The girls yesterday while driving home from visiting my family in Gillette.
I just thought that I would post a few random thoughts before I forget them; as our life together seems to be changing at a rapid pace these days.
The girls are getting along so much better; that being said Simret did try to scratch Makeda's face off this weekend because she wanted to go potty first. You should hear Makeda's version of this story - it's quite humorous (even though there was nothing humorous about it). Through gestures and broken English, Makeda tells the story of how she was just sitting on the potty going poop "because poop goes in the potty" and Simret came up out of nowhere and scratched her face. Each time she touches her face and feels the scab she reminds Simret that "hitting is not nice". I know there will be more fights to come; as they are sisters and are both strong willed little girls - but there is more play and loving going on these days - far more than fighting - which gives me hope.
The last month Makeda has been making negative comments about where she is from and about others that look like her. I have not posted about this because I guess I'm not only embarrassed but saddened that she has been taught these things. For example, when she doesn't like something she calls it "Awassa" and when she likes something she calls it "America". The other day I told her that she needed to take a bath because she had school. She says, "School...Awassa. Shopping...America. Muahhh shopping, yucky school". I told her that if likes shopping so much then she has to go to school because that is how we pay for shopping.
When we see anyone of similar skin color to her she points at them and says, "look Mama, Awassa...yucky Awassa". I respond by saying "muahh Awassa, Makeda is from Awassa and I love Awassa because I love Makeda." She also points to her arm and says "yucky Awassa, pretty Mommy". I of course tell her how beautiful her and Simret's skin color is and that we are all different and beautiful". It just breaks my heart that she was educated to dislike her skin color and her country. She is slowly coming around the last couple of days and is saying "muahh America, muahh Awassa" and then asks if we can go and see Awassa and then come home to Thunder, Chili, and Sage (our dogs). So, we are getting somewhere.
(I will post pictures of Simret's birthday soon).
2 comments:
Precious...I'm sure with your daily encouragement that her skin color issue will become better and better daily. They are both so cute.
I agree...the way you are handling the issues with her, she will have a positive attitude both about her skin color and her heritage. I also love the picture of the girls holding hands...and they each are holding a foot with the opposite hand ;) That is a truly priceless picture of them!!!
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