Curry Worry

Kids will be kids, right? They are prone to saying things that make us gasp in horror, and they often go through stages where everything is "gross, yucky, and no good...." According to one UK news article, a toddler's tendency toward pickiness with food could be a racist act.

The National Children's Bureau, largely funded by the government, aims to target kids who may, in the future, become racist by nipping their tendencies in the bud. How do they do this? There's a 366 page guide called Young Children and Racial Justice which helps teachers identify kids that might have a problem. It warns that children might respond negatively to a cultural tradition that is not their own by using terms like "Paki" (to refer to people of Middle Eastern descent) or make comments like "those people smell" to refer to groups of individuals. And, of course, they'll exhibit racist behavior like pushing away a plate of food and saying "yuk!"

Are you still with us? Yes, we are talking about kids as young as three here. And is anyone who wrote this little guide the parent of a toddler? Surely they know kids often refuse new or spicy foods, and just refuse things in general. As a parent, we're sure you're doing all you can to cultivate an environment in which your child can learn about the wide world out there.

We wonder what the next step is—will kids who refuse fish and chips be labeled unpatriotic? Let us know what you think about this issue—and how you get your picky toddler to try new foods!