My response was simple: I was baffled as to why my four year old knowing who Freddy Gray was was baffling.

My son is a beautiful four year old boy. He is sweet and kind. He is more childlike than the other children who are starting Kindergarten this year (which he should be but isn't). My husband and I have been hellbent on extending his childhood -- insistent on preserving his youth -- until it's forced from our grasp by the inevitability of elementary school. He is the child running barefoot in the park, the one happily laughing the afternoons away at his gym class. He is a child in every sense of the world, boyhood dripping from his smile and his big dreams that have not yet been crushed by the world around him.
But he knows who Freddy Gray was because he lives in this world and so why shouldn't he know what is going on around him?
I argue with people often about the dangers of being color blind versus being color aware. It frightens me when people say smugly that they don't see color. If we, as a society, keep hiding our head in the sand, we can never heal the cracks that so desperately need to be welded together. We have taught Ethan the importance of being color aware not just because he has a sister who is biracial but because, as parents, it is our job to equip him with the necessary tools needed to be a productive member of society.
At four, Ethan is a little bit more intellectual than I know what to do with. Sometimes I can't answer his questions. Sometimes he just wants to pretend to be a robot, speaking in bee-boo, bee-boo noises. Other times, he wants to come up with a detailed plan to solve world poverty. We've always believed in following the child and quenching their desire for knowledge. Perhaps the most important thing we want him to know as boyhood evolves into adulthood ith is the importance of being kind. Is there someone out there who thinks that Freddy Gray was treated with kindness? Is there someone out there who believes there to be justification behind his senseless death and the inevitability that no charges will be likely be filed (please, universe, prove me wrong).
I want Ethan to be the change that I wish to see in the world, just as I strive to be. We want him to be the one who stands up when someone is being wronged. We want him to see color, to see unfairness, to be the voice for someone who has been unjustly silenced.
Yes, my four year old knows who Freddy Gray was. He knows that most people are good but that some are bad, or make bad choices for reasons unknown (although Ethan speculates it's because their parents didn't hug them enough or maybe they didn't jump in enough puddles as children). He knows that the best way to fight hatred is with love. He knows that he can never turn the other cheek if anyone is harming someone else.
We choose to let our child know what is going around him in this world so that he knows the importance of standing up for kindness and for love. After all, love is the best way to stomp out hate. If we pretend Freddy Gray's murder never happened, if we pretend that there are no problems in modern day America -- how can we expect to fix them? We owe our children a better tomorrow than this.
ray ban sunglasses
ReplyDeletenike roshe flyknit
air jordans
pittsburgh steelers jerseys
ugg boots
jordan 3
oakley sunglasses
insanity workout
dallas mavericks jerseys
celine handbags
cheap jordan shoes
louis vuitton outlet
canada goose outlet
boston celtics jerseys
uggs outlet
michael kors outlet
oakley sunglasses wholesale
louboutin pas cher
cheap uggs
canada goose coats
louis vuitton handbags
nba jerseys
ralph lauren uk
true religion
adidas shoes
christian louboutin shoes
giuseppe zanotti sneakers
oklahoma city thunder jerseys
nike roshe run
kobe 9 shoes
new york knicks jerseys
adidas trainers
christian louboutin outlet
louis vuitton handbags
cheap oakley sunglasses
michael kors outlet
longchamp handbags
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet clearance
coach outlet
chenlina20160816
