[whoownsthis]

Wow, that sounds interesting and useful (the Kenya doll).

Just wanted to let everyone know that our local transracial adoption group was able to find a white-bearded "Santa of color" to come to our Christmas party last Saturday. And it turns out that my husband used to work with him! If he hadn't come to the party, though, we would have been out of luck for pictures.

[everandaday]

I think kids are way more aware of the other people around them, especially if they are young. This is something that happened with my 4 year old. He has a lot of teddy bears which are various shades of brown and one white one. so he was playing with them and I asked him "can I have that teddy bear?" and he gave me the white one, so I said "no not the polar bear, the regular bear", and he said " but the white one IS the regular one", which is really surprising because most bears are brown, and most of his bears are brown, and in fact HE is brown. Apparently he never noticed that though, but I guess he noticed that most of the kids he knows are white.

[mallory4]

Everandaday,

I agree, kids are very observant whether they are talking about what they observe or not.

Several years ago, my oldest was 3 or 4 and we were visiting the public library when a preschool class went trooping by on their way to story hour. My daughter gasped and said "Look! A kid like me!" Indeedy, it was another biracial child with eyes and hair similar to hers.

At the time we lived in a neighborhood with lots of black children, and some white children, and had both as friends. My daughter had never before said anything that indicated she thought of herself as looking different than anyone else, but clearly she had noticed the difference between herself and all the kids she knew.

It really is never too soon to make the effort to have our kids around others like them

[spaypets]

My daughter, when learning of a new baby being born, will ask "Is it a brown baby or a pink one?" She's 4 and has noticed for a while that there aren't many kids her color - that's what's so great about our agency picnic every year--she sees other little girls who look just like her.

[hotspice58]

It's always been like that. To get anything of color, whether it be black, Hispanic, or another, you have to go to a city.

[everandaday]

Originally Posted by mallory4

It really is never too soon to make the effort to have our kids around others like them

There actually are a couple of mixed racial kids like him at preschool, but most of the kids are white.

[Binyasa]

Thank God for this thread.

I went into our local megachain book store the other day looking for holiday/seasonal books featuring children of color. Here's the exchange I had with the children's book saleslady:

Clueless Saleslady: Hi, can I help you?
Me: Hey thanks... I was wondering if you have any Christmas or winter-ish books that feature children of color???
CS: *blank stare* *long pause*
Me: Um, non-white children?
CS: Oh! Oh! *looking embarrassed* Uh, well... let me look... ok, well, not really, no. Um, we have books with animals?
Me: *blank stare*
CS: Wait! How about this one? (pointing out a book on story of the birth of Jesus, where on the cover Mary and Joseph are definitely white and the baby Jesus is kinda tan-ish...)
Me: Uh, I was thinking of something less religious....
CS: *huffily* Well. It *is* the reason for the season!
Me: *blank stare*


OMG?! Where to begin... where to begin.

Don't even get me started on finding books that feature children of color where the theme isn't about diversity.

/whine.

[spaypets]

Binyasa--The Jump at the Sun series (available from Amazon) has AA pictures with traditional fairy tales (well, slightly sanitized -- the wolf doesn't eat the grandmother in Little Red Riding Hood). They have two Christmas books.

Also, Rachna Gilmore writes books about a South Indian girl named Gita who has moved to Canada.

The little girl in the Corduroy series (she's only in some of them) is AA.

[dr.kad]

Hi all--

One of the best things that white parents can do is read Peggy McIntosh's essay about white privilege. I have included a link to an online copy.

http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac...Unpacking.html

Thanks for your powerful stories!!!

[Spydoor]

I've found it to always be a bigger problem to find asian-looking dolls, etc. than AA ones. Check out Barbie dolls, for example. As for the Bratz, lets not go there. Strangely, I've not had a problem finding things here. I am in a city, in CANADA. One year I went looking for an angel for the top of the tree, and had to go to three different stores to find the one that I was supposed to pick up. I was not looking for one of colour, but a specific one that someone wanted (light brown hair, blue/gray eyes like their daughter). I found the most beautiful AA and hispanic angels, etc. Maybe I'm just looking in the right places. Did you have any luck with the Chrismas Cards?

[BethanyB]

I was happy to find AA Christmas ornaments this year AND last year. Last year was my son's first Christmas and they had a little moon ornament with a little AA baby on it. It said, "Baby's First Christmas" They were also doing a Santa Around the World theme and had a Santa from Africa. They also had an ornament with two AA kids doing something. I forget what. I'll have to go out and look at the tree.

This year was my daugters first Christmas. So they had a little swan with an AA baby on it. It also says, Baby's First Christmas. And this year they had a black Santa ornament. AND two AA kids baking cookies.
I bought all of these ornaments. So I was happy about that.

I wish I could have the same luck with dolls and books.

Oh boy, baby M is crying! Gotta Go!

[bellazmama]

I've always collected Madame Alexander dolls. Until this year, it was nearly impossible to find them in any color other than White. So, I just took my very expensive MA Tree Topper's outfit and used it to dress my MA "Jamaica" doll. POOF! A gorgeous angel for the top of my tree that looks like Bella!

[ahimsa]

I didn't look for a black Santa. Heck...I barely got the kids to see ANY Santa this year! I am lucky to live near two very cool stores "Shades of Afrika" in Long Beach on 3rd and Elm and 2000+ Books on Pine Street near Ocean Blvd. They both have many items for kids, and adults featuring African Americans. eBay is great too. Our local Target has many "ethnic" dolls and a section of kids' books showing AA faces. We have every one there!

The one thing I CAN'T find is a version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with any family but a white one. Wouldn't care what race, or if they were multiracial. However, they're all white. I found one online that showed a black family and it was horribly offensive. It wasn't just the regular story, it was rewritten and included many horrible stereotypes and language that had a lot of gramatically incorrect English. I just don't like the implication that a book for black children should be dumbed down in any way.

If anyone knows of a non-white version of the book, let me know!

[bellazmama]

I thought I'd already posted this, but it must not've gone through. . .

I've found lots of AA toys, dolls, and other stuff at of all places, Cracker Barrel.

Sarah