culture | VIVIAN KIRKFIELD – Writer for Children

Today is Easter Sunday. It is also the second day of Passover. Just as with Christmas and Hanukah, these Christian and Jewish holidays are usually celebrated around the same time. It’s not by chance, of course.

If you trace most major religious holidays back to their beginnings, you will find they have the same roots and seem to be based on pagan festivals that were held thousands of years before.

Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is CULTURE.

The word ‘culture’ has many definitions. Because of the holidays that are upon us, I’ll use this one: the set of shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, practices and social behaviors of a particular nation or group.

And it seems that no matter what the holiday or which religious or ethnic group is celebrating…presents are involved, especially for the children. Easter baskets filled with candy and stuffed animals, Christmas trees surrounded with gaily wrapped gifts, eight days of presents during Hanukah, gifts given as ransom for returning the afikomen (piece of matzoh) during Passover get-togethers.

Children love presents…but the most important gift we can give them is our time and attention. This is another similarity that is cross-cultural. Children need to be treasured no matter whether their parents are Christian or Jewish, Muslim or Hindu, American or French, Canadian or Spanish, rich or poor, highly educated or unable to read. artistic or sports-minded. If we look at cultures all over the world, we see that this is true…in most societies, parents, and often the entire community, strive to cherish the children. Of course, in war-ravaged areas or when epidemics of famine rage, it is often the children who suffer the most.

If we want to be in our children’s memories tomorrow, we need to be in their lives today. Read with your child. Talk with your child. Walk with your child. Play with your child. Cook with your child. Paint with your child. The bond you form now will last a lifetime.

Today is also the first day of National Library Week. Why not go to your local library with your child this week. Help your child pick out some books and read at least one every day. Studies show that children who are read to on a daily basis are more likely to succeed in school.

Don’t forget to nominate your favorite library in the comment section! Twenty-five libraries across the US and around the world can receive a free copy of Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking. Nominations close the last day of the month…don’t let your library lose out on the chance of getting this award-winning resource for parents and teachers.