Mom Tip #60: Embrace a Child's Notion of Diversity.

I'm sure you all saw the Presidential news conference Monday night - well, you did if you turned on any one of the major networks or news stations. We happened to turn it on just as it started and Marmoset had taken a seat next to me to mooch part of my dinner.

A little piece of critical backstory - her best friend is a 3 year old African American boy. His mom is one of my closest friends and she's already heard the story so I know she wasn't offended but very highly amused. His two older siblings are also close friends to my children and have spent many an afternoon here deconstructing the playroom. And of course Marmoset attends a very diverse Sunday School class as well.

As soon as she saw the President on TV she looked up at me and said, "K?"
No baby. That's not K. That's Mr. President.
"Mr. Pezzz-dint?"
Right! (that's a big word for a two year old!)
"Pezz-dink K?"
No baby. K isn't the President.
"Pezz-dint head. K head."
Well, yes. The President and K both have heads.
"Pezz-dint nose. K nose."
That's right too.
"Pezz-dint ears. K ears."
Yup.
"Pezz-dint no hab peet (feet). K peet."

You have to love a toddler's concept of object permanance. If you can't see it, it isn't there. So Mr Pezz-dint didn't have feet since she couldn't see them. And since she knows that K has feet that must be what makes him NOT be the pezz-dint.

Wouldn't it be great if we could only tell each other apart by differences like our shirts rather than the differences over our skin?