FIVE-YEAR-OLD TEACHES PARENTS TO ACCEPT OTHERS
For some adults, who have been conditioned to believe certain stereotypes, acceptance of others and their differences can be difficult. However, children who have yet to be exposed to such conditioning have a different perspective. Lucinda, a five-year-old guest on the program Keys to My Kid, shares her views.
Mainstream media and social media are constantly promoting stereotypes. As users consume news, they hold mental images of these stereotypes and judge others who are different. SAT-7, on the other hand, aims to diffuse false images of the other through social impact programs that promote Christian values, such as SAT-7 ARABIC’s parenting program Keys to My Kid.
“THAT’S HOW GOD CREATED THEM”
On a recent episode of Keys to My Kid, a five-year-old guest, Lucinda, surprised the Presenter of the program, Asnat Awad, during a candid chat about the “others”. When asked about how she sees people who are different from her, Lucinda answered: “That’s how God created them. They are just like that. We can pray for the ill and poor for God to heal them and provide for them.”
As they discussed the differences between people based on religion, physical appearance or race, Lucinda said that all people are the same regardless and they should treat one another equally.
CHILDREN ARE NOT JUDGEMENTAL
The episode featured guest speaker Dr Maher El Dabaa, a Psychology professor at the American University in Cairo, who shared his insights on the topic.
“What’s amazing about children is that they don’t judge one another based on appearance, status or anything. They just play together. But this innocent acceptance of the other recedes with time as they grow and learn from their parents the judgment of the other.”
WHAT INFLUENCES JUDGEMENT?
The influence of parents, society, and media are all factors in people’s judgement of others. In an interview on SAT-7 ARABIC, Rev Refaat Fikry, Chairman of the Council for Dialogue and Ecumenical Relations of the Evangelical Church, said that lack of tolerance was what led to violence in the dark ages in Europe, and still does in the Middle East. He emphasised the need to address this issue by changing the media agenda and promoting coexistence among people to accept others who are different.
Additionally, Psychiatrist Maher Samuel shared, “Without the true knowledge of God, one cannot accept the other. It is written in Romans 2:11 ‘For there is no partiality with God’. When we accept the fact that we are all the same to God regardless of our colour, race and religion, then we can accept the other.”
HELPING PARENTS LEARN FROM THEIR KIDS
Keys to My Kid is part of the SAT-7 ACADEMY brand of programs, aimed to promote positive values to viewers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Keys to My Kid aims to help parents learn from their own children about parenting mistakes they may be making, as the children share their personal opinions and experiences.
“Most children’s responses to our questions are surprising to us and we learn a lot from them,” shares Presenter Asnat Awad.