Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Halifax, NS

With the New Year comes new ideas and resolutions for ourselves and our children. I am honoured to host a DVD Giveaway for you all, but first I would like you to read this guest post by Rashmi Turner, Founder of Global Wonder.

Teaching Children about Other Cultures â?¦A Resolution We Should Keep
Rashmi Turner, Founder of Global Wonders
www.globalwonders.com

This is a truly unique holiday season. With the state of the economy and world affairs, most of our gift selections and resolutions pertain to saving more and spending less. While it's easy to get caught up in the financial aspect of what's going on around us, as parents we are presented with a great opportunity to focus on something positive with our kids and help them develop a better understanding and appreciation of the various
cultures around them and around the world.

The world is increasingly multi-cultural and more globally connected than ever before â?? just think about how many holiday celebrations are happening right now! Our children are being exposed to many different customs, languages and people in their classrooms, neighborhoods and society in general. As a first generation Indian-American and a mother of two young cross-cultural daughters, I have always appreciated the need for true cultural understanding. I've also experienced the joy of living in a multi-cultural world. It is becoming more and more important to ignite this curiosity and appreciation in our children all year long.

The holidays mark a time for reflection and offer a chance for us to re-evaluate the lifelong lessons we impart on our children. We can use the holiday atmosphere as an opportunity to foster learning, joy, hope and unity, no matter if your holiday is called Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza or Ramadan. We can also resolve to teach our kids more about our own cultural traditions and those of others in the coming year.

As we move into January, most of us will add last year's resolution to lose those five extra holiday pounds back on our list, but, maybe our collective New Year's resolution for 2009 should be to help our children become "global citizens." Let's make a conscious effort to introduce them to more aspects of the world around them, so they will develop a greater appreciation of not only their own cultural background, but those of all people in the world. Wouldn't that be a resolution you'd like to say you kept this year?

Rashmi Turner is the FOUNDER of GLOBAL WONDERS (www.globalwonders.com), a
new brand of cross-cultural educational entertainment products that inspire
children to discover, share, and compare the customs, music, heritage,
languages, and lifestyles of the "kaleidoscope" of cultures that surround
them through a suite of DVDs, CDs and other learning products.

Isn't that amazing? I totally agree that teaching our children about different cultures is so very important. So here is you chance to teach your kids, with a Global Wonders DVD! Just email me at beingsavvyhalifax@gmail.com, with your contact email and which DVD from www.globalwonders.com would be a welcome addition to your home. You have until midnight on January 8, 2009! Good Luck!