As I write this, my 7-year-old daughter is with a friend (and a parent) watching the movie Hairspray. (She loves tween stars Zac Ephron and Amanda Bynes, both of which are in the show.) She has been dying to see it and when the offer came this morning, I talked with the parent (my friend Renee) to see if she knew if it as appropriate for 7-year-olds. It is, after all, rated PG. (Renee said she had read about it and thought it was.) I hadn't had a chance to check it out.

So now, after the fact I realize, I looked it up on Common Sense Media, which reviews films, dvds and music for families.

While Common Sense gave it 4 stars (out of 5), it says its geared to the 11 and up crowd. I am thrilled to find that the major themes are accepting people's differences (whether its weight or skin color). Not sure if my daughter will pick up on these themes, but I am anxious to hear her questions and comments about the movie.

This reminds me of one of the first conversations I had about the awareness of race with my daughter, when she was about 4. She came home from school with a self portrait and had colored her skin a peach color. (I am of Indian origin so I have brown skin; She is half Indian, half Irish American, but she also has brown skin.)

I said, "Priya, why did you make yourself that color?"
She said, "Because it's skin color. Mackenzie says that's what color it is."
I said, "But you and Mackenzie don't have the same skin color. Yours is brown, just like mine. Mackenzie's is peach. And other people have different colors."
She thought about it for a while and said, "You're right."
Accepted it, just like that. Ever since, she's colored herself brown.

K.V.W.