we learn by watching...

Children may not always listen, but they are always watching.

During a recent trip to Agadir, during which we stayed with Omar and his family, I had the opportunity to observe just how observant kids can be and how repetition breeds habit.

The entire family came together before dinner for tea and catching up on the day, including the two little cousins, Malek and Soukaina. In the United States, a toddler might rock her baby doll in a cradle or dress up as Cinderella; these two girls covered their heads with the hijab, and strapped their stuffed animals on their backs, just like women do in Morocco.

Repetition, especially from a young age, embeds our cultural norms do deeply that it is hard to see outside them. If only we could teach more tolerance, understanding and acceptance from such a tender age...