How to Raise Globally Minded Kids
We as parents get up each morning with the intention of raising our kids to be productive citizens of the world. We all desire to sit back and honestly think that our kids are empathetic and tolerant of all people and walks of life. The problem is HOW DO WE GET THERE? What is the secret to how to raise globally minded kids?
What You Value the Most
Kids are natural imitators. If you ever watch a 2-year-old who is learning to form sentences, you know they go through a “parrot” stage. They repeat everything you say automatically. They imitate your catch phrases and your mannerisms. Whether you realized it or not, they spent the last 2 years watching you. Your good and bad habits are held up in a proverbial mirror known as a toddler.
“Children have never been good at listening to their parents, but they have never failed to imitate them.”
― John Medina, Brain Rules for Baby
Any parent knows time is scarce and valuable. There are only so many hours in the day. So what do you prioritize in order to raise globally minded kids?
My top three priorities:
Books. Travel. Learning Languages.
Why those three you might be wondering… I am so glad you asked!
Books
For me, watching my child transition from being a non-reader to one who can read independently is one of the biggest milestones and miracles of life. Experts in the field have shown us that reading aloud is a scientifically proven method to increase student success in reading.
We read with our kids to help them become lifelong readers, but we do it for another reason as well. Well known book character Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird said ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”
To teach your children about different people in history who were everyday heroes will inspire them to change the world. Reading outside of your comfort zone where people share a different opinion than yours can be transforming as well.
“Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic.”
–John Mark Green
Teaching Empathy
You can use words for powerful changes almost instantaneously. How does this happen? The answer I have come up with is emotion. When you appeal to a person emotionally with your words, they can be transformed. Our words have the power to inspire, encourage, as well as motivate our children through books when we use the power of emotion.
Think about a baby crying for example. We as parents know the different cries for hungry, wet, tired, etc. You can hear in your child’s tone or pitch which emotion they are feeling. They do not use any words, however you can understand what they are trying to communicate through their emotion. My newborn daughter makes it abundantly clear when she is ready to eat and I am taking too long!:)
Expert tip for babies: teach them sign language right from birth!
I care very deeply about books that showcase the experiences of my children. I search for books that promote strong, smart, and biracial girls who are accomplishing their goals. However, I also bring home books that highlight history, culture, and experiences from all over the world.
It is just as important to teach kids WHAT to read as well as HOW to read. Share on X
If you are looking for place to start with diverse and multicultural books, here is a great list:
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
- Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt
- One Love by Cedella Marley and Bob Marley
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
- The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
- Beatrice’s Goat by Page McBrier
- Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams
- One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway
- Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming
Travel
I feel strongly that books are critical to raising children, but I feel just as strongly about traveling. Embracing cultures, diversity, and empathy for others are just the beginning of the benefits of children traveling. A recent article I read that says everything I believe about traveling with children. A great read when you have a chance: Why Travel is Never Wasted on Young Kids.
“Those who don’t travel the world only read one page.” You would never read only a few pages of your favorite book and stop. You would read as much and as fast as humanly possible. After reading the good parts over and over, you would talk about your favorite part to anyone who would listen. You might even spark a conversation with someone who loved the same book as you.
The same concept is true for traveling. The amazing experiences and stories would be at the tip of your tongue in all conversations. Again, it all goes back to education. I believe traveling is crucial for children to increase reading vocabulary as well as their comprehension. There will be a great depth in their academic work due to the unique perspective from having a real-life connection to the topic or subject.
Learning Languages
We have come a long way in education to understand that languages are a CRUCIAL gateway to the future in social skills, academic skills, and advantages in the job market. I believe being multilingual is a big part of raising globally minded kids.
Noam Chomsky puts it this way: We are not born with the capacity to speak a specific language. We are born with the capacity to speak any language.
In teaching your child to become a reader, multilingualism helps them to understand the concept that two words can mean the same thing, or that one word can have more than one meaning depending on the context it has used. There is nothing wrong with a parents’ decision to rely solely on passive learning that is environmental. However, parents have the ability to have control over this part of learning with learning languages.
Rewiring the Brain
As Prof. Xiao-lei Wang states in Learning to Read and Write in the Multilingual Family, “research has provided ample evidence to establish the close link between a child’s oral language skills and the child’s later reading and writing competence. Children with higher levels of oral proficiency and more elaborated vocabulary can read more easily than their less proficient peers.” Learning more than one language can literally rewire the brain.
