Does my 2 year old son know color?

Question

My son whom is 1/2 black is around white people all the time except his father occasionally. He seems confused sometimes when he see's black people and he has called some black men "daddy". When black people are on T.V he is glued to the screen. Last week my dad was changing oil in his truck and had oil all over his hands and cameron looked at my dads hands and back at his like 3 times. My son is loved very much and I he is never made fun of his color but I often wonder if he understands that he looks differently than everyone around him... How is this going to effect him when he is in school or fitting in. I just worry sometimes that he will feel like he doesnt fit in or think he is weird cause of his color...?

And how do I explain this to him when he asks why he is different..?

Answer 1

When my 2 1/2 year old son was a little younger, he called anyone in a military uniform daddy. I think they just associate it that way. Maybe the men he's calling daddy look like daddy to him or dress or act like daddy?


I'm curious to see the replies you get on this. My son is colorblind when it comes to people. He's never asked a question or pointed out the fact that people are different.

When my son does ask some day, I plan on telling him that God made everyone different, whether it be color, height, whatever.

Answer 2

children are a lot more perceptive and a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. we went through this same thing with my niece. her 'biological' father was an alcoholic abuser to my sister, so she left him. when jamaika started asking questions, we found that the simplest form of the truth was the best. kids always know when you're trying to hide something, and that may make them insecure. be sure he knows he's loved by all his family. my sister is now remarried (to a caucasian this time) and he loves jamaika just as much as he does the two children they've had together. when people ask her about her daddy, she says that her adopted daddy loves her more than anyone else on earth.
we were also afraid that she would have problems in school, because the town they live in unfortunately is known for racism. she is the only black girl at school. so far in the four years she has been there, the only problem she's had is in first grade, a little boy would hit her, giggle, then run away...but later he admitted he liked her!

Answer 3

I've been through this with my kids at that age and younger. Their dad is Indian and very dark, as is the rest of his family, and other than their dad they only saw other family occasionally since they lived far away. They went through a period where any dark Indian guy was called "Baba" (what they call their dad) and any Indian female was called "Auntie" or "Grandma" until they figured out theat it was someone else. But to be fair they also called any blonde woman in their 60s "Namo" (what they call their other grandma) or any gray haired man "Grandpa". It stopped happening with the oldest when she reached about 3, the younger one is not quite 2 and still does it. Both go to a mostly white school and other activities and haven't figured out they are different at all, and neither have the other kids. Occasionally the parents act a little funny, but the kids don't notice.

Answer 4

Do not be concerned at all. My son is almost 4 and could care less about it. He is an outdoorsy kid so year round we are always outside. Even the sidewalk chalk....NOPE. Not him, He would rather ride a bike, play in the sand box, and play with his trucks. My pedi told me to not push him. As long as he is developing and using imagination that is all that counts. I always felt bad that my kid did not stand in line at soccer (yea I actually put the poor little guy in a soccer club for toddlers) or color when other kids colored or drew. But I had to step back and realize I was expecting too much out of someone that has only been on this earth for 24 months. In that time he learned to talk, walk, roll over, play, run, kick and toss a ball and learn his ABC song and some numbers and for that I was greatful. So dont worry let him be who he was meant to be and for that he will grow up happy and healthy.

Answer 5

Just explain to him that some people are born with white skin, some with dark, etc. My son did the same thing as your son. He's white, as is our entire family, with the exception of his uncle (by marriage). At around age 2, my son started calling every black person he saw by his uncle's name. His uncle, whom my son adores, certainly didn't mind being compared to professional football players! Still, I took this as a sign that it was time to start explaining physical differences. We told him that God (or nature, if you prefer) makes some people white, some people black, some are Asian, some are a combination of one more more, some people use wheelchairs, etc. We explained that God (or nature) makes everyone different because it would be kind of boring if we were all the same, but that God (again, if you believe in God) loves everyone the same, and that we should treat everyone the same. He seemed to accept that explanation, and stopped calling everyone whose skin looked like his uncle's by his uncle's name.
As for not fitting in, don't worry! Have you looked around lately? There are many, MANY children who are biracial. Your son won't be any kind of oddity at school, so don't worry.

Answer 6

He is still a baby and all kids go through things like this (military kids think everyone in that type of uniform is their dad). And he will only feel left out or weird if YOU bring him up to feel that way. Kids have issues at school no matter what. I had issues because I was the only red head.
He is simply starting to learn that there are differences in people.

Answer 7

It's just him being a 2-year-old. Inevitably, questions will arise at some point whether now, a year from now, or 5 years from now. You said he's only around his father occasionally. Do you think maybe he's missing his daddy and when he sees a black man, he's remembering how much he misses him?