I work daily with between 80-90 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 years old. I spend the lots of time with the "troubled" kids that get sent to me for being naughty, but I make a point to see all 80 some kids daily. When getting pregnant, I knew I had to prepare myself for the sensitive questions children are likely to ask. I was ready for , "Where do babies come from?" or, "How did it get in there?" or even, "How does it come out." Little did I know, my students would send me a pack of entirely different questions.
My group of school age students had just found out that I was pregnant. Here is how the conversation went:
1st grader: Ms. Joanna, are you having a boy or girl?
Me: I don't know yet
1st grader: I bet it's a girl cuz you're a girl
Me: Well....your mommy is a girl and she had you, a boy
1st grader: walks off totally confused
2 minutes later....
1st grader: Ms. Joanna, Is your baby gonna be white?
Me: (completely stunned as my assistant walks away trying not to laugh) Yes, my baby will be white
1st grader: Oh, cuz you're white right?
Me: Well that's half of it
2nd grader walks over: Well my mommy is white and I'm not white!
From here I took a deep breath and dove into the topic of skin color while keeping a mental note to prepare staff for angry parents wanting to know why their children are asking questions about white and black babies.
After keeping my composure during the conversation, I walked to my office and laughed so hard I cried.
Sometimes you prepare so much you are bound to be hit with a doozie! Ahhh childhood innocence.
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