Arts & Entertainment
Teaching Your Child Tolerance
Creating a more unified, productive and compassionate society.
American society was founded on freedom from religious persecution and on tolerance of differences in beliefs and cultural heritage. It has been called the great melting pot where people of differing cultures, customs and countries of origin have come together to mold into one nation. America has a rich history of diversity and has continued to attract people from all over the world since its independence from British rule in 1783, at the end of the Revolutionary War. It is founded upon the Constitution which reads “We the people...”
“We the people” are from Europe, South America, Asia and everywhere in between. With so many different people from so many backgrounds being woven in to our daily lives and that of our children, tolerance is something we need to embrace and value. And, in order to effect change and make tolerance a common practice, we must start by teaching our children about acceptance. We must teach them to look past skin color and religion and culture and value others for what is inside. We must teach them to have compassion, kindness and respect for others, even to appreciate their differences.
As with most behaviors and actions, it is the examples set by Mom and Dad that make the biggest and longest lasting impact. Parents are a child's conduit to the world and his most powerful influence. Children pick up on societal attitudes towards those of other religions, races, and cultural backgrounds. And, while children are naturally curious, prejudice is a learned behavior. Children who are taught at home to bridge cultural gaps and discover common ground will enjoy success in today’s world and tomorrow’s.
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Tolerance matters. The dangers of hate and prejudice are profound and threaten to unravel the threads of society. If we teach our children about tolerance early and are proper role models for them to emulate it will go a long way towards creating a more unified, productive and compassionate society.
For those who would enjoy an afternoon multi-cultural musical event, Focus on the Arts! presents Music Around the World with Dennis Waring on February 22nd at the , 250 Main Street, from 2-3:30 p.m.
