Unbelievable

Emma and I spent the holidays in Finland visiting family and enjoying our Finnish traditions first hand.

At one point we had a serious conversation on the racial distribution of peoples around the globe as Emma struggled to find herself belonging to the Finnish sea of white faces.

A few days later, on a souvenier buying frenzy we went from store to store to find matching Finland shirts for her and her soulsister, Brianna. After several unsuccesful attempts...

Emma: Unbelievable! Unbelievable that there are no shirts that say 'I Love Finland' or 'Finland is the Best'!

Me: It sure is. You'd think people would like to let the whole world know how great Finland is.

Emma: That's what I was thinking!

After a few minutes of thinking...

Emma: I'm not sure how to say this, but are white people... are they not as smart as brown people?

Me: (not connecting the dots yet) Tell me more of what you're thinking?

Emma: Well, because the Finnish people have not thought to make shirts about Finland...

Me: I get it.. It makes you think they may not be that smart. I can see how you might think that!

We went on to discuss the absence of evidence for any particular concentrations of intelligence based on skin color.

However, her comment made me think -- I never realized how innocently prejudice can find its way to one's thinking. Emma was only trying to make her environment make sense and drew conclusions on her very real experiences. She's a child.

I would like to think that as we grow up and mature we will reconsider our childlike impressions of the world, but obviously that is often the missing step. Keep hope alive...

Who knew parenting also covers anthropology?

generation gap

I take Emma and her best friend to school most mornings. The two are like sisters -- love abounds as do those misunderstandings.

One morning, unlike their usual array of musical dance numbers to the tunes of "High School Musical" or "Camp Rock", it was quiet in Emma's room and Emma was staring out the window and her friend just sitting quietly on the bed. I poked my head in.

Me: What's up girls? Are you guys pouting in here?

Emma: (still staring out the window) Mommy, you don't understand my life circumstance...

Me: OK.... It seems like you guys are pouting. Just wanted to know what happened.

Emma: We are young, you just don't get it.

Me: Right... (humbly leaving the room)

Emma: Even when you say "diggy yo-yo", it doesn't sound right.

..................
Sometimes I do feel SO old...

the budding artist

I was just recently trying to purge some stacks of paper that at some point appeared important enough to hold on to. In the process I ran into an old note I had written to immortalize a bath time song I overheard by Emma. At the time she was only 3yrs and 3mos old and was lost in her expression as she was singing the following:

And I know --

My Mommy said Yes.

My Mommy is my friend.

Be my friend.

I love my Mommy.

Be my friend?

My Mommy said Yes!

I can't let it end.

....Mommy be my friend.

founding fathers

Emma and I just returned from our vacation to the Black Hills of South Dakota. While there we visited the most beautiful sites including the impressive Mount Rushmore. Along the way we also frequented many stores with various souveniers for tourists like us. One particular T-shirt drew Emma's attention -- the shirt had a picture of the four founding fathers carved into the rock with an additional picture of four famous Native American chiefs. The text on the shirt says "The Original Founding Fathers."

Emma: Who are these guys that are on the shirt? Are they presidents, too?

Me: They are the chiefs that were here before the United States was formed and ruled over their tribes and the land.

Emma: So they were presidents!

Me: I guess you could call them that.

Emma: So the brown ones were here first!?! They started it!!!

Me: Right, they did.

Emma with such pride and satisfaction gave the infamous fist pump with an enthusiastic "YESSS!!!"

you know, boys...

After a long weekend at her Dad's, Emma and I were catching up.

Me: Sounds like a great weekend, Emma. But I sure missed you... so glad you're home!

Emma: I missed you, too, Mommy. One day I cried in my room.

Me: Oh, really? What was going on that made you so sad? Did you tell your Daddy you were sad?

Emma: Nothing, I was just in my room and I missed you so it made me cry. I didn't tell Daddy. He's a boy and, you know, he doesn't know how to work it out.

Me: Oh, I see.

Emma: He wasn't there so I just cried a little.

Me: What do you mean he wasn't there? Where was he?

Emma: He wasn't in my room. He was in his room watching his TV. You know how boys are.

Here's to hoping this early insight to the male psyche will save her a few unnecessary heart aches!

Boys are crazy!

We were driving along a residetial street when a huge pick up truck with tires about the size of a compact vehicle revvs past us weaving in and out of traffic. As it is revving it also

Me: (mostly muttering to myself) Why would anyone really need a truck that size??

Emma: (obviously listening in to my private conversation with myself) I tell you what, Mommy, boys are crazy!

Me: Well, at times it seems that way, huh?

Emma: Those boys should just sometimes walk and leave those polluting trucks at home!

There is hope for a cleaner tomorrow yet... :)

Sorry is not going to do it...

As Emma was being dropped off from school ...

Emma: Mommy I have a problem.

Me: What's that?

Emma: I can't do it without my two jackets! (erupting in mournful outright wail)

Earlier in the week I had given some slightly used clothes to her friend who is a size or two smaller.

Me: But love, you didn't want to wear the brown one for last several times when I suggested and both of them are a few years old and will not fit you anymore next winter.

Emma: (in the midst of sobbing) They are my two special favorite coats! I can't have Brianna have them.

Me: I'm sorry, I should have checked with you, but you never wanted to wear either one, so I thought you wouldn't mind. What if it's Brianna's turn to have special coats?

Emma: No, Mommy. She throws them on the ground and it really hurts my feelings. I never wanted to wear them, because I didn't want them to get dirty or rip. They are so special to me. (again NO breaks in the sobbing!)

Me: I am so sorry, Emma. I did not know any of this.

Emma: Sorry is just not going to do it, Mommy...

There was no mention of any of this in the advanced theories of family development!!! All those credit hours gone to waste...