Normal Is Boring

I realize by now this is old news but when you live in the back, you tend to hear things much later than other people.

I saw THIS on the Today show this morning. I can't believe how much rage and disgust I felt. I was screaming at Matt Lauer. I even teared up a little. I am still naive to the fact that even in this day and age, there are still so many assholes out there that believe if someone is a little different that they are obviously not allowed to be seen or heard and should go back to the sewer pipe they grew up in.

I have always been the kind of person that gravitates towards interesting and, for lack of a better word, abnormal people. Because growing up, I was taught that normal is boring. If you can't stand out then don't bother standing up at all. The differences in people make this world worth living in and accepting the nuances keep it interesting.

Now that that's been said, raising Britain with that knowledge is probably right up their with making sure she brushed her back teeth. (I've become a brushing Nazi, btw.) I would be mortified if Britain ever made fun of someone just because they didn't have an arm, had a lazy eye or they weren't wearing the latest shoes. So from where do you think this fear of differences in these children come? These parents, in my professional Have-Worked-With-Children-For-Over-12-Years opinion, are either making this shit up or have instilled this fear in their children. NIGHTMARES? Seriously? Well what the hell did you say to them, dumbass?

A normal reaction to that kind of question from a child should be very matter of factly, very shortly described and to the point. Kids usually just want to know why something is the way it is.

"Mom, why do the leaves fall off the tree?"

"Dad, why do you stand up when you pee in the potty?"

"Papa, why do you and Nana sleep in different beds?"

"Hey! What happened to your arm?"

And all of these questions are asked in the same exact way: without fear, without worry, just honesty, confusion and curiosity.

So 'rents, before you start spewing all your prejudice and slurs on your kids, break the damn cycle and tell it like it is. Then educate your damn self on what discrination really is and how much of it you probably do every day.