I feel like I’ve failed my son today.
We were standing in line at the store, the same store where this happened, and a little boy about 4 said, “He has crazy hair!”
I deflected the insult with humor. “Oh, this isn’t crazy. You should have seen it yesterday!”
I didn’t think he even understood what was happening.
But my boy, my Little B, did understand. He started rubbing his hair and looking sad. It was one of those situations where I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t say anything at all. In hindsight, I have a million things I could have said…should have said. But I didn’t do anything to stick up for my little guy.
Once I walked away, all I could do was tell him how much I loved his hair. And everything about him. He certainly understood that.
In the future, I’m going to get out my teacher voice and proclaim, “That wasn’t very nice!” I need to start getting my responses ready, because my son deserves a mom who will stand up for him. Whether it’s an innocent comment from a four year old, or a racist comment from a grown man. He doesn’t deserve to feel inferior because of his hair or skin color.
No one does.
I hate how I always have the perfect thing to say after the fact. B looks quite handsome in his picture! He’s getting so big!
I’m sure he loved all the compliments from Mommy on the way out of the store.
I always do this too, I always think of something smart I would have said after the fact. B has the cutest smile ever!!
I moved my blog, not sure if you were still able to read, raisinglittlered.blogspot.com
Great photo of B! He’s getting so big.