Raising Global Citizens: Nurturing Cultural Diversity with Sarah Jayne

On today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Adina Oberman talks to Sarah Jayne, a content creator and blogger based in Pennsylvania. The mission of her blog and social channels is to inspire parents to embrace cultural experiences and travel with their kids.

 

Episode Highlights:

• 01:48: Sarah shares the origin of her blogging journey, driven by the desire to connect with other moms during maternity leave amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She also discusses the unexpected growth and opportunities that unfolded in her content creation journey during the pandemic.
• 03:59: Adina reflects on the relatability of Sarah's story for many parents navigating challenges during the pandemic.
• 05:02: Sarah elaborates on her multicultural family background, highlighting the importance of raising bilingual children and incorporating intentional choices in cultural learning.
• 06:41: Sarah discusses specific strategies for cultural learning, including reading books, watching TV shows, and spending time with Spanish-speaking family members.
• 09:45: The discussion delves into the impact of intentional parenting choices and exposing children to diverse experiences, both culturally and in other aspects of life.
• 10:44: Sarah empathizes with the challenges of parenting and acknowledges the victory in simply getting kids ready on time. She mentions the commonality of parenting stress and the added challenges, especially when it involves traveling with kids.
• 11:27: Sarah encourages a shift in mindset towards exploring diversity locally and exposing kids to different cultures without the need for extensive travel. Adina agrees and acknowledges the wealth of diversity available within neighborhoods.
• 12:41: Sarah emphasizes evaluating the pros and cons of traveling with kids, highlighting the positive impact on children. She mentions the strategies, tips, and tricks she has learned for successful family travel.
• 14:14: Adina appreciates the point about accepting that meltdowns can happen anywhere, not just during travel. They discuss the inevitability of meltdowns and the importance of not letting the fear of meltdowns limit travel experiences.
• 15:14: Sarah suggests connecting with the local tourism board as an excellent starting point to discover cultural events and resources. She recommends looking for multicultural events, passing through the area, or featuring different cuisines.
• 16:28: Adina discusses additional resources for cultural experiences, mentioning local libraries offering museum passes. She highlights the benefits of such resources, including free passes and the flexibility to handle meltdowns without significant financial investment.
• 17:52: Sarah reveals that her family is currently going through the adoption process to complete their family of five. They became home study approved at the end of 2023 and are eagerly awaiting a match.
• 19:26: Adina appreciates Sarah's openness in sharing her adoption journey, acknowledging the messiness of family life and the contrast with the curated perfection often portrayed on social media.

 

Key Points:

1. Tips and challenges of family travel are shared, focusing on the positive impact on children and strategies for managing inevitable challenges.
2. Sarah suggests utilizing local resources like tourism boards, social media, and library museum passes for cultural learning experiences.
3. The conversation touches on family, multiculturalism, and travel, emphasizing local resources for cultural learning and offering insights into family travel challenges.

 

Tweetable Quotes:

• "Traveling abroad is amazing, but you don't need to go past your neighborhood to expose kids to diversity. Shift your mindset to explore local multicultural opportunities." - Sarah
• "Local libraries offer free museum passes. It's a great way to introduce kids to something new without financial pressure. Check your local library for these resources." - Adina
• "Family life is messy, far from perfect. Sarah's openness about their adoption journey adds depth to our understanding of real-life experiences." - Sarah

 

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families Be Happy Podcast Apple
• https://www.sarahjaynexplores.com/
• Podcast Editing