Raising Multicultural Kids: Tips for Celebrating Diversity at Home with Erika Sargent

On today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Christopher Robbins, co-founder of Familius Publishing, husband, father of nine, author, fisherman, backpacker, and aspirational musician based in the Central Valley of California, talks to Erika Sargent. She is the founder of Multicultural Parenting, an organization that helps parents raise their children with a better understanding and appreciation of their cultural heritage. She graduated from Brigham Young University to BA in communications. Today they are discussing specific ways that parents can incorporate more culture into their homes and family’s upbringing.

 

Episode Highlights

• 01:51: Multicultural parenting is an online community that works to help families raise their children with a better understanding and appreciation of their cultural heritage. It includes a blend of interviews, resources, actionable item steps and personal experiences from multicultural parents.
• 04:41: When Erika was looking for resources to help with multicultural parenting, she found a lack of general multicultural parenting resources. While there were options for specific cultural backgrounds, she wanted to create a broader platform that would provide support and resources for families with diverse cultural backgrounds, hence the creation of multicultural parenting.
• 05:04: Erika highlights that there are abundant resources for raising bilingual children but limited guidance for families seeking to incorporate multiple cultural backgrounds into their parenting approach.
• 06:24: Erika emphasizes the importance of providing parents with simple and actionable steps to connect their children with their cultural backgrounds.
• 07:01: Christopher acknowledges the significance of multicultural parenting and Erika's work and ask about practical steps that parents can take to celebrate their culture with their children.
• 08:23: Incorporating everyday living like music, TV programs or games and cooking like preparing recipes with cultural backgrounds or family cookbooks in everyday activities into family life can help parents celebrate their culture with their children in a natural and meaningful way says Erika.
• 10:25: Erika recommends using public libraries as a valuable resource. They offer a wide range of books, including picture books and nonfiction books, that can help parents teach their children about their cultural history.
• 11:34: Christopher mentions that many children in their area speak Spanish, and Erika confirms that dual immersion programs, where children are taught in bilingual classrooms, are growing in popularity across the United States.
• 13:13: Erika highlights the joy of being a multicultural parent, as it provides an opportunity not only to pass on cultural traditions but also to continually learn new things and deepen one's own cultural understanding.
• 13:54: Erika introduces the concept of "participate" as the last pillar in their discussion. This pillar encourages people to step out of their comfort zones and become actively involved in their community's cultural aspects.
• 15:05: Christopher summarizes the three pillars of their discussion: "Educate, celebrate, participate." These pillars provide a comprehensive framework for parents and families to enrich their understanding and appreciation of their multicultural backgrounds and the broader cultural diversity within their communities.
• 15:41: Erika emphasizes that parents can expand their horizons without necessarily having to travel to different countries. Many events, such as festivals and museum exhibits, provide opportunities to experience diverse cultures without the need for expensive travel.
• 17:17: Erika highlights the importance of utilizing family members as valuable resources.

3 Key Points

1. Erika's talks about the importance of utilizing resources like libraries and culturally diverse books to make learning about one's cultural heritage an enjoyable and engaging experience for children.
2. Erika and Christopher underscores the significance of both formal education programs and cultural traditions in helping children appreciate and understand their multicultural heritage.
3. Erika and Christopher provides valuable insights and practical tips for parents to engage with their children's multicultural backgrounds and foster a deeper appreciation for diversity through celebration, education, and active participation in their communities.

Tweetable Quotes

• “Multicultural parenting is built on three pillars, celebrate, educate, participate. These three pillars form the foundation of multicultural parenting, making it a valuable resource for families looking to embrace and pass on their cultural heritage to the next generation.” – Erika 
• “Familius Publishing offers multicultural picture books, such as "My Name Is Cool" and "The Proudest Color." They have recently released a book that explores a diverse family dynamic called "My House and My Family." These books provide an engaging way for children to learn about different cultures and family dynamics.” – Erika
• “Multicultural parenting is not about rigidly following a checklist but rather providing options and ideas that parents can adapt to their family's needs. It's about incorporating what works best for your family, considering your time constraints and personal circumstances.” - Erika

Resources Mentioned

• Helping Families be Happy Podcast Apple
• multiculturalparenting.com
• Podcast Editing