my heart broke today....

Probably, Elegran. Love NatKing Cole.

Morgana, I can easily understand that your GD's comment has distressed you but I don't think you should take it to heart. My GD told me, only yesterday, that she didn't like having curly hair; she wanted it to be straight and then it "wouldn't hurt when you brush it". In time, she will learn to love the way she is; just as your lovely GD will.

LilyOn 2 separate threads this evening you've called one poster "thick" and told another to "shut up" and "they're beyond tedious". Entering into a discussion to debate isn't a strong suit of yours is it? Do you fall out with people on every thread you go on?

Elegran, when we were growing up "Sabu" was often used as an insult directed at Indian or Pakistani children. I never heard anyone called"Nat King Cole" in an insulting way because the word they used was the 'N' word.

What’s wrong with you Lily65 always looking for something to complain about!
Sabu was the acting name of a boy from various films in the past, and a stunning one too.
Ellan there may be Spanish heritage in your background perhaps?

Niobe there is no racial prejudice on this thread.

Sabu certainly was a stunningly good looking young man. For those who don't remember him, I've attached a photograph. And if your GS looks anything like him Ellan, he's going to be a very handsome young man.

Not sure why you're annoyed about a young boy being likened to Sabu Niobe? Sabu was a very popular, and quite famous, film actor. Why is saying that someone resembles him an insult?

Firstly I saw nothing wrong with EVs remark. It was simply descriptive. Isn't it strange how family genes can emerge generations later? I understand what you are saying about school problems. It happened to my niece's son. Thankfully it stopped as he got older.
Do some folk have to be so argumentative and unpleasant?
Secondly, the OP. I understand your feelings but possibly its just wanting to be like mummy. Like others I think its important to let her know she is beautiful as she is, just like daddy, and keep telling her how wonderful she is and how much you love her. As others say there are lots of mixed race families that she will meet when she starts schook.

school!

Morgana a more practical thought. There are some picture books with positive images of children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
One that comes to mind is Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keates. That author has produced several books and they are all great without being too patronising. If you buy from the dreaded Amazon they will suggest other books suitable with positive illustrations.
Then you can cuddle up and have a chat while reading the book.

EllanVannin's great-grandson has genetic inheritance from eight lines at her generation. Each of those lines double at each generation back. His colouring could come from any source at all - it is whatever he was dealt from the pack of genetic cards available from his parents.

Have some people lost the plot?
Describing someone who looks like an actor in features and colour is not racist in any way.
Are we not able to describe someone now?
If we described someone as the skin and hair colour of Nicole Kidman, that would be ok?
But if we describe someone as looking like an actor who is not white, we can't do it?
Some people throw around the racist comment too easily.
Racism is prejudice, discrimination or antagonism of someone of a different race.
There was none of that in EV's post, she described her Gs as looking like Sabu the actor.
Explain why that is racist!

What a sensible post, Buffybee.

The gene carrying the 'dark' characteristics has shown up. I know if a massive family about 50 current close relatives in Italy all the usual Mediterranean characteristics until one appeared with red hair. This flummoxed the young folk but the elders weren't all that surprised as they had heard through family tales that hundreds of years ago there was an 'intruder' in the family, this being a northern European hence the red hair. Looked really strange in a photo of the clan with one red haired being amongst all the dark hair. It's amazing what can crop up in the genes.

Awww tell her she is beautiful. I'm sure there is books with dark skinned characters that you can buy.
There is lots of princess, models and pop stars that do have dark skin that are absolutely stunning.
I think underneath this question she is questioning who she is?
Only you and your daughter knows I would be as open and honest as you can be.
But forever be positive if negativity ever comes her way. Build her up so she is confident in her own skin.
By the way darker skin is by far more flawless and more timeless so I don't think she will be saying this later on in life. Good luck

Niobe was concerned because she knew of people using the word "Sabu" as an insult to Indian or Pakistani people - but I had never heard of that, not, I believe, had EllanVannin

If you have never used a word nastily yourself, or heard of it being used as an insult, and you mean it innocently, you are NOT being racist if you use it to describe someone quite factually.

There is nothing inherently objectionable in the appearance of the actor Sabu - he is indeed a handsome sight.

I'm jumping into the fray here as I have a relative whom I used to call Mowgli.
He used to be a child model after being scouted at a London station and has been featured in several glossy magazines and filmed by a visiting tv crew from another country.
He gets his looks from the Spanish side of my family, my maternal granny.
He is stunning.

May I recommend my picture book Amazing Grace? An old one but still relevant today. Not a mixed race family but a very positive message.

Returning to the OP - we will have very public role models of mixed race parents in Harry and Meghan - it will be interesting to see what features come to the fore in their soon to be born baby. This will be an example to show to your grand-daughter - eg the child may have white skin and ginger hair and not look like its mother or darker skin and hair and not look like its father or any combination of the above! Everyone matters regardless of their skin colour and that is the message to reinforce but I appreciate how confusing it must be for a young child to understand why they look different from their mother and perhaps helpful to reinforce the non-physical characteristics that they do share.

Nothing like an outbreak of virtue signalling by denouncing others as racist! It's as if Ealing Comedies adapted 'Nineteen Eighty Four'.

She is watching to see how you react.

Hopefully she didn’t see you reach for your tablet to find the answer.

My Godfather and his wife who both had dark hair had a daughter with red hair. (Some less charitable observers noted that the milkman had red hair too!) It happens a lot and often we don't know what genes are present that are not expressed for many generations so we are suddenly surprised by what seem out of place. Red hair is a typical case as the gene is recessive so is only expressed if both parents carry the gene.

I'd agree with those who say just to tell your granddaughter that we are all unique and she is beautiful just the way she is and special to you all. I'm not mixed race but have always looked different from my immediate family - they were all blonde and lighter-skinned; I have very dark hair and a slightly darker skin tone - I accepted this was just the way I looked and I'm sure your granddaughter will too.

Oh, EllanVannin, As a youngster I always kind of wished I had green or violet coloured eyes - whenever I read stories when the characters had striking eye colour I used to wish the same for myself instead of what I considered to be boring brown. I hope your great grandson learns to accept and embrace his looks - same advice as to the original post - to just remind him of his uniqueness and how special he is to everyone that loves him.

Morgana, it is difficult to answer your grandchild's question. I just wonder if somebody maybe at a toddlers group may have said something to make her aware? I remember reading in a newspaper about a little brown girl who put bleach on her skin. I suggest that your daughter should cultivate friends who are a similar colour to her daughter so that she can see that being brown is a natural thing and perfectly OK in this country, at least to most (not sadly in America.)
My husband was of Indian origin and he was very good looking, as are both my children, married to white English people, and all my grandchildren . One of my grandsons takes after me, fair skinned and reddish hair, another grandson is fair and was white-blond at first but now had brown hair, one granddaughter has brown hair and grey eyes, and the other has black hair and creamy complexion.
My daughter was teased at school, called names, and she asked me why I had married my husband instead of a man with a pink face. I think she is still embarrassed about being half Indian. But her husband told her that Indian girls are the most beautiful in the world.
Its all genetic and one day everyone will all look the same.

My Goodness, this is getting ugly. We are all equal. Everyone is beautiful in their own way.

No, kwest It is not getting ugly, it has stayed as a pleasant and supportive discussion, with just a little reaction from a couple of posters who are sensitive because of their own history. Don't make the conversation out to be what it isn't!