oh, the funny things kids say!

The reality is that children say what they hear from others, in particular parents or their consistent caregivers. Lately I am saying the word "crap" too much, mainly frustration with some toilet training lapses/accidents!
Now it is a favorite phrase of a little girl in our house.

Actually Julia proves my hypothesis constantly. Once again it happened recently. I really need to watch what I say!

Julia has a weekly play date with our friends' child, Sam. I'm sure we've mentioned his name or my friend, Anne Marie, in other posts. Anyway, this week they played at our house (they rotate every other week so each parent gets a mini-break for a few hours). It was a nice day so they played outside; at some point they watched some construction work being done across the street & Jai said that the worker talked with them. I jokingly said something like "I wonder what he thought of this black man with a black kid & a white kid." It's stupid, I don't usually make comments about race distinctions, it's not important.

Anyway, Julia quickly says the following:

• Who's the white kid?!
• Am I the white kid?!
• No, Sam's the white kid!

I know I shouldn't laugh, but I did. I couldn't help it, I couldn't stop, Jai is chuckling too. Of course Julia is a great social laugher so she starts laughing; we're all tickled! You also have to imagine her hand motions too - she touches her chest when she asks the 2nd question.

What is typical is the topic of conversation moves on to something else quickly, but I wonder why she knew Sam was the white kid. She knows colors, probably that's it. However, I'm having a moment of guilty conscience & contributing to my child's racial identity, creating some kind of bias. This won't be the first time of discomfort at something I've said to her or someone else, but I still wish I didn't say what I think sometimes.