Adoption can be one of the most amazing experiences in ones life. It gives people the opportunity to help children that need a forever family to care for them. Adoption can also serve to open people’s eyes to the different cultures in our world. When a family adopts a child that is of a different cultural background than their own, it offers an opportunity for the whole family to learn about that culture.
The internet and the public library are great resources for cultural information. Most kids love a good trip to the local library to borrow books. Reading children’s books from your adopted child’s culture can help you learn about them, and also can help give them a sense of self that they may not have otherwise. Researching different cultural practices, beliefs, and customs online can give a family a point of reference for creating new traditions within their household. For a family that has adopted a child from China, beginning a tradition in which they celebrate Chinese New Year can bring the family even closer together. This type of activity not only sparks family activities, but also gives that child something that allows them to feel special in their own way.
What starts in the family, as new and different cultural activities within their household can extend outside of the home, into the school and neighborhood. By being open minded and learning about your adopted child’s biological culture, one is fostering within that child an open minded, accepting nature of those around them that are different. They in turn, take this out into their own interractions, and can pass along the love, acceptance and tolerance they have been taught at home. Soon, what may start as something to aid in family bonding has spread wings and flown out into the world as a way to combat ignorance and prejudice.