Chinese Daughter, White Parents

From the very Moment we thought of it, the idea of adopting a child from Asia didn't phase me a bit. I admit that considering raising a black child, or Hispanic child, or a child from India all made me a quite uneasy. I don't think I could do it. Those ethnicities just seem so different from mine.

But, for some reason, an Asian child doesn't seem different at all. To me it hardly feels like she will be different from us in any way. Maybe it is because we live is such a highly Asian populated community. Or, perhaps because Megan and George are Chinese. Anyway, to me, right now, it doesn't' seem that she will be any different.

But, as I read books on adopting and raising children in a multi-ethnic household I'm beginning to realize that although we won't view her any different from us, others will. And they will not always be discrete nor sensitive about it. It already angers me to think that people will make unintentionally stupid comments like, "Who's child is she?" (Instead of "Is she your baby?"), or "Why would you want to adopt a child from Asia?" I can't even begin to fathom the depths of anger I'll feel when people are more hurtful about her heritage, especially when they say it to or in front of her. Other children will be especially mean. "Your real mommy and daddy didn't want you." In a sort of reverse bigotry, I can even imagine other Asian children deriding her because her parent aren't Chinese. "You're not really Chinese, your parents are not Chinese."

It makes me really sad already to think my daughter will be hurt in these ways from time to time. I pray God will protect her emotions from the thoughtless comments. I pray that Kelsey and I will prepare her for these things and build such a strong family of security and love that the comments will just seem dumb and ignorant even to our young daughter.