The power of words
As parents one of our goals in raising them is to keep them from getting hurt, whether that be physical or emotional. But what happens when you can't?
Let me explain what happened last week. I took my four girls out for #nationaldonutday. As we stood in line, the lady in front of us turned around. She looks at my girls and then at me and asks "are these kids all yours?" I laugh! I get asked that all the time since people think I look about 20. But I respond with a "yes". She then points at my oldest and in the most disgusted voice says "but she's DARK!"
For those of you who are new readers, let me explain. I was single and pregnant at the age of 22 with my oldest. It wasn't till she was 2 months old that we met my husband, and her now (amazing) father. She is part Mexican, part white. The rest of my girls are all white. I get it. It doesn't make sense to people who don't know the story. And often times I get comments and questions. Usually, very innocent though and nothing at all hurtful. But this comment. It was hurtful. It was malicious. This lady made it very clear her disgust for my child having color. Luckily I was able to redirect that comment when we got home. Make her laugh that she's just "better at tanning than mommy". And luckily she doesn't understand yet why she's "darker". But what if she had been older??? How would she feel about herself? Over her skin color? Would she feel great about looking different than her own family?
As parents we do our best to protect them from mean and ignorant comments. To protect them from people who hurt others just because they are hurting themselves inside. Unfortunately, the world we live in doesn't allow for them to always be safe from those types of comments. Here's where YOU come in. Be aware of what you say and help your kids learn the same.
Maybe think for one second that what you say has power to hurt others. It has the power to make my daughter and all of the other kids in the world feel insecure about themselves and different from everyone else. Words also have the power to lift others up! Choose what you say carefully and you can change the world for the better! God made us ALL in his image and therefore extremely beautiful. No matter the skin color, hair color, eye color, male, or female. We are beautiful and wonderfully made!
