@liminal asks: What societal norms are important for a child to know?
At the very least, any child, regardless of his/her family origin, beliefs, or practices, should be aware of the common practices that exist in the country of residence.
In most public and private schools, students learn the holidays, traditions, and practices most common in the U.S. They are also exposed to cultural norms from other countries. For example, when I took high school Spanish, I learned about the “Day of the Dead” and other Spanish holidays/customs.
Learning not only the customs from my country of residence but also from other countries allowed me to see and appreciate later as an adult the value of traditions practiced by a whole community. It made me realize that I am part of a larger society, more than just being an individual or just part of my family.
Societal norms are a way of imparting history. They help to preserve the experiences of a community for subsequent generations to explore.
@liminal asks: Are there certain societal norms that seem important to impart?
A lot has to do with your values and the values you want your children to possess. If you don’t want your child to pick up values that you disagree with, perhaps you could simply teach the “why” behind the “what,” and leave it at that. Case in point, you taught about the “why” of St. Patrick’s day instead of celebrating it like the locals.
The best part about teaching the “why” to any or all societal norms, is it gives kids a chance to continue or change status quo.
Deciding which specific norms to impart (as in practicing the “what”) should be totally up to you as a family.