Dad tip #33: Got culture?

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I'm in London. What I found interesting is how diverse our London office is. Among a couple dozen people, only a small handful are actually British. It makes my office back in Boston seem boringly homogeneous.

Furthermore, the diversity got pretty complex with one UK co-worker being half Egyptian, half German and another being of Chinese ancestry, Canadian citizenship, and UK residency. How frakkin' cool is that?

It also got me thinking, as the Chinese/Canadian/Brit is currently taking French language classes to improve upon his Quebecquoi French and as a child was forced to take Chinese classes on Saturdays: What's the right answer in terms of "forcing" your culture on your kids?

Without question, your kid will be ahead of the game if he/she is bilingual. And yay for the cultural depth it provides if you're not a standard American mutt whose family has been in the USA for generations. But, what's the right balance?

Again, like the previous post, I'm not suggesting ANY solutions. I'm just saying it might be a good idea to think about it early.

(If only they made Goodnight Moon in phonetic Mandarin Chinese ...)