Parenting today has taken a completely different turn from traditional modes of learning. Many people are now adapting to a more polite, child-centred, and flexible approach that focuses on emotional intelligence, open communication, and holistic development rather than strict obedience. A couple based in Seattle, Elkey Zandstra and William Zandstra, who focus on low-toxin living and parenting, have opted for cultural education centred on food for their two curious children, Emray and Ezrah.
In a video shared on Instagram with the caption, "You're raising cultured children by exposing them to breakfasts around the world," the doting parents can be seen letting their kids spin the globe each week to pick a country. The couple then prepares dishes from that country, encouraging learning about different cultures through food.
The notes further reveal that "each one of them gets culinary passports" and that they choose "breakfast menus from visuals." The parents research typical breakfast dishes from the selected country and try to make them as authentic as possible. As the video progresses, the children pick "Mexico," prompting their mother to introduce them to a Panamanian breakfast. The spread includes hojaldres, salchichas guisadas, and queso fresco.
In one part of the video, she says, "People in Ukraine usually eat syrniki. It's basically a cheese pancake. Hojaldres is a fried dough doughnut. We're going to sprinkle some queso fresco - nice and warm." In another segment, the mother helps her children learn about the country's flag colours, how to say hello in the local language, and the national animal, among other details. The video concludes with the children receiving "stamps" for their passports and the family of four sharing a heartwarming breakfast together.
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Check out the full video below:
For yet another "breakfast time," the parents can be seen teaching their kids about Nepal. In an Instagram video, Elkey shares some quick facts about the country with her pupils, including details about the language and more. The father then reveals what they had for breakfast that morning. While serving the food, he says, "For starters, we have chai tea, which is the most important part of breakfast for the Quintals. It's black milk tea, lightly spiced with ginger and cardamom to keep you warm on those misty mountain mornings."
He further adds, "Next, we have aloo ki tarkari, or puri tarkari, which is a potato curry mash mixed with spices, served with a fried bread to go with it."
Check out the full video below:
Next, the toddlers learned about the Dominican Republic, a country in the Caribbean, while indulging in a scrumptious breakfast. To begin with, they enjoyed a drink made from freshly squeezed orange juice, condensed milk, vanilla, and sugar. "It tastes like an ice cream popsicle," the dad mentions. They also savoured mashed plantain with mango, along with a few other dishes.
For Chile, they indulged in warm milk and scrambled eggs, which go with sauteed onions, tomatoes, and sliced avocado, topped with queso fresco.
For Thailand, they savoured Thai iced tea with spices and sweetener, followed by Potangko, fried bread with pandan custard.
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Besides the examples mentioned above, the doting parents have introduced their children to the culinary cultures of France, Madagascar, Zambia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Czech Republic, Cameroon, Russia, Norway, Argentina, and more.