“At birth, your baby can distinguish between the sounds of every language that has ever been invented. Professor Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington, discovered this phenomenon. She calls kids at this age “citizens of the world.”– John Medina, Brain Rules for Baby
Below is a short video of my 18-month-old daughter learning Latvian with our nanny.
A very popular joke I have heard many times in the international communities abroad at both international schools and at social events:
“What do you call a person who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual.
What do you call a person who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual
What do you call a person who speaks only one language? American.”
I am determined to have my kids not be the butt of that joke!:)
Your turn. What are your top three priorities for your kids? How are you raising globally minded kids? Join our conversation in the comments below.
We want to invite you to join the Biracial Bookworms Tribe. Click below to meet amazing and like minded people who support and encourage global citizenship!
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03/15/2018 @ 6:13 am
This is such a powerful and an eye opener blog for me as a mom and as a blogger. I have a child, who is struggling to speak both languages( of mine and my husband’s), however, he understands both but prefers to speak only English. This blog is a conscious reminder to start doing what I strongly believe in.
03/15/2018 @ 8:41 am
Wow! This has made my day! I agree, we just need to simplify what it is we are passionate about, and take tiny steps towards our goals every day. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment Malavika. If you are interested, I have a FB group to support parents like us who want to raise multilingual readers. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReadYourWorld.MultiracialResources/
Please feel free to join us, you would be most welcome!
03/14/2018 @ 9:57 pm
I love this! I am constantly diversifying my library at home with my kids and several of the books you’ve mentioned are in our favorites list!
My son is starting kindergarten next year in a Spanish Immersion school which I’m so excited about. I need resources on how to support him since I don’t speak any Spanish myself! I’m so excited for him to have this opportunity, despite my own lack of knowledge in that area.
We are constantly trying to explore other cultures and ways of life without bias or judgment. It’s a start!
Thanks for your perspective and for helping us make a global education a priority.
I’ve been admiring you and your blog for a while now and am excited to learn and grow from your work ❤️
Ashley | Look for Little Helpers
03/14/2018 @ 11:08 pm
This has made my day Ashley. Thank you for being such a loyal supporter! I am so thrilled for you to start your new adventure of Spanish immersion with your little. I would love to connect with you further in my Facebook group that is full of amazing people like yourself. We are all in this together!! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReadYourWorld.MultiracialResources/
03/14/2018 @ 11:11 pm
Oh, I’d love to! I will join the group. Thank you for the information and the invitation to join you!
07/07/2017 @ 4:11 am
Love this! I want my children to be well-rounded and well-travelled. That’s so important to me!
06/13/2017 @ 8:18 pm
This is super interesting! Will be sharing with my sister for sure. Thanks for sharing!
06/13/2017 @ 11:55 pm
Wonderful!! Thanks for sharing Kelly!
06/12/2017 @ 11:59 pm
Thanks for the book suggestions! I love to read…now I have a few more ideas.
06/13/2017 @ 2:41 am
Awesome Sandra!! Hope this multicultural list takes you on wonderful adventures with your kids!
06/12/2017 @ 12:38 pm
Thanks for inspiration and great ideas… this would help me in raising my trilingual kid … very challenging but your work inspires me always!
https://figmentsofimaginationwordpresscom.wordpress.com/2015/12/26/a-new-mom-coping-with-baby-blues/
06/12/2017 @ 7:05 pm
Thank you Daisy! What an amazing accomplishment for your trilingual child! Keep up the great work Mama. It will pay off in spades!
06/11/2017 @ 2:20 am
I completely agree with this! My son is 8 months old (today!) and we have been exposing him to books since his first month. We try to travel yearly, with international travel being every other year. We will continue to do that. I learned three other languages other than English, which sadly, I have not kept up with. I’m hoping my son picks up one of them and they will come back to me!
06/11/2017 @ 2:36 am
Yes to all of the above Jenn!! You got this mama!! Languages will come back and now you have someone to teach who thinks everything you say is AMAZING. What is so fun is that our kids pick up the languages so fast. My daughter constantly corrects my pronunciation as we have learned languages together. Your son is so lucky to have you investing in his future with your dedication to books, travel, and languages. Bravo mama!! Happy reading and happy trails!
