As a Nigerian mother living in the United States, I struggled to pass on my Nigerian culture to my children. I wanted them to connect with their roots, but I didn’t know where to start. I felt like I was losing my grip on our cultural traditions, and my children were growing up without a sense of their Nigerian identity. But I was determined to find a way.

My Journey:

I remember the day my child came home from school, looking puzzled and concerned. “Mom, today was cultural day at school,” he said. “Everyone was talking about their culture, and I didn’t know what to say.” He looked at me with pleading eyes. “Mom, what’s our culture?”

I had been so caught up in raising him in a new country, adapting to a new environment, and ensuring his academic success that I had neglected our cultural heritage. I didn’t know where to start.

He continued, “My friends were talking about their ancestors, traditions, and customs. They knew so much about their culture, and I felt so left out.” He looked down, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t know what to say, Mom. I felt like I didn’t have a culture.”

That moment was a wake-up call for me. I realized that I had been so focused on assimilating into our new life that I had neglected to pass on our cultural heritage to my child. I knew I had to take action, to share our culture with him, and to help him connect with his roots.

That’s when I started my journey to rediscover and share our culture with my child. I began researching, reading, and connecting with other Nigerian parents in the diaspora.

I’ll share with you my challenges, benefits and easy method I used to share my Nigerian culture with my child:

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The Challenges I Faced And How I Overcame Them

• Consistency: I struggled to consistently prioritize sharing Nigerian culture with my child, feeling overwhelmed by our packed schedules and the demands of daily life. Some days, I’d promise myself I’d cook a traditional Nigerian meal or teach him a few Yoruba phrases, but those good intentions would get swallowed up by work deadlines, school runs, and the constant chaos of parenting, leaving me feeling guilty and worried.

Solution:

I overcame this by scheduling regular cultural activities, language classes, and made it a non-negotiable part of our routine.

• Engagement: My son was initially interested while my daughter was uninterested in learning about Nigerian culture, making it hard to keep them engaged.

Solution:

To make language learning fun, I incorporated games, flashcards, music, and hands-on activities that my child enjoyed.

•  Involvement: I always took control of every activity, whether it was cooking, teaching, or other cultural practices, leaving little room for my child to contribute.

Solution:

I involved your child in the planning process and let them take ownership of certain aspects of the learning process. This boosted my child’s excitement and participation.

•  Learning alongside: I had to confront my own knowledge gaps and be willing to learn alongside my child, which was humbling.

Solution:

As a mum, I embraced my own learning journey and showed my child that it’s okay to not know everything, which helped us bond and learn together.

By overcoming these challenges, I was able to create a rich and meaningful cultural experience for my child, and we continue to grow and learn together!

Benefit Of Sharing My Nigerian Culture With My Child:

•  Helps them develop a sense of identity and belonging: Sharing Nigerian culture with my child helped them understand where they come from and who they are. It gave them a sense of pride and connection to their heritage, which has boosted their self-esteem and confidence.

•  It exposes them to diverse cultures and traditions: Sharing Nigerian culture has also opened my child’s eyes to the diversity of cultures and traditions around the world. They’ve learned to respect and appreciate differences, making them more empathetic and open-minded.

•  Enhances their language skills and cultural understanding: Learning Nigerian languages and cultural nuances has improved my child’s communication skills and broadened their perspective. They can now engage with people from different backgrounds and understand cultural references.

• Strengthens family bonds and creates lasting memories: Sharing Nigerian culture has brought us closer as a family. We’ve created memories through cultural activities, traditions, and celebrations that will last a lifetime. It’s a bond that transcends generations and distance.

Additionally, sharing Nigerian culture with my child has also fostered a sense of community and belonging to a larger Nigerian diaspora family. It has encouraged them to become cultural ambassadors and share Nigerian culture with others. This has also empowered them to confidently express their identity and heritage, and make meaningful connections with people from diverse backgrounds.

Easy Tips To Share Nigerian Culture With Your Child Every Day:

•  Cook Nigerian Meals: Cooking Nigerian food is a great way to introduce your child to our culture. Start with simple recipes like jollof rice, egusi soup, or suya. Make it fun by involving your child in the cooking process. 3-delicious-nigerian-cuisines-to-try-at-home 

•  Speak Nigerian Languages: Speak your native language with your child, even if they don’t understand it at first. It will help them develop an ear for the language and connect with our heritage.

•  Play Nigerian Music: Play Nigerian music at home, in the car, or during family gatherings. It will help your child develop a love for our rhythms and beats.

•  Celebrate Nigerian Holidays: Celebrate Nigerian holidays like Independence Day, indigenous celebrations with traditional food, clothes, and activities.

•  Share Nigerian Stories: Share stories about Nigerian history, mythology, and cultural practices with your child. It will help them understand our values and beliefs.

• Nigerian  Language Classes : While researching I discovered the easiest way to make my job easier, was to enrol my kids and myself  in Nigerian language classes. This brought me even closer to my kids. Our classes were a special bonding time.

This experience was shared by an immigrant parent. She took the first step towards passing on her heritage by enrolling her child in LearnWazobia’s language learning programs.

Conclusion

Sharing Nigerian culture with your child every day is a journey worth taking. It takes effort, patience, and consistency, but the rewards are immeasurable. By incorporating simple activities into your daily life, you can help your child connect and appreciate our rich cultural heritage.

 Don’t let distance or busy schedules stop you from passing on our cultural traditions to the next generation. Enrol your child today with LearnWazobia for a private or group lesson in Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.  Help your child speak like a native and also thrive in their Nigerian identity.