And this is why I'll keep her
Friday morning, right after stepping out from a cool summer morning shower, I turned on NPR and heard the unmistakable voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. Reilly Kate was sitting on our bed playing with the baby. She looked up, listened for a moment, and then asked, "Mom? What's that guy complaining about?"
"That guy is Martin Luther King, my dear. And he's complaining about injustice," I explained.
So began one of those amazing "unschooling" moments when I got to teach my daughter something about history, civic responsibility, racism, sexism, humanitarianism. I told her about peaceful resistance, standing up for what was right regardless of personal danger, and how one person can change the entire world. We talked about MLK's life and his death. We talked about how important it is for good people to speak out against evil. It was a good lesson.
After it ended, I went about my dressing. Ten or so minutes later, Reilly Kate came in and said to me, "When I get big, I'm going to Darfur to stand up for those people. I'm going to stop what happened to Daniel from happening to kids there." [She's referring to the jewish boy, Daniel, in "Daniel's Story", an exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII]
"Ya know, that's very dangerous, baby. Darfur is a very dangerous place and there are mean people who would not like you trying to stop what they are doing there," I told her.
"I know. I know it's dangerous," she said. "But Mama, somebody has to stand up to those meanies. Who will protect those kids? I'm going to go there. I'm going to go there when I'm a grown up... or maybe when I'm six," she explained as if it were all very clear to her and should be plain to all of us as well.
"Well, if that's what you want to do, even though it is very, very dangerous..." I started.
"I do! I do! When I'm a grown up... or maybe when I'm six. How 'bout when I'm six?" she seemed in a hurry to single handedly end the genocide in a nightmarish corner of the world that she couldn't even find on a globe. Though, I was beaming that my five year old knew more of it than most Americans could be bothered to learn... and then actually wanted to do something about it.
"Well, not when you're six. But if you did go there and stood up for those people, then I would be very proud of you. Remember, it only takes one person to change the world."
"Awww... but I wanna go when I'm six. Mama, please?" she begged.
All I could do was reach down and hold her close, squeezing her a little tighter with each subsequent "please" she'd eek out until, of course, she'd said "please" about 300 times in a two minute span and I snapped at her in a very unmotherly tone.
That kid. If she ain't breaking my heart with her smart mouth and obnoxious antics, she's making it burst with pride, joy, and love.
"That guy is Martin Luther King, my dear. And he's complaining about injustice," I explained.
So began one of those amazing "unschooling" moments when I got to teach my daughter something about history, civic responsibility, racism, sexism, humanitarianism. I told her about peaceful resistance, standing up for what was right regardless of personal danger, and how one person can change the entire world. We talked about MLK's life and his death. We talked about how important it is for good people to speak out against evil. It was a good lesson.
After it ended, I went about my dressing. Ten or so minutes later, Reilly Kate came in and said to me, "When I get big, I'm going to Darfur to stand up for those people. I'm going to stop what happened to Daniel from happening to kids there." [She's referring to the jewish boy, Daniel, in "Daniel's Story", an exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII]
"Ya know, that's very dangerous, baby. Darfur is a very dangerous place and there are mean people who would not like you trying to stop what they are doing there," I told her.
"I know. I know it's dangerous," she said. "But Mama, somebody has to stand up to those meanies. Who will protect those kids? I'm going to go there. I'm going to go there when I'm a grown up... or maybe when I'm six," she explained as if it were all very clear to her and should be plain to all of us as well.
"Well, if that's what you want to do, even though it is very, very dangerous..." I started.
"I do! I do! When I'm a grown up... or maybe when I'm six. How 'bout when I'm six?" she seemed in a hurry to single handedly end the genocide in a nightmarish corner of the world that she couldn't even find on a globe. Though, I was beaming that my five year old knew more of it than most Americans could be bothered to learn... and then actually wanted to do something about it.
"Well, not when you're six. But if you did go there and stood up for those people, then I would be very proud of you. Remember, it only takes one person to change the world."
"Awww... but I wanna go when I'm six. Mama, please?" she begged.
All I could do was reach down and hold her close, squeezing her a little tighter with each subsequent "please" she'd eek out until, of course, she'd said "please" about 300 times in a two minute span and I snapped at her in a very unmotherly tone.
That kid. If she ain't breaking my heart with her smart mouth and obnoxious antics, she's making it burst with pride, joy, and love.
posted by The Histrionics of a Fat Housewife at 8:06 PM
3 Comments:
We need more parents like you that take the time to speak to their children about whats going on in the world.
We tend to forget just how perceptive children are (despite their age).
I take my hat off to you.
Even though I do not have children yet, I hope I am even just a fraction as involved as you are.
As for Reilly Kate, YOU GO GIRL!!!
I'd vote for you as President!
wow instead of MLK it's Rei Kay Pee Spi out on a mission to save the world! Goooooo Meee!! ;)
oh yeah.. and I better let cha know I've changed your babies name.. her name is now BIG MACirina!! lol!
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