My ex husband is not white. So my kids (especially my daughter) don't resemble me. She's been having issues lately with being the only "other" girl in a class of white kids.
Thankfully nobody has said anything too awful to her, but we've been having frank discussions about embracing who we are, not desiring to look like something we're not, and just being glad about who God has made us to be.
Tonight I was really on a roll, with my analogies about flowers.
So...it would be pretty boring if there were only daisies in the garden right? What if there were no red roses, or purple hyacinth, or yellow buttercups? Just white daisies? Wouldn't that be boring?
And you are one of the rarest flowers! Just imagine, your mom was a daisy and your dad was a rose -- how cool is that?
(Wait - what? She knows the word germinate?)
Wow, life would be boring if we were all the same, no way would I want a would full of short tempered redheds (me!).... I scrolled back thru your blog to find a photo of your beautiful children.... and they are just that... beautiful! Love you flower illustration! Sounds like you are a great mom! Way to go!
Dee Dee
OMG....that is hilarious!
I am pale and blonde. My ex is Persian. My daughter has dark hair and skin and she is beautiful. She went through the same thing when she was young, (someone even asked me if she was adopted...in front of her!) At some point in her tween years, she really started embracing her differences from her friends. She became very interested in the culture of her father, and learned that she was VERY lucky that she was born here.
What a wonderful thing to tell your daughter. It is so true. We would be a pretty boring bunch if we were all one color.
Oh that's a divine comeback. I love your kid!
My kids are Asian, we parents are Caucasian ... we've had to educate ourselves on what racism is and how it impacts our children. The most important thing our kids can have in terms of their racial identity, is to have adults & friends to whom they can identify, racially speaking ... to be in an environment where they are not "the only" ... where they can see their faces reflected back to them.
Sometimes we need to acknowledge to our kids that being an "only", that being "different" does suck, that it does hurt ... and that as someone who tends to fit into the general society (assuming living in a predominately white community), we can't begin to imagine the difficulties our children face ... that we don't understand racism.
Speak to other adults who share your children's racial heritage ... ask them for guidance ... get involved in that community (church might be an option if you're a churchy type) ... reach out for the sake of your children.
Make no mistake, racism is alive and well for Asian individuals ... perhaps a bit more subtle, but it is there.
sounds like your daughter is as smart as she is beautiful!!!
That little girl is clever, just like her mama!
*looking for the "Like" button* :)
Way to go, Mom! Great analogy and, yes, your little girl sounds very clever indeed.