Coloring People???? What is That About?

Have you ever seen a little toddler exploring a box of chunky crayons for the first time? I love letting people be creative. Inside each of us is a longing to create something. Often most people are taught to conform, to color in the lines, to pick the right colors, to make real world looking objects, to follow directions..... barely does a child make it to 5 years old without being taught how to color.

Have you ever thought about the fact that children are also taught mostly by parents, but also caretakers, siblings, or relatives what to think about skin color? Children are naturally attracted to variety. They appreciate differences in color. Children don't have feelings of one color being better or worse than another. I know - my children were raised this way.

Colors are beautiful! Do you believe this?

My son was born a week or so after a friend of mine's child. He was dark skinned, my son was very pale skinned. These two boys grew up being friends. A few times we discussed how neither child ever mentioned or noticed a difference in each other. I wondered when one of them would notice.

Neither of our children went to a daycare or preschool, and we both taught them to love and respect everyone.

I believe my son was about five when he said something about noticing his body was a different color then his friends. It was no big deal. I simply confirmed what he noticed.

Also, from experience, I have seen children treated ugly by someone of another color skin and after noticed I the child begins to make a broad assumption that all people of the same color are similar. While this is a pretty natural conclusion, it must be reinforced to stick, and become a solidly held belief. What a person believes (through experience) or is taught (and therefore believes) is clearly seen in actions. We behave what we believe, our mind controls our actions.

So what are you teaching? What do you believe?

God created people different colors. Often skin color was given for a way to protect the body from dangers due to extreme heat and very hot sun. Fair skin is more likely to take in too much sunlight and the skin can be damaged permanently. Tanned skin is not naturally the way skin was meant to be. Tanned skin is damaged skin cells - the body protects the cells by turning darker so that the cell can repair.

The color is skin deep. The blood, the organs, the brain, the DNA, the soul, the spirit knows no color.

We are taught to not judge a book by its cover. We need to also teach children to not judge a person by skin color.

The truth is racism is taught. People are taught to hurt or dislike people simply due to their skin color ... it does not come natural. 

What have you been taught?