This was a tough post to remember if I had been silent to either of my daughters when asked about someones appearance. Then I remember about the lady who has the same skin condition that Micheal Jackson had where it mottled both with dark and light pigment.
While at the checkout stand my oldest daughter saw the lady at the same time other child did both asked about her the other parent said nothing while I said "I do not know what is wrong. Shall we go together and ask?" Wanting to find out what my daughter comfort level was she ask me a gain this time I said it a little louder for the other parent and child to hear, my daughter declined asking her but I let her know that when asked most people are willing to talk about what is wrong and help educate others. I felt bad for the other child who kept staring at the lady, while my daughter had moved on to finding other things at the stand to ask for. I have let my daughters know and the children I care for that it is okay to ask why is that person different than me. I will find an answer and tell them or we go and ask the person themselves.
A few years later I happened to meet the lady my daughter was talking about and ask about her skin condition. She is a very open and honest person with a very kind heart. I do not remember her first name but her last name stuck with me because of the Micheal Jackson connection she made when talking about her skin, Mrs Jackson. Most of her siblings have the same condition but her children do not.
Most people that you find that are different from other don't mind talking about what makes them different. It is so important to teach our children about the things that make others different from others. Most children do not mean in harm they just have question that they need answers to.
ReplyDeleteLaury,
DeleteI think it great that you encourage your children and children that you work with to ask questions. Most people don't mind answering questions or don't mind telling children why they are different. I think its important for children to know its okay to ask questions and that asking questions helps us learn new things and understand people better. Children don't mean any harm, they are just curious. We teach them to be curious, to problem solve and find answers. Encouraging them to speak out to others is an important quality.