"I Don't Like Black People"

Quite the controversial title isn't it? Well, you can imagine my shock when that phrase sprouted from my 4 year olds mouth! Before I begin the actual story I want to say that we do NOT raise our kids to be racist. Exactly the opposite, everyone is equal in this house and outside of it. Here goes the story behind the lovely phrase...

We were at the dance studio (as usual, where else would we be?), waiting for the older two to finish up their classes. One of the older girls that dances there (and happens to have a better tan) walks in and we start talking. She sits down in a chair next to where I am standing just as I pick up my loquacious 4 year old. I said to him "Don't kick her in the head, she may take you outside and beat you up!". Now obviously the beating up part is a joke, he likes to play any game where violence is involved, he is a boy with an older brother! She starts joking around with him, and he did not like that he didn't have the advantage in this situation so that's when he made his statement.

My mouth fell open, how could he say such a thing?!! I was absolutely aghast! Now in my head, I know that he says stuff like this because he is only 4, inexperienced at life, and lets face it, kids that age are painfully blunt. But I am still standing there, mouth gaping and catching flies. After I regained partial use of my wits I gave him a small pop on the mouth and told him that he could not say things like that. They weren't nice and would hurt peoples feelings. Not to mention that it is extremely rude, socially uncalled for and you just don't do it! I included everyone is the same no matter what color their skin is and that he shouldn't make generalizations like that.

During the chastisement of my 4 year old, the gal he had said it to had rushed off to the studio next door. I walked my little trouble maker over there and he apologized. Amazingly enough without crying and wallowing in my legs which I thought was quite an accomplishment. After which I tried to explain to her how blunt yet harmless 4 year kids are and that he didn't mean anything by it. But seriously, how do you explain the nature of a 4 year old to a 16 year old and expect them to understand? I felt I would have had better success frying an egg on a sidewalk in winter.

All was said and done, he really didn't mean any harm even though as his parent you are still completely mortified. I think one day he is going to give me whiplash or make me break my neck from snapping it in his direction. He has always been the one that gets your attention in the worst way. My mom claims that he acts that way because he is the baby. I always reply with, he's the baby because he acts like that. If he would have been the first, there would have been no more!

P.S. Please don't send me hate mail, lol.