And it starts
Conversation with C before bed tonight:
"I love you Mommy."
"I love you too."
"Mommy, did God make me?"
"Yes, He made you very special."
"But why did he make me black? I wanted to be white like you."
"Well honey, God made you just the way He wanted you and I think you are beautiful when you are black."
*big sigh*
I know that race will be something that will always be around. Everyone will always know that our kids are adopted, without even knowing us. Our kids will always have parents with different skin, different hair, different facial features. I had hoped it would be a little longer before this came up. My husband says that when Y talks he sounds just like me. This makes sense since we have raised him since he could talk...but I talk like a white person does. And now so does he. I hope that doesn't turn out to be a bad thing.
"I love you Mommy."
"I love you too."
"Mommy, did God make me?"
"Yes, He made you very special."
"But why did he make me black? I wanted to be white like you."
"Well honey, God made you just the way He wanted you and I think you are beautiful when you are black."
*big sigh*
I know that race will be something that will always be around. Everyone will always know that our kids are adopted, without even knowing us. Our kids will always have parents with different skin, different hair, different facial features. I had hoped it would be a little longer before this came up. My husband says that when Y talks he sounds just like me. This makes sense since we have raised him since he could talk...but I talk like a white person does. And now so does he. I hope that doesn't turn out to be a bad thing.
Awe, bless his heart. Our adopted sons are Latino, we are white. Very early on, when they were still being fostered and barely 3 years old, one of them told be that he didn't want "black eyes," but green like my husband and I have. Broke my heart in many ways. But I hope that teaching self worth and instilling confidence will help combat any negative feelings he might have about our differences. We have lots of books with illustrations of children that look like them, we celebrate events and holidays significant to their heritage... it is a work in progress.
ReplyDeleteThis brought a little tear to my eye, Brynn. We just have to keep affirming to them that God did indeed create them just the way He wanted them to be. When I was in Junior and Senior High School there was so much racial unrest in the country. One slogan that African Americans could be heard saying was "Black is Beautiful". There is some truth to that - all skin colors are beautiful in the eyes of our Creator.
ReplyDeleteI love that kid! :)
Aww...this was sweet and sad at the same time. Hopefully with time he'll understand and learn that he is beautiful the way God made him.
ReplyDelete