# Examples please of promoting ethnicity



## everhopeful (Feb 19, 2004)

Exactly what the title says!!  

Can anyone give me examples of how someone would promote a child's ethnicity ?

Thank you


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## Tibbelt (May 16, 2005)

Hello Ever (sorry - I feel like I know you as I read the adoption board a lot although I haven't posted much. probably ought to post more as we're in homestudy now!),

I've been thinking about this one too, this is the list I've come up with so far >>>

 Recognising festivals relevant to the child's backgroud (for example Chinese new year if the child were chinese) and celebrating / marking these

 Having pictures of the child's country / culture in the home

 Learning the language with the child (I have a friend whose daughter is learning Portuguese because her Dad is Brazilian, so they go to lessons together every weekend)

 Visiting a relevant religious organisation (for example, at one point we were thinking about adopting from Thailand and there's a gorgeous Thai temple near us which has a Sunday school so we were going to send our child there).

 Incorporating ethnic cuisine into the child's diet.

 Visiting the childs country

 Finding other people who have adopted from that region / ethnic mix and seeing if they have any family days you could go to (I know the IAC for example have a Russian day every once in a while for all the families who ahve adopted from Russia)

 Find some traditional children's stories from the child's country and make them part of the bedtime routine (my Nephews both love the story of Ganesha (sp? sorry...) and we often have that at bedtime when they stay!)

Hope that helps a little...
love and best wishes
Sarah
xx


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## everhopeful (Feb 19, 2004)

Hi Sarah

Pleased to meet you!!  

Thanks for those pointers, you've obviously been giving it quite a bit of thought! Well done!

I will take some of your ideas on board.

Thanks again

Ever x


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## ♥ M J ♥ (Apr 17, 2004)

Hi Sarah

Thank you for the information- very useful list 

xx


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## Spaykay (Nov 29, 2006)

Great ideas, thanks - as we hope to adopt internationally we will seriously have to consider the above. As for the religious aspect, I'd been thinking about it as DH is from a Catholic family and myself Protistant but neither of us follow, I think we will just follow an open attitide toeards religion, allowing the child to be aware of the many religions in the world and introducing them to the religion followed in his/her country of origin, but just let them choose what they're own thoughts and beliefs are as they grow. I guess I feel that just because someone originally comes from a specific religious background that it doesn't necesserily mean that they would choose to follow that religion, as I and my Dh didn't. Sorry to blah blah blah, but I'd just been thinking about it.

Kay xxx


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