Differences

So Isabella, Cayson and I were standing in line at Gap checking out yesterday and the little girl ahead of us probably 6 or so says to her mom, "That girl doesn't look so good"....no response from her mom so she repeats it 3 times before her mom literally just says, "okay stop." The little girl then proceeds to say, "There is something wrong with her eye."  Her mom still continues just looking at the cashier, I'm sure embarrassed but does not respond to her daughter or even turn around to acknowledge the situation. So my momma heart decides I should be the one to step in both for the little girl who is saying these things and for my Isabella. I gently smile at Isabella and say, "Isabella why don't you tell her you had surgery to remove a cyst on your eye and that it is okay." My sweet clueless Isabella smiles so big and says "Momma she said hi to me, she is my friend, she doesn't go to my school." All the while this little girl was not smiling or being nice, but aw my sweet innocent Isabella. This stirred my heart though, it made my momma heart sad not really for my Isabella since she is still young and obviously pretty clueless but my heart ached for the moms out there that have to deal with the stares and whispers on a regular basis. To be honest Isabella's chalazion has brought way more stares, questions and kind of defensiveness from me than I would ever have dreamed. I get asked daily what happened to her eye and feel like I need to tell people its not contagious when they stare. It made me think about parents and kids who deal with this all the time and what a cruel world we live in.

I thought this was interesting since my friends and I were just discussing differences and how to teach our kids the other day. It's a tough one but I will always want my kids to be sympathetic and empathetic to others. I want them to know that we are all different and unique and that we don't stare. I remind Isabella all the time that God made each of us SO unique and special. I want her heart to really hear this and understand this.

Isabella and I actually had a brief discussion on differences the other day when she asked, "Mommy what color are you?" It was a great introduction into talking about different colors of skin and to be honest Isabella is the only Caucasian female in her class so I know she sees the differences already at the age of 3. I want her to see, appreciate and love differences among people. Because we are each beautiful, unique and fearfully and wonderfully made. I've linked up a few books and a few articles that I have read and loved that help us in teaching differences to our kids. My sweet friend Jaimee is probably an expert on this and I should probably have her weigh in on the subject:)






How do you teach your kids about differences?



1 comment

  1. Such a tough situation. Kids will be kids, they are curious and say whatever comes into their head (often to the embarrassment of us!), but our jobs as mommies and daddies is to teach them wrong from right and how to react in a loving, Christ-like manner to those who may appear different. I hate that this momma chose to just ignore what was happening, rather than turn it into a teachable moment. Love you and the way you handled the whole thing! And I love that sweet Isabella! Doesn't it just break your heart in two watching someone be "mean" to your baby!?

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