Here’s a unique glimpse of how children from around the world live day to day. Teach your children differences in culture and how this makes our world such a fascinating place!

Australia

For dinner, Australian kids will often hang out with their parents around the “barbie,” or barbeque. Because the climate is so warm, barbecuing is an informal, multi-generational method for dining and entertaining. Kids and adults also enjoy creating nicknames for one another, often relying on a physical characteristic: a redheaded child might be called “Red,” for instance.

Brazil

In Brazil, children are cherished, and strict discipline isn’t enforced with young children. Brazilian families say “Bom Apetite!” before they start enjoying their meal. In formal dining situations, children avoid eating food with their hands, unless they wrap it in a napkin – even fruit and pizza. Brazilians encourage their children not to leave food behind on their plate.

China

In China, it is totally acceptable to slurp your soup. The Chinese believe in serving foods as hot as possible and a slurping child is paying the cook a compliment. A child typically begins using short chopsticks at around age 3. By age 9, he or she is experienced enough to graduate to regular-length chopsticks.

Egypt

Egyptian children need to keep both feet on the ground when sitting, and not show the bottom of the shoe or foot to others: it communicates “you’re beneath me.” Boys and girls are encouraged to wear modest attire that covers the body, such as long shirtsleeves and pants, or long dresses. It’s perfectly acceptable for an Egyptian child to eat traditional pita and falafel with his or her hands, as long as he or she only uses the right hand. The left hand is considered unclean. Leaving behind a little food on the plate is a compliment – it means that the host has enough money to feel unconcerned about waste.

France

Pointing at adults and chewing gum in public are both unacceptable. Manners are often reinforced in preschool – where even three-year-old children receive a four-course meal at the table, with china plates, fork, spoon, and knife.

India

In India, children are taught to respect their elders. When an elder person visits, an Indian child bows in a namaskaram, touching the adult’s feet. In turn, the elder blesses the child, wishing him or her all the best.

Italy

Italian families often gather for a leisurely Sunday afternoon lunch – sometimes lasting more than two hours. Grandparents are normally served first, then young children. An Italian child is taught to eat spaghetti with a fork only, to never touch their hair at the table, and avoid speaking when their mouth is full.

Japan

In Japan, when children are disciplined by teachers or another adult, they must look down at the floor and avoid meeting the adult’s eyes; doing otherwise indicates disrespect. At home, children are expected to ditch their shoes at the door and put on slippers. During dinner, it’s polite to slurp Japanese-style soba noodles, but not spaghetti. Kids use brightly-colored children’s chopsticks to eat – but never to stab food or point at something.

Poland

Should you give a newborn baby boy a pink or blue outfit? In some locations blue is best, and in others, pink is preferred. A Polish child doesn’t have a birthday party on his or her birth date. Instead, their family hosts a feast celebrating the child’s saint, on the saint’s day of canonization. The honored child sits at the head of the table and guests bring presents.

South Africa

In South Africa, before class starts, children separate into two lines outside the door, girls on one side and boys on the other. Girls walk in first, then the boys follow, and all stand behind their desks. The teacher greets the children: “Good morning class.” Children simultaneously answer with a “Good morning, Mrs. Johnson,” and then take their seats. At home, the South African child uses a plastic spoon and fork until age 5, after which they start using an adult-sized knife and fork.

United Kingdom

In Britain, it’s considered poor manners to ask for an additional helping. Instead, a child waits until he or she is offered seconds. In most schools, teachers are addressed as Sir and Miss, and secondary-school pupils stand when a teacher enters the classroom.