“Tolerance is an act of humanity, which we must nurture and enact each in our own lives every day, to rejoice in the diversity that makes us strong and the values that bring us together.” – UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay
In this day and age, we are bound to come across something we don’t agree with. What is it they say not to talk about on first dates or family gatherings? Religion and politics. Yes, these are just two of the hotbed topics that create division and intolerance amongst the U.S. population. But there are also many other ideologies and topics that cause people to disagree and take very opposite sides in the matter. I won’t go into the details of those because, well, I’m not about to create a divide in this post.
What I want to talk about, and rather bluntly, is intolerance. My favorite phrase I say all the time is “agree to disagree.” I know that we are going to disagree about so many things in life. I mean, this is even going to come down to food choices and eating lifestyles. We all have our own convictions and our own beliefs. But in owning those different beliefs, we also do not have the right to demean or put down those that don’t hold the same opinions as we do.
Our children replicate our behavior. If our children see us acting out or against those that we don’t agree with, they are going to act out the same way. Intolerance is taught at home. Intolerance is not a trait we are born with, such as red hair or green eyes or freckles. This is a learned behavior. Intolerance is taught. Acceptance or non-acceptance of others of a different race, beliefs or even orientation is something that is developed over time, influenced by our upbringing.
We need to teach our children tolerance on a daily basis. Don’t have the best tolerance yourself? Well, start with yourself. Take time out of your day to really be introspective and search for the root of your intolerance. Are you too proud to admit that you are wrong? Are you so grounded in your belief system that you can’t see outside of it? I grew up in a very intolerant situation. There was one way to believe and if you strayed outside that belief system, you were pretty much doomed.
Thankfully, I have been able to overcome that mindset and develop a wide range of tolerance for those that have different ideas, beliefs, and thoughts than me. I always try to think about it this way. If we all believed the same thing, acted the same way, thought the same ideas, life would be SO boring. I celebrate the diversity I see on a daily occurrence.
I love to learn about different cultures. I love to taste various foods from different countries. I love to see how different ideologies can translate into new traditions and activities we get to participate in. But, if there’s something I don’t agree with or don’t like, simple. I just don’t participate. That doesn’t mean YOU can’t. That is your choice, and I respect that. That’s what’s so great about being tolerant. We can all do our own thing, our own way, and I’m perfectly happy with that!
Like I said earlier, our children learn from our actions and how we are at home. They see our actions (or inaction) and turn around and act out that same way. If they see us calling someone names because they are of a different political mindset, they are going to repeat that. If they see us make fun of someone because of who they choose to love, that’s going to come out in their actions as well. Tolerance and acceptance start at home.
4 Ways to Promote Tolerance and Respect in Your Child
- Make them feel special, safe and loved. Don’t spare words of praise or affection.
- Teach him about new places, people, and cultures. Expose him to different perspectives through books, music, food, and cultural events.
- Use positive comments to shape and reinforce her behavior.
- Model tolerance and respect.
This year, I want my children to bake cookies for various church leaders in our community. I don’t care if they are a different religion than us or not religious at all. I want to reach out and celebrate them and, in turn, teach my children that we need to accept that not everyone is going to believe the same as us, and that’s perfectly ok.
What are some things that you can do as a family that would help to promote tolerance and acceptance? What are some tangible ways that you can show your love to others? I’d love to hear some ways this can be accomplished!
