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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect my white dd not to be an ethnic minority in her own country

506 replies

squatchette · 07/09/2007 13:26

First of all i would like to make it clear that i am in no way racist.My childrens father is half asian (although he is also an irish catholic too).
Anyway today i was late dropping DD2 at pre school and i got to see her whole class for the first time.This is when i was shocked to realise that she is the only white child in her class.
I think i was shocked as we don't live in a particularly ethnic area or so i thought.I read in the schools ofsted report that 40 % of the kids in the school speak English as a second language.
At first i thought it would be good that she can mix with children of different races and i am all for a diverse society.However something about the fact that she is the minority has worried me.AIBU?

OP posts:
LadyVictoriaOfCake · 07/09/2007 13:27

yes you are being unreasonable.

CristinaTheAstonishing · 07/09/2007 13:27

Can you define better what exactly is worrying you?

harleyd · 07/09/2007 13:28

why would it be worrying you

kama · 07/09/2007 13:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Freckle · 07/09/2007 13:29

I think you only need worry if that fact impinges on how she is treated at the nursery, either by the staff or the other children.

Otherwise, I would be happy that she is going to grow up with a far more cosmopolitan view of the world than many other children.

lulumama · 07/09/2007 13:29

So so so much i could say....

ok

I am white

but i am in a minority , by virtue of my religion, but you cannot tell by looking at me

also, my great grandparents were immigrants, but you cannot tell that by looking at me

i have polish / russian / eastern european heritage, but you cannot tell that by looking at me

being white does not alway mean being a WASP.

people are not always what they seem

meandmy · 07/09/2007 13:29

you are going tto be hung for this thread!
sorry i have nothing other to say really!

kama · 07/09/2007 13:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

gingerninja · 07/09/2007 13:31

You probably have some legitimate concerns but to be honest your post title sounds a bit confrontational. It might be a good idea if you go into a bit more depth about what worries you.

EscapeFrom · 07/09/2007 13:31

If her father is half asian, she's not 'white' anyway.

NDPHasAKittenOnTheKeyboard · 07/09/2007 13:32

What are you worried about ?

Your post SCREAMS "NIMBY" to me, I'm afraid.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 07/09/2007 13:32

I would have concerns, but they would be similar concerns to those of anyone in a minority - nothing to do with Britain historically being a white country. I would be going onto the multiracial family threads to ask for advice from people who have been there (eg people who have been the only black child in a white class, or who have dcs in that position) about what problems to look out for and how to deal with it.

andiem · 07/09/2007 13:32

tbh it sounds racist and yabu

NineUnlikelyTales · 07/09/2007 13:32

Unreasonable and offensive. Would you expect the only black child in a class of white children to complain?

And "in her own country"?! In what way do white people own the UK? If your DD classmates were born here, or settled here permanently, then it is their country too.

NDPHasAKittenOnTheKeyboard · 07/09/2007 13:32

Well quite, escapefrom !!!

SixKindsofCrisis · 07/09/2007 13:32

If she is really the only white child then it might be worth asking the teachers how they make sure that she feels comfortable with that. That's a reasonable concern.
The thread title is a little alienating though -- black and Asian British kids are 'an ethnic minority in their own country' too!

TheQueenOfQuotes · 07/09/2007 13:33

YABU

whiskeyandbeer · 07/09/2007 13:33

"First of all i would like to make it clear that i am in no way racist"

ah the calling card of the racist

followed by the qualification of how not racist but in fact diverse they actually are

"My childrens father is half asian (although he is also an irish catholic too)"

this can also be seen in the guise of "i have loads of black friends etc" but the op went all out and put a partner who is a different race, nationality and member of that minority religion catholicism (only a couple billion of them).

don't worry about it love, she will grow up with an appreciation for diversity and will not be blinded by racial prejudices, unlike her mother.

harleyd · 07/09/2007 13:34

surely unless she was being bullied for it then there isnt really a concern?

oranges · 07/09/2007 13:34

what shade of white is she? Maybe you can ask some of the other children to dye their skin so she won't feel left out?

seeker · 07/09/2007 13:34

Yes you are being unreasonable. And racist. It's the other children's country too.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 07/09/2007 13:36

YABU

Obviously

Botbot · 07/09/2007 13:36

When dd started at nursery she was the only white child. But I didn't consider it a problem at all. But then I'm genuinely not racist.

EffiePerine · 07/09/2007 13:36
Hmm
zookeeper · 07/09/2007 13:37

Why don't you leave the OP alone and hear if she has anything to say?