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This is something I do worry about. Although we are in NYC, LO is the only brown child in her class. We had an issue where a few of her friends were calling her cinnamon and my LO was very upset about it and the teacher had to be involved. I know the kids are young so they don't understand, but it's a way that my LO is made to feel different--which bothered her.

We didn't get into our 1st choice pre-k--which is very diverse so I'm a bit bummed by this. The pre-k she got into is highly rated and recommended and there will be more brown kids at the school but as I saw when I toured she might be the only one in her class.

LO loves her friends. But she does also need to be around kids that look like her. When she was in a dance class and there was a girl her age and her complexion LO came up to me and said, "Mommy, look, she's brown like me!" She was so excited and it made me sad.

Things should change once she gets to K.

I grew up going to schools where I was usually the minority. I had a great education but I did battle some self-esteem issues for a while.

@Ginabean3: just so I have a better idea...your LO is bi-racial (black & white?) and will be in a majority black school? The only time I could forsee someone making your LO feel uncomfortably different is when the white parent drops off or picks up LO. There are black kids that look bi-racial and bi-racial kids that look black.

I think expanding your LO's world outside of school so she sees other kids that look like her is key. My elementary school was majority white, but my first Girl's Scout troop was all-black and I attended a historical black ballet school.

ETA: I also had playdates with classmates and my after school art classes were in our neighborhood. Life outside of school wasn't purposely and solely black. If you're diligent in seeking opportunities for her to mix with all kinds of kids she should be ok overall.

I had a coworkers who's friend was Caucasian and lived in suburbia. She purposefully signed her daughter up for a Girl Scout troop in the city to expose her to more ethnic and cultural diversity. So there are definitely opportunities to expose your children, should you wish!

@Ginabean3: I grew up with less than 5% asians in school (like, under 10 people in all the grades). I definitely found community outside of school (mostly at church, we traveled far to go to a Chinese church). By the time DD goes to school I'm sure it will be a lot more diverse than when I went, but still predominately Caucasian. I don't really mind; I know there are other avenues that I can teach /show her diversity.

I totally did feel like an outsider a lot of times, especially with culture/traditions, but ultimately I think it made me a stronger person and have better empathy for others.