Kyle: My baby sister is going to look just like me. She will look just like me and Owen.
Heather: What do you mean?
K: She will have brown skin like us.
H: You think so?
K: Yes.
H: You know what Kyle? I want to tell you about something. Something important.
K: [Nodding; alert, attentive, and very curious]H: Your baby sister is not going to have brown skin like you. Do you want to know why?
K: Why?
H: Because all people — every every person — has skin the same as the woman whose belly they grew in.
K: [Wide eyed and shocked]H: That’s right! That’s what I want to tell you. Every baby that is born has the color skin of the woman who she is born from.
K: Oh!?
H: Yes, that’s right. So, your baby sister will have skin like mine. Because she is growing in my belly.
K: Oh!
H: And that’s why you and Owen have brown skin– because you grew in your birthmother’s belly– and she had brown skin just like you.
K: Oh!
H: Your birthmother was very beautiful. She had beautiful brown skin. And that’s how you and Owen got your beautiful brown skin.
K: Oh!
H: Do you understand?
K: That’s right! My birthmother had brown skin just like me!
H: Yes!
K: And that’s right!!! My baby sister will have skin just like you!
H: Yes! That’s right!
K: YES! THAT’S RIGHT!!!
~~~
I pick the boys up from school on Wednesdays, but yesterday afternoon I needed to attend a meeting that I could not get out of. I arranged to bring the boys to Lehigh to hang out on campus with some black Lehigh students. One of my favorite students, Jessica, knows Kyle and Owen well. She was going to be the primary person responsible for them for a couple of hours while I was at the meeting. K, O, and I were driving in the car to meet Jessica on campus…
Kyle: I can’t wait to see Jessica. I can’t wait. She has brown skin just like me. And black hair.
Heather: I know! And she can’t wait to see you either! This is going to be so exciting!
K: Yes! And fun!
H: Yes!
K: Who has brown skin like me?
H: What do you mean?
K: Who? Who has brown skin like me?
H: Jessica does.
K: Yes, but who else? Who else has brown skin like me?
H: Many people.
K: How many?
H: Very many.
K: Some or many?
H: Many.
K: Who looks like you Mommy?
H: You mean like my skin?
K: Yes.
H: Many people.
K: How many?
H: Many people. Many people have skin like me, and many people have skin like you.
K: Yes, that’s right! Many people have brown skin like me, and many people have skin like you.