Culture Regret

Three years ago, or maybe four, I joined a culture I now regret. At the time, I was pumped to bring the magic that went along with this culture into my home, but now I half regret it.  It's the Elf on the Shelf culture. Each night before I can go to sleep I need to find a new place for our family's elf, Nix, to "hide" until morning when my son excitedly seeks him out.  I have to make sure it's a new spot, a spot I can reach, and a place that no one will accidently touch him or need to move him. That's a lot of pressure! And then when he talks to other families with elves there's a sense of needing consistency between homes. There are rules that go along with having an Elf in your home. The elf has a way to dress and an book that lays out the culture, too.

Cultural Norms and Ethnocentrism

Things that are normal for Americans aren't necessarily normal to other cultures. Sometimes when we see how other cultures do things, what's normal for them, we might find ourselves becoming judgmental only because what the other cultures are doing isn't "normal" to us. That doesn't mean its better or worse, remember. It's just different.  Here are some really good examples of just that:Foreign Hygiene Norms that Americans Find Disgusting

Cultures Can Surprise You!

I was reminded in class today as everyone shared their cultures that sometimes a culture can surprise you. Sure, we can often guess different people's cultures based on what we know about them, how they dress, or what they talk about. Often times, though, there are the less obvious cultures people can be a part of outside of our public knowledge of that person. It's an important reminder that we should never assume things about each other, but instead, work to get to know each other better by asking questions, avoiding being judgmental, and practicing mindful communication.

Deer Culture

On the way to The Little Mermaid this past Friday, my son and I were suddenly stopped...but a deer.  As news spread to family and friends that we hit a deer, responses varied from "glad you are okay" to "I had that happen recently, too" to "do you have a deer whistle?" To friends and family in Oklahoma, California, and Florida, hitting  a deer is a completely foreign thing. For us in the upper Midwest, this is an unfortunate common occurrence, something many of us can relate to, and vocabulary has been created related to this experience. We Minnesotans are part of a Deer Culture.

Misread nonverbals

After completing Chapter 6, you might think I spend too much time analyzing gestures and other body movement. If I am, I'm not the only one. Check out what happened after this picture of Prince Harry and Melania Trump hit social media. From experts to internet trolls, everyone had an opinion of what Prince Henry's strange hand placement meant.

Article on Prince Henry's strange hand placement/gesture

Baby Faces

I find it fascinating how early babies can express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions compared to when they start developing words. My daughter is on the cusp of speech, so it's an especially interesting time to see her nonverbals develop along with her verbals.  Although this isn't my baby, this picture does a great job of illustrating the many faces of a baby.

Power of Nonverbals

I will never forget our final good-bye to my father-in-law. It was the most beautiful fall late morning. We were surrounding his grave in a horseshoe shape, his closest family members and friends. The 21 gun salute veterans were a few yards away.  I looked around at the different expresses our family members held: everything from smiles to sobs. My mother-in-law was all smiles, a smile of pride especially when she was handed the folded flag in honor of her husband's years of service.  I was amazed by both the spectrum of emotions being displayed as well as those who were willing to show their feelings openly versus those who kept their feelings masked. Nonverbal messages can be so powerful.