Conversations
I get into the funniest conversations with my boys. The other day, Tyler was watching one of his favorite kid channels and an infomercial type segment featuring our new President came on. Max looked up at the TV and yelled "Barack Obama!" very excitedly. My jaw dropped! Max is 2. Where the heck...how the heck...who the heck taught him... I was flummoxed! I started laughing hysterically. He can say the name so clearly!
Then Tyler looked at me with a serious look of concentration on his face. "Mommy? Why is Obama black? They keep saying he is our first black President." Ummmm. Oh boy. So I launched into a discussion about race and uses of specific color words to represent someone with a specific skin color and how some people place a lot of importance on those colors (but not us). Then I talked a little about how those terms have changed over the years. And the origins and ancestry of certain races and why there are different skin colors. I was just trying to think of a way to explain slavery and America's more sordid past when I saw Tyler looking rather glazed.
He said, "Mommy...I just want to know why they call him black when he's not. He's more brown. Or tan. I don't know. What color do you call it? I'm...tanish. Right?" I said, "Beige? and President Obama is more light brown?" Tyler's face lit up and he said, "Yes! He is light brown!" Then he returned his attention to the TV, completely satisfied.
*sigh* I really need to stop over-explaining things and just K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid.)
"Barack Obama!"
Yes, Max. That's him. I've got to get him on video saying that. It's just too cute!
Then Tyler looked at me with a serious look of concentration on his face. "Mommy? Why is Obama black? They keep saying he is our first black President." Ummmm. Oh boy. So I launched into a discussion about race and uses of specific color words to represent someone with a specific skin color and how some people place a lot of importance on those colors (but not us). Then I talked a little about how those terms have changed over the years. And the origins and ancestry of certain races and why there are different skin colors. I was just trying to think of a way to explain slavery and America's more sordid past when I saw Tyler looking rather glazed.
He said, "Mommy...I just want to know why they call him black when he's not. He's more brown. Or tan. I don't know. What color do you call it? I'm...tanish. Right?" I said, "Beige? and President Obama is more light brown?" Tyler's face lit up and he said, "Yes! He is light brown!" Then he returned his attention to the TV, completely satisfied.
*sigh* I really need to stop over-explaining things and just K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid.)
"Barack Obama!"
Yes, Max. That's him. I've got to get him on video saying that. It's just too cute!
Comments
And if it makes you feel any better, I would have liked to hear your speech on race and slavery. LOL
XOXO
I remember my very first dentist visit, my mom was not allowed back with me, back in the early 1960's, small town California. She had to wait for us in the lobby.
Anyway, when I got back to my mom, I remember her asking how it went, what did the dentist look like? My answer was staight forward, "...he was chocolate, mom..."
LOL
Today, I do not remember him enough to tell you his nationality, but like you, we were brought up that color of skin meant absolutely nothing and should be invisable.