You see, she doesn't see her dolls as black or white or Asian or brown and she definitely isn't concerned with what gender doll should be doing what. Her method is simple. A boy doll is a daddy. A girl doll is a mommy. As for race, well that's simple, each doll is the color of the shirt it is wearing! She has some Fisher-Price Little People that are firefighters wearing blue shirts, their skin is white but they are the Blue Daddies. She has a little dollhouse and though the color of the dolls skin is brown, they are the Green Daddy and the Pink Mommy. And so it goes with all of her dolls and better yet it's moving to humans too! This weekend both B and myself were wearing white t-shirts and so we became the White Daddy and the White Mommy.
If only life could always be so clear and simple as when we are kids! I realize it could get confusing fast, because there are only so many colors out there and people are bound to wear the same colors on any given day, but somehow, I think you understand exactly what I'm saying.
2 comments:
I think the question of how to address race is a question that most parents, no matter what their race, face at some point in time. Your daughter is lucky. I know you and B and the rest of his family, are very open about race. (i dont know your family, so i cant comment on that). But I know you are not easily offended or uptight about it, and I think that will translate to Y and any other children you have. Felix and I have decided to be very open and honest about race, and treat it like any other topic, so that our children will not be afraid to ask questions and talk about it. Lets face it. I am sooo white, and he is sooo black, that it is bound to bring up questions. It already has among both todd and natalies kids. They are very curious about it for some reason. I feel like if you are open, and treat race like it isnt a big deal, your children will grow up with self confidence, and colour wont be an issue. If however, you are paranoid about race issues, and treat it like somthing you cant talk about, your children will feel like they have something to be ashamed of. I dont know if that makes sense, but I know some people who get offended if you acknowledge their childs race in any way. That cant be healthy.
I know i am gettting long here, but one other thing i think is important, is to have friends of all races, or at least other races. My parents always had friends of other races, so we grew up not seeing race as any kind of issue. Anyway, this is a big topic, and one that many of us face. Especially in your family and mine family(otherwise known as the united nations). lol.
I love kids' beautiful innocence. If only they could keep it...
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