‘She can’t play with us because she’s not white’

Back in December of 2014 I got my first job at a gym working in the daycare. I was very excited to have a fresh start in a new environment, finally getting to make some of my own hard earned cash. I absolutely love working with children, so it was a perfect fit.

The first day was full of new experiences: figuring out how to clock in, being assigned different chores and tasks, and learning how to most effectively interact with the kids. I would say it was a pretty run of the mill first day on the job- until one defining moment.

While working in the toddler room, I noticed that there was a fight among four children, all under the age of five. There was one little boy and one girl standing inside of a playhouse, with two other girls standing outside of it. Upon arrival to the house, I asked what the problem was, to which one little girl replied, “He’s not letting us in.” Presuming this was a fairly simple issue, I asked the boy inside the house why he refused to let the others come play with him.

What he said next completely shocked me: “She can’t play with us because she’s not white.”

I was at first caught off guard by the blunt reply of the unknowing child. How could such a young and innocent boy say something like this?

I honestly did not know exactly what to say, but I decided to let the moment be a lesson for him. I simply explained that all little boys and girls were the same, and that it doesn’t matter what skin color you are, we can all be friends and play together. The boy seemed to understand, and did not hesitate to let the girls inside the house anymore.  I let out a sigh of relief, and hoped this would not come up as an issue again.

This story ended well, but unfortunately that is not always the case.

The fact that a four-year-old child had this disturbing viewpoint tells me that he had to have been raised to think that way. People are not born with an innate sense of one race or ethnicity being greater than another; it is learned through our parents and the environment we grow up in.

I can’t help but feel sad and distraught at the idea that this is probably not the only time that this young child has made such derogatory remarks, let alone any other child who has been raised to think in this skewed manner.

With all of this talk of equality among the genders and races, why do incidents such as this still occur? Change can only happen through positive influence of those who are responsible for raising the next generation of children, which is why it is so important for adults to be good role models.

I wouldn’t call myself a symbol of social movement, but I can definitely notice when something isn’t right. It breaks my heart to see a child so young discriminate against a fellow peer simply because of the color of their skin. It is unjust, unwarranted and disappointing.

This definitely has not been a recurring issue, and I do not mean to talk about my place of work negatively whatsoever. I love my job and couldn’t have asked for a better place to work. It’s where I’ve found great friends and made awesome memories that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

From hanging out after hours at the rock wall…

To taking random popsicle breaks to make the day pass a little faster…

To modeling our (occasionally amazing) tips…

I love my job and the people in it.

This just goes to show that it doesn’t matter when or where it happens, it is unacceptable. I would have never expected to see this kind of incident at my gym because it’s such a great place, but I guess that’s the nature of our society.

Over a year later and this event still sticks out in my mind, because it revealed the alarming truth that there are still a lot of people who think this way. I would never want to witness this happen among adults, let alone a young child.

So if you ever find yourself in a situation where someone is not being treated fairly due to such a petty difference as skin color, speak up and make your voice known. Whether it is a forty-year-old woman or a four-year-old boy, it is our responsibility as human beings to stand up for what is right.