Kids Say the Craziest Things

Hey there. Yesterday, we went to the market to buy us some groceries. Nothing unusual while we're roaming the isles filing up our cart. Once we're outside in the parking lot, I turn to make sure that the kids are not in the way of cars and I notice that our middle child, who will be turning 7 in June, is walking with her eyes closed. Soon after she says something to my wife, which I didn't catch, and my wife is laughing her ass off. Practically in tears. As she composes herself, I asked her, "What did she say?" She told me that she said, "How can Chinese people walk with their eyes closed?" LMAO We laughed. Now, we don't mean any disrespect. I'm not racist, sexist, or any other negative "ist" out there. The fact that I saw her walking with her eyes closed and then her making that comment just completely threw me off guard and started laughing.

Still in the parking lot, loading groceries into the trunk, I explained to her that different people have different features. Every one is unique in their own way. I told her to look around and she'll see people with different skin color, different eye color, different hair color, and that very rarely, you'll see two people looking the same. I explained to her that our Chinese friends do not have their eyes closed, they are open, just not as open as your eyes.Therefore, they are not walking with their eyes closed. She just gave me a look and said, Oh, OK.

Again, don't mean to disrespect or offend anyone. It's just that kids these days are so observant and voice their observations out loud. I believe children should be well informed. I don't tell our kids that because people have different features from theirs, those people are "weird" or whatever. Golden rule in our house is treat everyone the way you want to be treated, regardless of nationality, race, color, or whatever.

Sometimes an innocent question from an untainted child really puts the world into perspective. Most of us watch (or read) the news so we know of hate crimes and what not that goes on in our world. Kids don't. To them, life is about school, homework, and play. Repeat as many times as possible. If they never know of the wrong doings that go on, they'll never do it. Don't get me wrong, if your kid notices something that someone did, you should inform them. Let them know what's going on but let them know it's wrong. If us, as parents instill in our kids that it's OK to get along with anyone and everyone, the world should be a better place because of it.

Later.