Earliest Memory of Realizing that some people were different from you...
My earliest memory of realizing that people are different than me happened in kindergarten. I just moved from a homogeneous kindergarten in New Jersey to a diverse classroom in Charleston. I distinctly one afternoon being very scared to ask my mom something...Am I allowed to be friends with a black girl in my class?
As young as I was, I still remember the shock in my mom's face. She told me that I could be friends with anyone I wanted, skin color does not matter they just have to be nice. It was never intentional, but I was never exposed to different races and when I was, I had no idea how to act or if it was even acceptable to be friends. Although it was only a few words, my mom took this opportunity to remind me that it is what is in the inside that counts.
" As long as they are nice...." powerful words for a 5 year old :)
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I really like how your mom handled that situation. It was a very teachable moment and your mom did an excellent job of using simple language that would make sense to a child that is 5. Sometimes I think adults do not give children enough credit about what they know. Most young children are perfectly capable of knowing what is right and what is wrong. "As long as they are nice..." those can still be powerful words and probably words everyone should take to heart.
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