So, we were at the pool yesterday...
(don't all my stories start like that lately? Eh, whatever... it's summer!)
and I was sitting in the shallow part with #5 and baby boy.
They were "swimming" all around, jumping on my back, generally having fun.
My mom calls me a "kid magnet" so I generally don't notice when some random small person begins to invade my space.
Well, this really cute little bug in a pale green and white paisley swimsuit with long blonde hair and GIANT goggles comes over to hang out near us... then she says...
"Is THAT your DAUGHTER?"
and points to #5 - who is face down in the water, flailing and unwittingly freaking the lifeguards out.
"Yes, she is!" I replied.
Eyebrows raised, looking confused, she accuses...
"But... she's BLACK!!"
(at this point... I was too surprised to be offended, besides she was like 5 years old and probably unfamiliar with any non-white people.)
"Yep...she is! Isn't it cool??", I replied.
She mumbled something under her giant goggles and hung out nearby while I acknowledged several "dives", "floats" and "hey mom, watch!" shouts.
Then she says "Are you sure? She looks like she belongs with THEM over THERE..." and points at a black family nearby.
Seriously. She did! I know! Me too! I was like, ooooh girl...
Then baby boy jumps on my back and says "Mommy! Watch!"
(insert completely mind-blown small child here.)
"Is THAT your SON??" she accuses. Again.
"Yes... he is my son! Isn't he cute?" I replied. Getting slightly amused with myself at this point.
"But..."
I cut her off by telling baby boy to stop drinking salt water.
It's a good colon cleanser, in case you are wondering... but that's not awesome at the pool.
Then... my favorite part...
#4 swims over... he's slightly tanned from 2 months of outdoor play... but nowhere near the espresso shade of the littles.
"Hey mom! Watch me do a flip under the water!"
Her poor little brain couldn't take it!
She tilted her head, looked confused...
and swam away.
I, of course, started laughing...
So, what do you think?
Did I handle it well?
I didn't feel like segregating my children into "adopted" vs "non-adopted", or whatever... for the sake of her learning process. I didn't think getting into the reasons why my children look like they do would be good for them to overhear, even if it might make her a less-offensive little girl in the future. We just wanted to swim and play and do flips andpuke salt water have fun... but not launch into an adoption education spiel with a very young, obviously un-diversified little girl.
And the rest of the pool evening was uneventful!
(don't all my stories start like that lately? Eh, whatever... it's summer!)
and I was sitting in the shallow part with #5 and baby boy.
They were "swimming" all around, jumping on my back, generally having fun.
My mom calls me a "kid magnet" so I generally don't notice when some random small person begins to invade my space.
Well, this really cute little bug in a pale green and white paisley swimsuit with long blonde hair and GIANT goggles comes over to hang out near us... then she says...
"Is THAT your DAUGHTER?"
and points to #5 - who is face down in the water, flailing and unwittingly freaking the lifeguards out.
"Yes, she is!" I replied.
Eyebrows raised, looking confused, she accuses...
"But... she's BLACK!!"
(at this point... I was too surprised to be offended, besides she was like 5 years old and probably unfamiliar with any non-white people.)
"Yep...she is! Isn't it cool??", I replied.
She mumbled something under her giant goggles and hung out nearby while I acknowledged several "dives", "floats" and "hey mom, watch!" shouts.
Then she says "Are you sure? She looks like she belongs with THEM over THERE..." and points at a black family nearby.
Seriously. She did! I know! Me too! I was like, ooooh girl...
Then baby boy jumps on my back and says "Mommy! Watch!"
(insert completely mind-blown small child here.)
"Is THAT your SON??" she accuses. Again.
"Yes... he is my son! Isn't he cute?" I replied. Getting slightly amused with myself at this point.
"But..."
I cut her off by telling baby boy to stop drinking salt water.
It's a good colon cleanser, in case you are wondering... but that's not awesome at the pool.
Then... my favorite part...
#4 swims over... he's slightly tanned from 2 months of outdoor play... but nowhere near the espresso shade of the littles.
"Hey mom! Watch me do a flip under the water!"
Her poor little brain couldn't take it!
She tilted her head, looked confused...
and swam away.
I, of course, started laughing...
So, what do you think?
Did I handle it well?
I didn't feel like segregating my children into "adopted" vs "non-adopted", or whatever... for the sake of her learning process. I didn't think getting into the reasons why my children look like they do would be good for them to overhear, even if it might make her a less-offensive little girl in the future. We just wanted to swim and play and do flips and
And the rest of the pool evening was uneventful!
