Big (Huge) Question: What Makes A Country?

At a certain time of year, Canada and the United States both celebrate being a country. There are barbeques and trips to the beach, fireworks and festivities. Given all that’s going on the world, and all that’s happened over the past few years, however, maybe there should also be family chats about what it means to be a country. Times of celebration can also be times of reflection.

Children of all ages have big ideas about this, and starting up a conversation can not only help them understand their place in their country, but also how people come together and stay together.

Here are some big questions to help get you started:

·        What is a country? Is it a piece of land, a group of people, a bunch of ideas, or some combination of these things? Which is the most important?

·        What makes one country different from another?

·        What makes you part of your country? How do you know that you belong?

·        Does a country change over time? If so, how do you know it’s the same country?

·        What should people live in that country be responsible for? What rights should they have? Who decides all this stuff?

·        Can you be part of more than one country?

·        Can you be proud of your country, and still want to change things about it?

·        What if people within a country disagree about something, or they make a mistake? What should they do?

·        If you were to design your own country, what would it be like? What would be important to include?

You can make these questions as specific or general as you like. Your child may chat for just a few minutes, or for an extended length of time. They may want to revisit these questions in the weeks or months that follow, as they come up with new ideas. If your child is older, they may want to relate these questions to current events. However these conversations happen, they’re good ones to have.

They don’t have to just be conversations, either. Big questions can be explored through music, arts and crafts, drama, dance, and more. They can be done with a favourite toy, or while playing a game outside.

These are big questions, no doubt, but it’s important to keep in mind that topics that might intimidate an adult are often delightful and intriguing to children. The new perspectives they provide will likely spark something new in your mind as well.

If you need a place to start, check out our books/interactive ebooks Who’s The Boss and Mildred Builds A World.

Happy thinking!