Brown is Beautiful

A common question I get as an adoptive mom to black/biracial boys is, "When do the boys notice the difference?" Another common question is, "What do you tell them?"

My boys have each begun to notice their differences at age 3. Yesterday's conversation with Jack is a good example.

The boys were playing in the back yard with the door open, while I was making dinner in the kitchen. Jack came to the door with a white plastic child's chair on his back.

Here is the conversation that took place:
Jack: Mommy, I have a chair on my back, and it's a white backpack. (He has a vivid imagination and can make anything into something else.)

Me: I see that backpack. Cool!

J: I'm white.

M: No, you're brown.

J: Why?

M: Because God made you brown.

J: Why?

M: Because God loves brown skin, and he wanted you to be brown. And you're very handsome.

J: Oh!

And he ran off to play with his "backpack".

It's fun to watch my boys understand the world around them. I feel strongly that they will help the world to become more color blind. Because God is.

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