwards. Children learn from our example.

Making a Family Book about Similarities and Differences
You and your child could work together to make a book about the people in your family. You could call it “How We’re Alike and How We’re Different.” By writing or drawing pictures or taking photographs, you and your child could make a book of everyone’s favorites (food, color, time of day), what each one likes to do alone, and what each one likes to do when the family is together. You might also help your child make some pages about what’s alike for everyone in your family.

You may want to arrange a small get-together with one or two other families. Each could make a snack that may be different or new to the others, possibly an ethnic food or one that’s special in other ways for their family.

It would be a good idea to talk beforehand about how to react kindly if someone doesn’t want to taste a new food that another family brings. It’s all right if the children (or adults) may not like the taste of the food or may not want to try it. That’s part of our differences, too. Just seeing other people accept new foods gives children a caring experience with differences.

It can help to talk with your child about how you feel when you meet someone new. Most of us feel a little shy, scared, curious, confused, or even annoyed when people look or behave differently from our own familiar ways.

You may want to tell your child about a time when you met someone who seemed different at first. But as you got to know that person, you came to appreciate him or her. It often takes time to get to know someone and to find out what you enjoy talking about or doing together.

Can your child remember coming into a group and feeling ignored or left out? Talking about your child’s feelings can help your child develop empathy and begin to see things from another person’s point of view.