Looking Out for Little Brother

It has been absolutely heartwarming to see how taken Jada and Aaron are with their new baby brother.  They totally dote on him, finish their chores quickly so they can have extra time with him, and jump at the chance to help us take care of him.  I didn't know how they would respond to this huge life change, but so far they have stepped up and shown themselves to be stellar big sibs.

It is also an interesting time, in their development and in this period of time in our country, for Jada and Aaron to gain an African-American sibling.  Amy and I watched tons of Baltimore coverage while we were in OKC, but Aaron and Jada don't have access to TV and don't much follow the news.  So last night we were waiting for a pizza at the local parlor and CNN came on.  Jada and Aaron were transfixed at the images and the words coursing across the screen.  '

We talked openly, about race and violence and the media and the police.  And we freely jumped in and out of other conversations that were happening in the cramped waiting area of the takeout place; there were several others waiting for their pizzas, singles and families, all black and all buzzing with us about everything that was happening on the screen.

I did not have to say much for Jada and Aaron to understand that when Asher gets older we are all going to have to help him make sure he stays away from dangerous situations.  It was a precious confluence for my two older kids, of love and concern for their baby brother as well as deepening understanding of how race and power intersect in this country.  I am sure that that conversation we had while waiting for pizza will not be the last such chat on this subject.