Helping your child understand cultural identity

• Culture is the way distinct groups of people do things, and it changes to meet the social needs of that group.
• Identity is how you define who you are and how you fit into the world. That can be about your gender, ethnic origin, and sexual orientation. It can also be about your religious faith, dis/ability, neurodiversity, or language.
• Your child forms their cultural identity through family, and community experiences.
• Our cultural identity influences the way we parent our children.
• A strong sense of identity and pride in your culture is good for resilience and mental health.

• It’s important that children feel loved and valued for who they are by adults in their lives.
• If they're part of a peaceful and thriving community, they’ll experience being valued and celebrated. And they’ll grow up respecting and valuing differences in themselves and others.
• Children form beliefs and opinions about their identity from an early age. So, it’s important to help children be curious and not fearful of people who are different.
• Human beings have a strong need to belong and fit in. If a child thinks they don’t fit in with other’s expectations, they can believe there’s something wrong with them - which can stick.
• If children experience oppression, it can make them feel ashamed of who they are.
• Children who aren't proud of who they are can find it harder to thrive in their own or other cultures.
• If children can't be themselves, they can develop social and emotional difficulties.

Talk to your child about what makes them who they are. It’s never too early to do this. For example tell them about their name, what it means and if it’s a family name.

Tell family stories or talk about history to help a child find their place in the present. It can help children learn about themselves and celebrate who they are.

Help your child understand diversity in themselves and others by talking about it.

Challenge your own points of view and try accepting who or what your child identifies with. For instance, if they want to become vegetarian and your family are meat eaters.

Allow your child to be who they are and what they want to be – it’s so important for their mental health.