Tip #1: Cultivate empathy in Indigenous boys aged 0-7 years old.

Strategy: “The woman trained the boys and that was to teach them these values, to teach them about love, about compassion, cleanliness, and all that to nurture and teach that young boy how to feel” (BentArrowYEG, 2020, 3:07). The best way is to arrange opportunities for children to spend time with elders, listen to their stories, and learn from their experiences.

Tip #2: When a child's traditional long hair is deliberately trimmed at school.

Strategy: When the indigenous child falls victim to a situation like this could be daunting. The emotional development of the child is challenged.
According to Tallow, “a member of the Blood Tribe in southern Alberta”, narrates that the braid (long hair) holds deep cultural meaning, representing her community's ties to their forebears, the Earth, and the Creator. She elaborates that in times of bereavement, they trim their hair, marking a moment of mourning. Having resided in Calgary for 15 years, Tallow has actively instilled cultural awareness in her children. Her son, Rafe's choice to grow his hair symbolized his journey from boyhood to adolescence. A strategy that Tallow did for her son was to have a positive attitude in order to ensure that her son feels at ease attending school every day, stating, "No one should dread going to school because of their cultural background." From her perspective, both mother and son are going through a recovery process together (Edwards, K., 2018). This resonates with Simon (2024), a member of the Anishinaabe tribe, shared that “Co-regulation- as a parent this supported my strong emotional reactions too. I learnt the power of breathing and practiced the skill of patience.” Therefore, a good strategy for parents is to model a calm voice and enforcing positive language to the child.

Tip #3: Encourage an Indigenous individual to explore their cultural heritage and traditions to strengthen their sense of identity.

Strategy: We can encourage an Indigenous child to build confidence in the family. According to Rebecca Lyon’s interview on Indigenous Families, she suggests that here are actions individuals can take to strengthen their own community while maintaining connections with their home community. These include engaging with elders and participating in events such as language learning sessions, among others (Zuleta, 2021, 13:48). When we encourage children to learn their traditional language, not only do they build their indigenous connections but will also enrich their communication and literacy.

Tip #4: Encourage the Indigenous father to actively support and uplift the emotional well-being of the Indigenous child.

Strategy: Indigenous dads are important figures in a child's life, as they serve as fathers and teachers. Not only that but also storytellers. The goal is to uplift both children and family members, regardless of family structure, into roles where they actively participate and contribute (Lyon, 2021 as cited by Zuleta, 2021, 16:37). This strategy can be realized by creating workshops or connecting to networks that would give the opportunity for it. But the simplest would be to just let your child sit next to you and read a book together.

Tip #5: Prepare your child in attending a school with a diverse population for the first time.

Strategy: “Indigenous people are born into a non-Indigenous world. We learn to code swift between worldviews from a young age…As a parent, I teach my children the Land loves them. So, when they are feeling overwhelmed in the Western world, they can find refuge in the Land. This maybe feeling the wind while outside in the playground or the warmth of the sun shining through the classroom window” (Simon, 2024). Another strategy parents can take is to stroll together, engage in outdoor activities, or participate in circle time discussions.

Figure 10. (Bell & Kitty, 2023)

Figure 8. (Hilleary, 2018)

Figure 7. (Efficiency Manitoba, n.d.)

Figure 9: (Canada.ca, n.d.)

Figure 11. (Canada.ca, n.d.)