06/10/2017 @ 3:16 pm
Reading is so important for kids. I raised my kids with the love of books.
They are very smart adults now.
Reading for a child opens their imagination and creativity.
The mind is a muscle that must be used and reading is the best way to work out.
06/10/2017 @ 2:52 pm
Amazing article! I love that there are people out there actually caring for their kids on such a level! Bravo!
06/10/2017 @ 3:09 pm
Thank you for your comment and your kind words Nina!
06/10/2017 @ 6:01 am
This is what we strive for with our kids. Prepping them for the future global world and not just that with raising them globally, they think differently too.
06/10/2017 @ 1:46 pm
Yes, thinking differently is vital to future global citizens being tolerant and open minded! Thanks CW!
06/10/2017 @ 5:55 am
I love this! I’m not a mom yet, but I’ve always thought that when I am I’d want to raise my kids to read and travel and not accept what other people tell them about the world, that they should go see it and make decisions for themselves.
06/10/2017 @ 1:47 pm
You are ahead of the game Monica!! Your future kids are so lucky to have such an enlightened mama! Cheers!
06/04/2017 @ 1:59 pm
I couldn’t agree more! Especially the joke about Americans only speaking one language… when my international friends share how many languages they speak, it’s embarrassing!
06/04/2017 @ 2:03 pm
I agree. When I hear my friends talking and they say “I ONLY speak 4 languages”, I am in awe!
05/17/2017 @ 5:10 am
I love this! It’s super important to have kids that are globally aware and responsible citizens.
05/17/2017 @ 9:43 pm
Hear hear Camela! Thanks for commenting!
05/17/2017 @ 3:30 am
This is a wonderful post. Good job mom.
05/17/2017 @ 3:30 am
These are great suggestions, particularly books. I love books because you can start them from a very young age. I have my son engaged with books (he is 9 months, been around them from day dot) and is a great way to build their awareness of the world around them. Thanks for sharing!
05/17/2017 @ 12:08 pm
Wonderful! Your son has a fabulous mama! Keep up the good work with reading!
05/16/2017 @ 6:12 pm
When I’m looking for another book to read after I’m done with the ones that I already have, I am going to check out one of these for sure.
05/16/2017 @ 7:05 pm
Wonderful Luci! Let me know how you enjoy them!!
05/16/2017 @ 10:03 am
I’ve seen quite a few of your posts now and I just love them all! It’s so important that we read to our children, and equally as important WHAT we read to them. Great post!
05/16/2017 @ 10:10 am
Thanks Sarah! That is so wonderful to have you check out many of my blogs. I really appreciate the feedback. I feel with children. literature is like food. You want to consume only the best! Cheers!!
05/15/2017 @ 11:31 pm
I love this. Children watch parents and that’s their greatest influence.
05/15/2017 @ 11:43 pm
It’s both a great advantage and a heavy responsibility right? Thanks for commenting!
05/15/2017 @ 10:27 pm
My daughter is a book FANATIC! It didn’t happen overnight though. Thank you for the wonderful read.
05/15/2017 @ 11:42 pm
Agreed. Putting in the work is tough sometimes. I just want my 6 year old to go to bed quickly sometimes. But the payoff, oh my. Thanks for reading!!
05/15/2017 @ 10:19 pm
As a tri-lingual adult who learned all three languages before the age of 13, I have to say that I feel honored to be able to navigate the world the way I do. When we plan trips or when friends/family are planning trips away from home I am their go to person. Also, there are awesome studies to show that kids who speak more than one language and travel well, tend to develop a higher level of intelligence and social skills. Great read – thank you!
05/15/2017 @ 11:45 pm
Amazing!! I think the advantages multilingual adults have are absolutely AMAZING. Languages are tough for me who started at age 13 but that doesn’t slow me down from giving my all. My kids have better accents than I ever will though and I absolutely love it!!:)
05/15/2017 @ 6:23 pm
My kids hate reading. I don’t really make time for it either, so I don’t know how to convince them that it’s important.
05/15/2017 @ 6:31 pm
It’s hard to force it for sure. You can make it fun by starting with comics or magazines or even reading the subtitles on their favorite television show and muting the sound.. baby steps.:)
05/12/2017 @ 3:21 am
Great book recommendations!
