Shades of Gray Brown

I've mentioned the fact that my kids don't ever identify people by skin color. They prefer to use the color of your shirt or maybe if you have "yellow" hair or a green backpack or whatever but skin color is just sort of...irrelevant to them.

This is especially apparent when Oldest Boy tells me that he and his brother are different colors. If you look at them side-by-side, their skintone is indeed different. Oldest Boy tends to favor his Slovakian roots (through his dad's dad's side) and Youngest Boy is pasty white like me (clearly I didn't get the Italian coloring - it's either Irish or Swedish - otherwise known as "translucent"). I don't correct him when he says this because, well, facts are facts. They aren't identical in any way, including skintone.

This week was MLK Jr's birthday celebration which meant a day off of school for the boys. Youngest Boy asked who he was and before I could give my explanation Oldest Boy said, "He helped to make sure that everyone gets treated equal. People used to make fun of someone who was different." I know that he won't ever know prejudice in the way that someone who is truly dark skinned will know but the fact that he sees himself as no different inspires me to keep treating this topic the same way. There are no differences. I sometimes wonder if this is the right thing, though, because I still believe it's important to celebrate your heritage. I just don't necessarily believe that your heritage is defined by your skin color. My history - through my ancestors - is mine because of who I am, not because I'm white. I can't imagine that it's different for anyone else.

Have you ever heard the song "Jesus Loves the Little Children"? The lyrics:
Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world!
Red and yellow, black and white;
They are precious in his sight!
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

Oldest Boy hates this song. "Mommy, why do they say that? There are no 'black' children or 'yellow' children. Everyone is just a different shade of brown!"

That's how we choose to see the people of this world. The same as us, just a different shade of brown.