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LIFE LESSONS
Mama Said, “Don’t Touch Nothing. Don’t Ask for Nothing and Don’t Say Nothing.”
BIPOC children must be perfect in public
“The mess we are living in is a deliberate one. If it was created by people, it can be dismantled by people, and it can be rebuilt in a way that serves all, rather than a selfish, hoarding few.”
― Reni Eddo-Lodge, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race
Don’t Touch Nothing
When we went out with my mother, we were going to get a speech. My mom explained to us what her expectations were. White people were expecting Black children to be bad, smelly, dirty, manner less, and unruly. It was her children’s job to disappoint them. We would be “clean, quiet, speak when spoken to, don’t make a move unless I tell you to” children, no matter what was happening around us. My mom was our parental authority, and we knew it.
“Parental authority is vital in a child’s life as it gives them structure and direction. Your child relies on you to tell them what is right or wrong, as well as what they should or shouldn’t do. This instruction gives children a stable, safe and healthy foundation from which they can grow and explore the world.” HYTN: Where Does Parental Authority Come From
