THE GENESIS OF AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
(6 minute read)
Celebrating diversity is at the heart of Country Kids. We’re proud to have created a community that thrives on the evolving forms of family structures that are now recognized as part of the fabric of modern society.
The traditional concept of family has been redefined, embracing multigenerational, recomposed, and LGBTQ+ families. In this article, Country Kids founder Syl discusses what celebrating diversity means, and what it offers to the families who come to Country Kids as guests and leave as friends.
How Is Celebrating Diversity Shaping Modern Families?
The concept of family has evolved through the ages, and no more so than in recent decades. It is now a more fluid, all-encompassing embrace that celebrates diversity.
Family is no longer founded on the notion of blood and legal bonds, but on the acknowledgement that love is the glue that holds a family together. It’s a progressive ethos that supports a wide array of family dynamics. This includes:
- Multigenerational families, where grandparents, parents, and children live under one roof, sharing life’s experiences and wisdom across generations.
- Recomposed families, which bring together parents and children from previous relationships into a new, unified whole.
- LGBTQ+ families, in which it is love and parenting skills that are the champions of family life.
We firmly believe that society must continue to challenge outdated norms and foster a culture of acceptance, understanding, and inclusivity. For us, celebrating diversity is the recognition of the love and commitment that all members of all families bring to each other’s lives, and the lives of those around them.
By celebrating diversity, you’ll find that the Country Kids family practices what it preaches – mutual respect, empathy, and understanding, in a safe haven in which all families are free to express their uniqueness, without judgement or prejudice.
What Makes Celebrating Diversity a Cornerstone at Country Kids?
When we first founded Country Kids, we were adamant that it must be built on a foundation of inclusivity and support, offering a plethora of family activities and an environment conducive to growth, celebrating diversity of families of all kinds.
From day one, we have:
- Fostered an environment where every family feels celebrated, with a variety of events and activities that affirm the beauty of every family structure.
- Championed cultural diversity through communal activities, engaging families in activities that encourage sharing of experiences and interests.
- Provided robust support for unique family dynamics, so that everyone has a sense of belonging within the Country Kids family.
- Empowered families with knowledge through educational holidays, hosting many workshops, classes, and other activities to empower all family members.
- Advocated for health and wellbeing through nature-bound activities, promoting families to connect with nature and fostering physical health and emotional bonds.
How Does Celebrating Diversity Enrich Children’s Lives?
When we move from acknowledging diversity to celebrating diversity, children’s lives are enriched in a multitude of ways. It’s an environment that cultivates empathy, understanding, and a more complete worldview in young minds.
As Dr Beverly Daniel Tatum discusses in her book ‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?’, exposing children to a variety of cultural and social environments from an early age fosters empathy, understanding, and a broad-minded perspective, as well as helping them to appreciate differences and value inclusivity.
When kids play with other kids from different backgrounds, they learn that families come in all shapes and sizes. This helps them to develop a more open and accepting way of thinking, which is demonstrated in improving emotional intelligence, social adaptability, and cultural competence.
On top of this, the benefits of our inclusive setting extend beyond social skills. You’ll find your kids become more resilient when faced with the challenge of change, and they become more adept at learning from the experiences of others who may be different to themselves.
Celebrating diversity is the foundation stone on which children develop into adults who will bring more understanding, empathy, and inclusivity into the world – and boy, do we need this. A world in which, perhaps one day, all differences will not only be accepted, but valued.
A Call to Embrace Diversity
At Country Kids, we believe that a focus on celebrating diversity gives us all the opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to a world in which our individual qualities and uniqueness provide the platform for a truly inclusive society.
Within this, your voice matters. So, we’d like to encourage you to share your thoughts and stories with us. Tell us what family means to you, and help us amplify the message of inclusivity by sharing this article celebrating diversity.
y.
