25 Questions Children Have Asked About My Facial Birthmark (With GIFS)

Over the years, I've been asked many questions about my facial difference. Many have been from adults, but several have also been from children.

...And the ones from the children? Those are my favorite.

As I've had conversations about my noticeable purple and asymmetrical facial features, I've noticed two things since my childhood:

1. Often (but not always) adults are a bit more cruel and harsh in how they ask their questions, or make their opinions known about my face.

2. Children? They're typical the opposite. Usually they're just genuinely curious and they're just trying to understand the world.

When it comes to conversations with the kids, sometimes their questions come out in a way that makes us, the adults, laugh or scrunch our brows. But if we fully listen to their tone, closely watch their body language, and go into the conversation with patience – we'll quickly realize that even if the question may sound odd at times, they're just trying to understand what they see. They're just trying to understand the world around them. They don't normally have an ill intent, or any intentions to hurt our feelings.

So why are conversations with children some of my favorite?

There are several reasons, really.

The main one: I count it a joy to help children become curious in a kind way.

In the last several years I've been a nanny overseas, worked in schools, and loved on my niece and kid cousins. I also speak in schools and youth camps. Any time a questions has been asked or conversations have taken place – I've written them down once they were finished.

This is my collection of just a few conversations I've had over the last few years – and it was hard to decide which ones to share today. (I've also added some fun GIFS to match!)

And these 25 conversations? They're gold. These conversations are the perfect opportunity to help the child's curiosity befriend kindness.

1.  Girl (Third Grade): "So that's a birthmark?"
Me: "Yep!!"
Girl: "And you've had it since you were a baby?"
Me: "Yep, I have."
Girl: "Did you get it from a hamburger?"
Me: "A hamburger?"


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2. Boy (Kindergarten): "What happened to your face? Did someone punch you?"
Me: "No. I was born with this. I've alway had it and always will."
Boy: "So...you were born and then someone punched you in the face?"
Me: "No. I was born with it, just like you were born with blue eyes. Same kind of thing."
Boy: "Ohhhhhhh!"


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3. "Do you have purple boogers?"


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4. "Where'd you get your tattoo from??"


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5. Student: "What happened to your face?"
Me: "It's a birthmark. I was born with it, just like you were born with brown eyes."
Student (with wide-eyes): "Actually...I was born with really crazy hair!"


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6. One of the biggest questions I get from children is, "Does the skin on you birthmark feel different?" They always want to know what it feels like, and I always explain to them that it feels like normal skin. In fact, it feels just like their skin.

One day, however, I was standing around several kindergarten children. Next thing I knew, the questions were coming...and so were their hands as they pet the side with my birthmark and then my "normal" side to compare the two. Usually my reflexes are much faster when a child tries to touch my face without asking – but that day? I became a human "petting zoo."


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8. "You were stung by a bee...Huh??"


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9. Boy: "What happened to your face?"
Me: "It's a birthmark. I was born with it."
Boy: "Yeah, but, like...what happened to your face?"


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10. Boy (Second Grade): "What happened to your face? Did you break it?"
Me: "No, it's a birthmark."(Then I tried to explain my port wine stain the best way possible in kid terms.)
Boy: "Ohhhh...I thought you brokeded it."


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11. "Did a spider bite you?"


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12. After coming inside from recess one day, some of the kids were hot. One of the kid's face was red from the heat and the other kids started pointing it out by saying to me with wide eyes, "He's turning PURPLE – just like YOU!!"


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13. Walking around the playground, I was stopped by a young boy, around the first grade. Looking at me, he told me matter-of-factly, "You're dirty."

Confused, I looked at my shirt to see if I had spilt anything. But it was clean.

I replied, "What? No I'm not."

Noticing my birthmark, he told me, "Yes you are. You have stuff on your face."


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14. "Why don't you have a tattoo on the other side too?"


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15. "Is your face going to explode?"


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16. "Are your teeth purple too?"


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17. Indicating towards my birthmark, a 5-year-old once asked me, "You like the color purple, huh?"

(I mean, why blend in when you're born to stand out?)


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18. As a 6-year-old boy was eating his breakfast, he looked up at me. Instantly his jaw dropped open as his face went to a look of shock and curiosity, followed by him intensely inquiring with his wide eyes, "Woah! Did you let someone color on your face with markers?!"

Galo Frito Comedy Show GIF from Galofrito GIFs

19. After explaining I was born with my birthmark, a child asked me, "You were born with it?"

Then looking even more confused, the child continued, "Wait...You were a baby?"


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20. "I saw this thing on TV that could help you."


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21. First Grader: "You've still got that old birthmark?"


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22. Fourth Grade Girl: "Were you kissed by an angel?"


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23. Child: "How do you shower?"
Me: "Just like you and just like everyone else showers."
Child: "Even with that thing on your face?"


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24. "Can I get one?"


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25. Second Grader: "Do you know what color your body is?"


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What questions have children asked you? What have those questions looked like? Share in the comments below, or on my Facebook page! (Feel free to add a GIF that matches the conversation if you'd like!)

The Travelin' Chick,
Crystal