What about the Children?

In chapter four Childs addresses several thing including children. Childs writes, “while the white and the black community respondents identified the potential offspring of interracial couples as an issue, they could not or would not elaborate on why these children are a concern. Some white respondents stated “it’s just not fair to the children’ and discussed their belief that offspring from interracial unions have “problems”, such as confusion over their identity and lack of acceptance among whites and blacks" (Childs 130), this topic goes back to The Color of Trouble because Kari struggled with the idea of loving a mixed child. She also knew that her parents would have never accepted the child. Childs shows the reader that people are inferring that the mixed child would never make it in society. To be clear ever one no matter what race they are struggles to find who he or she is; it’s not just and “interracial problem”. Childs talks to four couples about how their parents felt about the matter. Kayla says,
“They told me they didn’t think it was a good idea because all the things I would have to go through raising an interracial baby in Maine… that other people would be too cruel and that I had to think of the child and that it is not fair to bring into this world, interracial, knowing what was going to happen. They told me if I had the baby I was selfish" (Childs 130).
I might understand how they could think that it would be hard for the child but how could her parents say that Kayla is selfish, how is that possible. And other comments they said “into this world”, do they know that times have changed and people are more kind towards each other. Aisha talks about her parents, she says, “My mom said, “what do you think kids will be like…it is wrong to bring kids into a situation like this. Kids will be confused. I Don’t Want Polka Dot Grandkids!' (Childs 130)I think that the last sentence went to far because Aisha’s mother talks about how others will treat the grandchildren and yet she is already alienating her future blood. Again it is not up to anyone to tell the children how they are suppose act or live. I do understand that grandparents are from different times and it a little harder for them to adapt to different things. It’s a lot of pressure on interracial couples to make the right choices for themselves and their children. Why does it have to be this way? Why can't we all just be looked at as equal?