Different is good! Ask yourself first: 1) How do you act with, and treat others? 2) How do you handle conflicts when you disagree with someone close to you?
If you’re open-minded and treat everyone with respect, your child will be able to learn from that. In order to get on the subject of diversity, try an exercise with your child and perhaps a sibling or friend.
Exercise
- Start with drawing a flower with big flower petals.
- Ask everyone to paint their favourite colour in our of the petals. Next petal should have their favorite food, next with their favorite game and so on.
- While doing this exercise, ask around and discuss each and everyone’s favorites, to see what makes you differ from each other.
And surely you’re all still friends, although you all like different things?
Other ways of supporting your child to become more open-minded and accepting their own diversity is by reading books about other children in other life-situations, try new cuisines, learn a new language, and watch movies about different people, cultures and places.
Watch a movie together
In the Peppy Pals scenario The friends have different opinions, the friends read a book together. They take turns turning the page and react differently at various things they like or dislike. The reader gets to learn about the friends’ diversity and how they handle the situation.
By watching the movie, reading the book or playing the game The friends have different opinions, you and your child will be able to discuss how the friends are so different yet still very good friends.