05/12/2017 @ 12:20 pm
Thanks Tracy!! I know you are also an authority on book recommendations so I am excited to use them when our amazing Reading Adventures journal arrives!!
05/12/2017 @ 1:40 am
Books, travel and language skills are things I will be teaching my children from an early age!
05/12/2017 @ 1:58 am
That is awesome Candace!????????
05/11/2017 @ 12:44 am
Traveling for sure! I love to travel 🙂
05/11/2017 @ 1:25 am
Planes, trains, and automobiles. I will take them all!!????
05/11/2017 @ 12:24 am
This is very true and good. I think it’s so important to raise globally minded kids. Thank you for sharing.
XOXO //
SINCERELY OPHELIA
05/11/2017 @ 1:24 am
Thanks for commenting Ophelia!
05/10/2017 @ 7:56 pm
It’s so important! I was raised reading tons and tons of books and learning about other places! It really makes for more tolerant, well rounded people!
05/11/2017 @ 1:24 am
I am so happy to hear it had such an impact on you. Exposing our kids while they are young lasts for the rest of our lives.
05/10/2017 @ 7:48 pm
Agree with all three. Especially in the modern technology world. We have to remember our children still get value from the oldest forms of learning.
05/11/2017 @ 1:26 am
A good old fashioned book is still magical in a world of smart phones, kindles, podcasts, etc. ????????
05/10/2017 @ 6:53 pm
Excellent post! I also try to read a lot with our little one. It makes a huge difference!
05/10/2017 @ 7:05 pm
Good for you mama! I agree, the difference it makes is worth the effort!
05/10/2017 @ 2:35 pm
This is an excellent article. You hit so many of the priorities for raising culturally aware children who are engaged and interested in the world around them. The wonderful thing about books is that they are available to all who have access to a library. Even those who may not have the resources to travel can learn so much about the world, the people and the cultures around them. Great job!
05/10/2017 @ 2:38 pm
I could not agree more. I am currently trying to write children’s books using my own kids as inspiration to travel the world through books! I am feeling so motivated after receiving feedback like yours! Cheers!
05/10/2017 @ 2:32 pm
Such good advice in this article! I started learning French when I was 9, and it’s had an immeasurable impact on my life! Not only did I end up doing a master’s degree in Paris, I became a lifelong lover of all languages.
05/10/2017 @ 2:35 pm
Wow that is incredible! We lived in Mauritania, West Africa the past two years and my French is still embarrassing! I don’t want my kids to struggle like I do. I love that my 6 year old has to translate for me!! Cheers! Thanks for commenting!!
05/10/2017 @ 1:48 pm
This is so good!!! I don’t have kids yet but this was such a helpful post! I love the way you think & I agree!
05/10/2017 @ 2:27 pm
Great feedback! I am blushing over here!! Thanks for the encouragement Esmeralda!
05/10/2017 @ 5:10 am
I love this post! We read so much in our home and would love to travel full time if possible with our children!
05/10/2017 @ 7:19 pm
Me too! It doesn’t matter where the plane is going, I want to be on it!:) Thanks for commenting!
05/10/2017 @ 2:48 am
LOVE this! Even though I don’t have children yet, I love the idea of coming up with ideas of how to raise globally minded kids – that’s so important for the future!
Traveling is a big one and exposing them to culture through books and arts is so important. I hope I can become a type of mommy that has time to do stuff like that with them.
Great blogpost, love how thoughtful it is and what a unique subject!
http://www.elleisforlove.com
05/10/2017 @ 2:50 am
Thank you for the encouragement! I am excited you found it valuable, even though it’s not applicable now! I really appreciate the feedback!! Cheers!
05/10/2017 @ 2:42 am
What would my three priorities be for my kids?
Language – I am already teaching them Spanish along with English
Crafts – I am a crafty person and I would love for my kids to love the arts
Books – I’ve always loved books. This would be a great escape for them.
05/10/2017 @ 2:48 am
Those are amazing! I have always wanted to be an artist. My daughter excels and I am always amazed. I was more into sports and did not ever slow down enough to cultivate any talent I might have had. High five to you for helping your kids become multilingual! Thanks for commenting!! Cheers and happy reading!
05/10/2017 @ 1:19 am
Love this!!! I love that my kids have a deep love of reading! 🙂
05/10/2017 @ 1:26 am
Well done! You have given your kids a lifelong gift! Thanks for commenting!