20161013meiqing
ReplyDeletekate spade outlet
hollister clothing
christian louboutin shoes
ralph lauren outlet
coach factory outlet
ralph lauren outlet online
ugg boots
pandora uk
canada goose outlet
nike free flyknit
cheap oakley sunglasses
ReplyDeletenike huaraches
lacoste polo shirts
lacoste outlet
nike huarache
chrome hearts outlet
nike huarache sale
adidas tubular
hogan outlet
michael kors handbags
kobe basketball shoes
fitflops clearance
tiffany jewelry
basketball shoes
christian louboutin outlet
cheap jordan shoes
links of london
adidas superstar
michael kors outlet
adidas neo online shop
hogan outlet
cheap jordans
nike roshe run one
adidas tubular
timberland uk
huarache shoes
kobe bryant shoes
michael kors factory outlet
cheap uggs
nike roshe run
michael kors uk
discount oakley sunglasses
retro jordans
http://www.uggoutlet.uk
nike kobe sneakers
louis vuitton factory outlet
ReplyDeletecheap mlb jerseys
michael kors handbags
nike cortez
adidas nmd
coach outlet
ferragamo shoes
tiffany and co
kate spade handbags
louis vuitton canada
20170122caiyan
jianbin0123
ReplyDeletelouis vuitton outlet
ecco outlet
tiffany outlet
basketball shoes
ugg boots
louis vuitton outlet
rolex watches for sale
tods outlet online
oakley sunglasses
ugg boots
louis vuitton bags
ReplyDeletecheap nfl jerseys
pandora charms sale
michael kors handbags outlet
fit flops
lakers jerseys
oakley sunglasses wholesale
christian louboutin outlet
nike outlet store
michael kors handbags outlet
xushengda0329
converse trainers
ReplyDeleteabercrombie and fitch
chicago bears jerseys
coach outlet online
ray ban sunglasses
coach factory outlet
new balance outlet
ralph lauren outlet
oakland raiders jerseys
coach outlet
20170524 junda
ReplyDeletemichael kors wallets for women
fitflops uk
adidas shoes
mulberry handbags
cheap oakley sunglasses
ralph lauren outlet
coach outlet
michael kors outlet online
ralph lauren outlet
oakley sunglasses wholesale
coach outlet online
ReplyDeletejordan 4
coach factory outlet
minnesota vikings jerseys
carolina jerseys
cheap ray bans
nike trainers
jets jersey
los angeles lakers
oakley sunglasses
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش بالدمام الشرق الاوسط متحصصه فى نقل عفش واثاث بالدمام ونقل العفش بالخبر كما انها توفر شركة نقل عفش بالجبيل والخبر وشركة نقل عفش بالقطيف والاحساء وجميع خدمات نقل العفش والاثاث بالمنطقة الشرقية بارخص اسعار نقل عفش بالدمام وتقدم ايضا شركة تخزين عفش بالدمام والخبر
نقل عفش بالدمام
شركة نقل اثاث بالدمام
شركة نقل اثاث بالخبر
Hello, I log on to your blogs on a regular basis. Your writing style is witty, keep it up!MenmyshopTouch Hypersonic Double Din Player MirrorJ3L Touch Double Din PlayerHypersonic Double Din Player MirrorJ3L Double Din Player Mirror
ReplyDeleteHyundai Xcent OEM Double Din PlayerbanzaraMalhotra law house
http://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurnitureahsa.html شركة نقل اثاث بالاحساء
ReplyDeletehttp://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurniturekharj.html شركة نقل اثاث بالخرج
http://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurniturekhamismushit.html شركة نقل اثاث بخميس مشيط
http://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurnitureabha.html شركة نقل اثاث بابها
http://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurniturenajran.html شركة نقل اثاث بنجران
http://mycanadafitness.com/movingfurniturejazan.html شركة نقل اثاث بجازان
شركة نقل اثاث برابغ
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش بشرورة
شركة نقل اثاث بعسفان
شركة نقل اثاث بتبوك
– مركبات شركه نقل أثاث بالبكيرية متميزة بأنها مقسمة من الداخل بحيث انها تعاون فى حراسة العفش ويحدث ترتيبها على نحو متميز حتى لا يؤدى الى التعرض الى المطبات ويؤدى الى التعرض الى الاهتزاز فيحدث الكسر وغيرها من المشكلات الاخرى فى الاثاث نقل أثاث عنيزة .
ReplyDeleteشركة نقل عفش
شركة نقل عفش من الرياض الى الاردن
شركة نقل اثاث من الرياض الى الاردن
شركة نقل عفش بخميس مشيط
It’s hard to find knowledgeable people on this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
ReplyDeleteCelebes Travel
Wisata Celebes
Celebes Tourism