This morning I was still laying in bed while I overheard my 8 year old daughter playing dolls in her room. Here is the conversation, best to my memory, of her dolls.
Bad Lady: You have the ugliest kids.
Good Mommy: No I don't. They are beautiful.
Bad Lady: Look at their nappy hair.
Good Mommy: I don't care what you think. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL!
Little Kid: WHAAAAAAAAAA
Good Mommy: It's OK my baby, she doesn't know what she's talking about.
Little Kid: She thinks I'm ugly because of my hair.
Good Mommy: I think your beautiful, and it doesn't matter what others think. We know your beautiful on the inside AND the outside.
Bad Lady: Give me my slave.
Good Mommy: Keep your bad hands off my children. I'm gonna call the cops on you!
To me, it is amazing what children can overhear, and take to heart. As I was listening to her there were times I began to cringe, such as the slave part, but I continued to listen further to hear the outcome. My daughter will tell anyone who will listen that it is not what's on the outside that counts, but the inside. She will tell complete strangers that same thing. Courage. People will be taken aback by her because she is so honest with her words. I hope she continues as she grows older, but I'm scared when popularity becomes a "familiar", she won't be so courageous to stick up for people of different origins. I think what the American Girl company has managed to present to young girls is awesome. Bringing our true past into a doll and explaining how their life really was like for all, minorities included. Awesome. But as for MY daughter, I'll let her play pretend all she wants when she is tackling racism, one doll at a time.
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