I'm stuck on the words "Cultural competency." I would argue that cultural competency is no different than language competency or reading competency, for instance -- we learn what we have the opportunity to learn. A child who grows up in a trilingual household has a greater language capacity than one who grows up in a monolingual household, but does that mean they're more competent? Or just given more opportunity?
Similarly, I would argue that our level of "cultural competency" has to do with one thing and one thing only, in the beginning: whether we are exposed to people who think differently than we do, people who look differently than we do, or worship differently than we do. It might be as small as a child knowing that two houses down, a friend's mom cooks with different spices because they have a different heritage; or that three houses up, they dress differently because of their religion. If all of these differences are accepted, there will be higher levels of cultural competence. If a neighborhood is homogenous, if kids aren't exposed to people of different habits or backgrounds, there will be a lower level of it.
Once we get out on our own as adults, of course, we make our own choices. And the seeds from childhood define in large part who we become. If we were taught to shun -- or embrace -- or just tolerate -- differences in others, it will be embedded deeply within us. Sometimes we have the power to change those things, sometimes we don't.
I wonder if ethnic issues, for instance, are different in this way than how we feel about issues like breastfeeding, circumcision or even mothers who work outside the home vs. stay-at-home moms. Most moms I know are very interested in the other opinion, simply because they want to be sure they're doing what's best for their child; but after they determine what they think is best, their opinion is strong and passionate. My sister stayed at home with her children and believes that's what is best for them. A dear friend has worked since her 16-year-old son was 12 weeks old, and believes that that is what was best. Is either of them wrong? No, not for their individual lives. But there would be armies of people on each side ready to argue that the other side is, somehow, flawed.
I'm probably in the Culturally Open category. I'm very interested in hearing all sides of an issue, or how an issue or event affects people differently. I integrate new things in my life when it makes sense for me; I don't when it doesn't. But I'm aware that what makes sense to me -- and what doesn't -- is different than what makes sense to another.
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I'm stuck on the words "Cultural competency." I would argue that cultural competency is no different than language competency or reading competency, for instance -- we learn what we have the opportunity to learn. A child who grows up in a trilingual household has a greater language capacity than one who grows up in a monolingual household, but does that mean they're more competent? Or just given more opportunity?
Similarly, I would argue that our level of "cultural competency" has to do with one thing and one thing only, in the beginning: whether we are exposed to people who think differently than we do, people who look differently than we do, or worship differently than we do. It might be as small as a child knowing that two houses down, a friend's mom cooks with different spices because they have a different heritage; or that three houses up, they dress differently because of their religion. If all of these differences are accepted, there will be higher levels of cultural competence. If a neighborhood is homogenous, if kids aren't exposed to people of different habits or backgrounds, there will be a lower level of it.
Once we get out on our own as adults, of course, we make our own choices. And the seeds from childhood define in large part who we become. If we were taught to shun -- or embrace -- or just tolerate -- differences in others, it will be embedded deeply within us. Sometimes we have the power to change those things, sometimes we don't.
I wonder if ethnic issues, for instance, are different in this way than how we feel about issues like breastfeeding, circumcision or even mothers who work outside the home vs. stay-at-home moms. Most moms I know are very interested in the other opinion, simply because they want to be sure they're doing what's best for their child; but after they determine what they think is best, their opinion is strong and passionate. My sister stayed at home with her children and believes that's what is best for them. A dear friend has worked since her 16-year-old son was 12 weeks old, and believes that that is what was best. Is either of them wrong? No, not for their individual lives. But there would be armies of people on each side ready to argue that the other side is, somehow, flawed.
I'm probably in the Culturally Open category. I'm very interested in hearing all sides of an issue, or how an issue or event affects people differently. I integrate new things in my life when it makes sense for me; I don't when it doesn't. But I'm aware that what makes sense to me -- and what doesn't -- is different than what makes sense to another.
January 7, 2009 - 9:43amThis Comment
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