As a little kid, I always looked forward to the school year. It meant I would see my friends, get new clothes, pick out my favorite lunch box, and have a lot of fun! Granted this feeling changed over the years a bit, however, the excitement of new things was always there.
During the summer, parents don’t have to worry about what their kids have for lunch. They can simply go into the pantry and grab leftovers from the night before. School lunches are a bit different. Kids want the “cool” lunch and deep down they even want to bring out a little envy in their friends.
They want kids around them to look at their lunches and be impressed or at the very least fit in with what their friends have. Some kids beg their parents to cut their sandwiches into fun shapes lunchables, and some even want to show off what their mom made for dinner the night before.
School lunch time is another opportunity for kids to try and fit in with their peers. Bringing a unique lunch isn’t something a lot of kids want. They want to fit in so they don’t stand out from their friends.
What about the child that’s being raised in a multiracial or a multicultural household? If they bring leftovers from home it’ll definitely look different than what their friends have. It’s even going to smell different.
How do we help our children be confident enough in who they are that they don’t mind standing out? How can we as parents affirm our children so they know those little differences make them special and unique?
Ways To Encourage Your Kids To Stand Out At School
Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About People In History That Used Their Uniqueness To Cause Change In The World.
Spend time talking about some of the people that have the changed the world because they knew being different wasn’t bad. The Lovings fell in love, even though society told them you shouldn’t be together if you were from different ethnic backgrounds. It’s because of them we are able to proudly walk down the streets with our own multiracial families today.
Parents Can Encourage Their Kids To Teach Their Friends About Their Culture.
Kids love showing off to their friends. Parents can help teach their kids to teach their friends about their culture. Get them excited to teach their friends about different traditions, let them try some different dishes you make in your family, and invite them over for some of your family events.
Help your child become more comfortable with their own culture so they want to include their friends in different things with your family. Even if it’s just one friend, you’ll start to notice how comfortable they become in their own skin.
Have A Global Themed Family Dinner With Your Child’s Classmates.
Help your child get to know their new classmates by inviting them over for a fun themed food night. Whip up some traditional dishes you normally make in your home and go crazy by making a few you haven’t even tried.
Make it a party and help everyone have fun and get excited to try something new. Oftentimes, kids make fun of kids that are different than them simply because they don’t understand.
Families Can Sit Down And Talk.
One of the most important things families can do is simply talk to their kids. Find out what makes them nervous to stand out from their peers and help alleviate that fear. Let them know how special they are daily and that you are always there to listen or give them a bit of advice.
How do you help your kids be comfortable with who they are at home and at school?
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