How do you raise a Global Citizen? As a multicultural family living in the heart of the French countryside we are well aware that the idea of being a Global Citizen is one that we will have to nurture within our children. Whilst living in London we were surrounded by a rich variety of different cultures, and we encountered these cultural influences such as people, food, and music, on a daily basis. Where we now are in rural France we have to dig a little deeper and look a little harder to find the same cultural influences...but they are there...and we know the importance of highlighting them to our two young boys.
As we approach the fruitfulness of Summer our garden is flourishing with fruit, vegetables, and flowers that we planted earlier in the year. I believe nurturing the idea of global citizenship within our children is similiar to that of nurturing a plant. We plant seeds, water them, weed around them, support them, and soon will start to reap the rewards of the harvest. Children are often open to all sorts of thoughts and ideas. As their young minds form their own views about the world around them, with a little guidence you can help them discover what it is to be part of a wider community.
As with growing, the idea of being a Global Citizen can be planted, subtly, without the child even realising. You can develop and support the idea in one of the many ways already shown in this series, with music, travel, games, with family and friends, including the wider community around you. We're pretty new to growing in our garden, so we look to what is around us to support of journey. I may not always have the right answers for the inquisitive minds of my boys, but I have in mind what sources there are around us to help. You may not always agree with what you find and have to 'weed out' the good from the bad, but in doing so you will find you strengthen what has already been nurtured within.
Are you raising a Global Citizen? We'd love to hear your nurturing ways! This post was written as part of Creative World of Varya's 'A-Z of Raising Global Citizens' series. Do take the time to click below and have a read of some other blogger's views of how to raise a Global Citizen!
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As we approach the fruitfulness of Summer our garden is flourishing with fruit, vegetables, and flowers that we planted earlier in the year. I believe nurturing the idea of global citizenship within our children is similiar to that of nurturing a plant. We plant seeds, water them, weed around them, support them, and soon will start to reap the rewards of the harvest. Children are often open to all sorts of thoughts and ideas. As their young minds form their own views about the world around them, with a little guidence you can help them discover what it is to be part of a wider community.
As with growing, the idea of being a Global Citizen can be planted, subtly, without the child even realising. You can develop and support the idea in one of the many ways already shown in this series, with music, travel, games, with family and friends, including the wider community around you. We're pretty new to growing in our garden, so we look to what is around us to support of journey. I may not always have the right answers for the inquisitive minds of my boys, but I have in mind what sources there are around us to help. You may not always agree with what you find and have to 'weed out' the good from the bad, but in doing so you will find you strengthen what has already been nurtured within.
Are you raising a Global Citizen? We'd love to hear your nurturing ways! This post was written as part of Creative World of Varya's 'A-Z of Raising Global Citizens' series. Do take the time to click below and have a read of some other blogger's views of how to raise a Global Citizen!