The truth about raising MIXED-RACE CHILDREN

Wendy Gregory explains the racism her daughters have experienced over the years

- WENDY GREGORY

I’ve got something in common with the royals!’ That was my initial thought when Harry and Meghan got married and went on to have a family of their own. I’m sure I wasn’t alone. There is an ever-growing number of mixed-race families in the UK: in fact, it’s estimated that mixed-race children are the fastest growing ethnic minority group. So what is it really like to be a mixed-race family in modern Britain, and what’s it like to raise mixed-race children?

Firstly, I should state that although my daughters’ father is of black Caribbean origin, in this wonderfully diverse society there are all kinds of mixed-race couples, of all ethnicities. Of course, I can’t speak for everyone, and I’m sure that there is a whole range of different experiences out there, from not having any problems, to being the subjects of the most diabolical forms of racism.

Before my first baby, Maya, was born, I attended some NCT prenatal classes, and one of the group said to me, ‘Yours is the baby I want to see the most!’ When I asked her why, she replied, ‘Well, to see what colour it will be, of course.’ While this isn’t really racism, I did feel slightly uncomfortable with being singled out as different.