One of the most familiar areas in which children can appreciate the abundance of variety in their lives is food. Whether you dine in restaurants or at home, lead your children to the understanding that their food choices have been greatly enhanced, thanks to the sharing of cuisines from other cultures. 

         Chances are your children have favorite foods that span several continents. Help them to notice this.

         I hope your family has a regular schedule in which you return and check out batches of library books. If you don’t have that yet, try to work it into your routine. A child’s choice of books is a tremendous motivation toward improvement of reading. Be sure to choose a few books yourself, though, to fill in the gaps. Books about other cultures, either folk tales or non-fiction, are a tremendously underused section in many libraries. 

         Perhaps your child overhears a news report about a foreign country while you are watching the news. See if you can find a book about that country on the next visit to the library.

         You’d be surprised how people show their own cultural biases in their speech. I have frequently heard Americans talk about how the British drive on the wrong side of the road. A person who is being sensitive and open to other cultures would say that they drive on the opposite side of the road. They aren’t wrong for doing this - just different.

         Teachers incorporate partner and group activities into class work. Children need to be able to focus on the task at hand in such a way that the physical or cultural differences of other people will not detract from the assignment. Your preparation at home can be a big help.

         This column has been incorporated into Teach Your Children Well: A  Teacher's Advice for Parents.