The View from a Drawbridge

At the risk of alienating half the American population, I genuinely don’t think that building walls between countries brings about world peace or understanding. In fact, the more that we interact with the rest of the world, the less we will fear it. It’s the unknown that is scary. The more you travel, the more you know.

I believe it’s important to get your kids thinking about the wider world at an early age. Anything that inspires curiosity and imagination and creativity and expands one’s worldview can only be a good thing. That’s why I got very excited when my niece told me about Little Passports.

This is a program for children ages 3 to 12. When they sign up, they get a little suitcase, a passport, and a map of the world. Then each month they get an age-appropriate package in the mail that teaches them about other world concepts, countries and states, and includes letters, souvenirs and fun activities.

What a brilliant idea. But even if you can’t afford to participate in Little Passports, I strongly encourage you to promote global understanding, especially for your children. Maybe choose one country a month and learn about it with your child. Prepare a meal from that country. Listen to their music. Learn their history. Check out their art. Everything you need can be found on line.

As social media expands, and as the sea levels rise, the world is shrinking. It is really important to prepare your kids for the fact that the planet is becoming even more of a melting pot than it already is. Walls won’t help you in this effort. Instead, build bridges.