When Cultures Meet: The Unique Struggles of Multicultural Families
Growing up with more than one culture is a gift—but for many children in multicultural families, identity can also be a journey of discovery. Third culture kids and mixed-heritage children may sometimes feel out of place or unsure about where they belong. But when families actively celebrate their heritage, children can build confidence, emotional resilience, and a strong foundation for future success.
Language and culture are essential parts of identity. Families who weave cultural traditions and languages into everyday life help their children feel grounded and connected—both at home and in the wider world.
How Multicultural Parents Support Identity
Parents can play a powerful role in helping their children build a strong and joyful sense of self. Here are a few key ways multicultural families support identity development:
They Keep Culture Alive
Families create a sense of belonging by celebrating their roots and bringing traditions, stories, and celebrations into daily life. In a globalized world, this connection to “home”—wherever that may be—gives children an emotional anchor. Cooking a traditional meal, listening to cultural music, or sharing folk tales can all make a big difference.
They Stay Connected to Family and Community
Maintaining strong ties with extended family helps children feel proud of their heritage. Calling grandparents, visiting relatives abroad, or forming bonds with other multicultural families helps kids feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
They Learn the Mother Tongue
Language plays a central role in how children express themselves, understand others, and build relationships. Families that speak their heritage language at home—and support language learning through stories, games, or online platforms—help their children thrive socially and cognitively.
One of the easiest ways to nurture bilingualism at home is through playful learning. Dinolingo offers over 50 language courses designed for children ages 2 to 14. With interactive games, videos, songs, and a parent dashboard, it’s never been easier to make language part of everyday life.
They Embrace Multicultural Living
Multicultural families often create unique routines and traditions that blend more than one culture. Some kids might grow up celebrating Diwali and Christmas, speaking Spanish and English, or enjoying sushi and shepherd’s pie at the same dinner table. This richness shapes open-minded, curious, and culturally confident individuals.
Families also find support and inspiration in online communities like Multilingual Living Magazine, Multilingual Parenting, and Bilingual Monkeys, which offer blog posts, newsletters, and advice for raising bilingual and bicultural children.
A Personal Reflection: What Our Parents Did Right
Philip Shigeo Brown, a British-Japanese writer, shares how his parents supported his identity growing up in a multicultural family. Three key things stood out:
1. Celebrating Our Cultures
He grew up with both English folklore—like King Arthur—and Japanese stories and anime. This dual celebration made him proud of both sides of his identity and sparked a natural desire to explore language and heritage.
2. Visits to Japan
Though infrequent, trips to Japan were long, meaningful, and filled with family connections. These visits helped strengthen relationships and made future travel feel less daunting.
3. Varied Groups of Friends
Growing up, his family regularly met with other Japanese or mixed families in their area. These friendships offered shared understanding, cultural exchange, and a feeling of “being seen.”
Whether debating whether shoes should be left on or off indoors or deciding what language to speak at home, these everyday conversations helped build empathy and self-awareness.
Language, Play, and Belonging
Children often learn best through play—and play is also how they build friendships and navigate the world. That’s why language learning shouldn’t be confined to formal lessons. Through stories, songs, games, and casual conversation, kids develop fluency and confidence in their heritage language, even if it’s a minority language in their environment.
And when children meet others like them—who share their background or speak the same language—they experience a powerful sense of connection.
Finding Your Community
If you’re raising a multilingual or multicultural child, you’re not alone. Searching for terms like “mixed heritage,” “multicultural parenting,” or “bilingual families” can help you discover blogs, local groups, and online communities. And if a group doesn’t exist near you—why not start one?
Raising a child with multiple identities is a beautiful challenge. By staying connected to your family’s roots and embracing everyday moments of language and culture, you’re helping your child grow into someone who belongs everywhere.