The Girl vs. the Welsh

I could write about my daughter almost every day – it’s just a matter of finding the time to write it all down. Tonight she explained that her toys were sliding down a dinosaur to escape. Escape what? I asked.

“They made this slide especially to escape from the naughty, naughty WELSH!” she said. If I’d been drinking something, I would have done a spit-take.

What Welsh, I asked? Who from Wales?

“ALL the Welsh!” she said. “They are the naughtiest of all!”

Why do you think so, I asked in even tones. Was someone on the telly talking about the Welsh? Whether on British or Irish TV, I thought, it’s not like there’s any hateful anti-Welsh rhetoric floating around.

“They just AAAARE,” she said.

We don’t know anyone around here from Wales, and I have no idea why my four-year-old has suddenly developed a prejudice against them. Actually, I told her gently, that’s not true -- most Welsh people are very nice. And there are a few naughty people everywhere -- you know that boy at your school?

“Yes,” she said, looking at me gravely. “He is naughty." She leaned closer and whispered, "Like the Welsh.”

Okay, I’m giving up on this tonight, I thought. She has no idea who the Welsh are – she might as well be discussing dragons. I’ll see if this comes up again, and sort it out.