Where Did That Come From? or The Things Kids Say.

I work at a preschool/daycare center, and every now and then one of my kids will say something that just makes me wonder. Like today*. I was sitting on the ground next to another teacher while the kids were playing, and one of my kids said “Miss A** you're the same as Miss B.” We figured out he was talking about our shirts being the same and said “Yes, we both have red shirts on.” He went on to say that we have the same hair, too, and and we acknowledged that he was right about us having the same color hair. This was all fairly typical conversation. Then he said “and you both have the same color skin as me.” Again we said “Yes, we all have the same color skin” to which he replied “Except for C, he has black skin. I wish C had white skin.” The kid ran off to play soon after that, and the other teacher and I just looked at each other saying “Where did that come from?” That's the first I remember the topic of race/skin color coming up in conversations with any of my kids, but it was a little disconcerting hearing someone so young say something like that. Did the kid say that because he picked up on a parent or teacher's prejudice? Did he say it because he's jealous that C is different from himself and his other friends? Or because it's human nature to want the people around you to look like you? Maybe he just thought he could get a reaction from someone if he said that? Or maybe I'm over reacting and it was just an innocent comment and didn't really mean anything? I don't know why he said that, or if he has any idea what his comment implies, but it's a little troubling that a four year old would care if their friends have different colored skin.

*This post was written a few days prior to being posted.
**All names have been changed to letters for privacy protection.