Teaching Children To Be More Tolerant

Children are not born with prejudice but as they grow they learn a lot by observing others. The three factors that influences there thinking are – home, school and media. However, the parents are the most powerful influence in their life. Your way of dealing with things and situations, your remarks on people can leave an impression on the child. Making fun of fat or disabled person, giving importance to the color of the skin or being biased between “haves” and “have not” influences the ability of the child to tolerate diversity.

As a parent it is your duty to monitor your attitudes and behavior because whatever you say or do is going to have a direct influence on the child. Tolerance has to be taught in a subtle way. Parents who demonstrate tolerance with people of diverse communities in there everyday lives send a strong message to the child to appreciate differences.

You need to teach your child that no two people are alike and they should respect the differences. Don’t let the child talk down about other people, or to people. They should learn to treat others the way they would like to be treated; one should not hurt the feelings of others.

Being tolerant does not mean you have to tolerate everything. Behavior tolerance is about accepting the person for who they are and not about accepting bad behavior. Tolerance also does not mean you have to give up your culture, faith and beliefs. You need to honor your culture and religious traditions also.

Young ones will express themselves the way you do. The mind of the child is like a sponge, it absorbs everything. Try to answer kid’s questions about differences honestly and respectfully. We need to make them realize that every person is same inside.

By teaching kindness, tolerance and compassion we give our children the ability to live in a diverse world.