Santa contains the same letters as Satan
OK.
Maybe that was a drastic - or dramatic - title. (Me? Dramatic? Nah.)
It wasn't THAT bad.
But still....I am ticked.
I feel that at 7 years old, L is on the cusp of letting go of some of her childhood innocence.
I agree, 7 is too young to be letting go of anything, much less innocence.
However, you can't shelter your children and you can't lock them in their rooms....but, I might have already tried that if she had a lock on her door.
(When we built our house Steven and I agreed that we couldn't think of one good reason for our children to have locks on their doors. So far, I agree.)
That being said, children often see not only the world that we present to them, but the world as it is presented to others.
L came home a month or so ago and asked me, "Is Santa really real?"
So, I asked her: "Do you think he is real?"
I could read on her face that she wanted to believe. Badly.
But there was doubt.
She looked up at me and asked: "Do you think he is real?"
I looked at her and honestly replied: "I believe."
**********************
Steven was not raised in a home that celebrated Christmas, much less, believed in Santa. He has played along, and at times, seemed almost as excited as the kids. However, there are times when he doesn't get "it". He has asked, "Why not just tell her? She knows that isn't possible. I mean, come on?"
What he fails to realize, as a child who never got the chance, is that she DOES believe. Because she wants to.
Once she gives up on Santa...there goes the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, and a large...VERY LARGE, piece of her childhood.
The part that believes in the un-believeable.
I, for one, hope that part sticks around for awhile.
***********************
This past weekend was our 3rd annual "girls weekend" in which my mom, L, Sarah and I go to Branson and spend the days, and night, shopping and staying on the Landing.
While there, L spotted Santa. I asked if she wanted to go talk to him. She did.
Now, let me tell you that L has asked for a "medium sized horse". Although this seems like a big deal, really, it isn't. We know people.
Or should I say, Santa knows people.
Santa was able to bring a pony to L four years ago.
However, the Santa on the Branson Landing, didn't get that memo. I get that. However, I can't imagine why he felt compelled to tell my daughter that he could not bring live animals on his sleigh because he travelled through cold parts of the world and they would freeze to death. Not only did he tell her this nice warm hearted story about the freezing of animals, he did it in a way that chastised her for asking for one in the first place.
Yes. He. Did.
(I feel compelled to add that L is fairly shy around those she doesn't know. She is soft spoken, mild mannered and wouldn't want to bother anyone....yet here he was making her feel bad for putting a voice to her Christmas dreams and wishes.)
(Also, I KNOW that not every child that asks for a horse, or a car, or a 4 wheeler, or go cart, or Nintendo DS, or a bike, or a pony, or a doll, is going to get one. I don't ask for Santa to make ANY promises.....but I feel like he shouldn't squash any dreams either. A simple, "I can't make any promises, but we'll see" would suffice.)
As I took note of her red face and wavering ill attempt at a smile (she wouldn't want to seem rude to Santa) I stepped forward to add that Santa must "remember that he brought her a pony a few years ago and THANKFULLY that one arrived safe and sound".
He looked at L and said that with any gift a conversation with mom and dad was in order to see if that was something that could be accommodated.
He then asked for a hug....a kiss on the cheek (that he didn't deserve) and told L that she had the most "striking eyes he had ever seen".
I walked forward, told L it was time to go, as he tried making conversation with me by asking:
"Where are you all from?"
Geesh!
You're Santa...you should know!
Maybe that was a drastic - or dramatic - title. (Me? Dramatic? Nah.)
It wasn't THAT bad.
But still....I am ticked.
I feel that at 7 years old, L is on the cusp of letting go of some of her childhood innocence.
I agree, 7 is too young to be letting go of anything, much less innocence.
However, you can't shelter your children and you can't lock them in their rooms....but, I might have already tried that if she had a lock on her door.
(When we built our house Steven and I agreed that we couldn't think of one good reason for our children to have locks on their doors. So far, I agree.)
That being said, children often see not only the world that we present to them, but the world as it is presented to others.
L came home a month or so ago and asked me, "Is Santa really real?"
So, I asked her: "Do you think he is real?"
I could read on her face that she wanted to believe. Badly.
But there was doubt.
She looked up at me and asked: "Do you think he is real?"
I looked at her and honestly replied: "I believe."
**********************
Steven was not raised in a home that celebrated Christmas, much less, believed in Santa. He has played along, and at times, seemed almost as excited as the kids. However, there are times when he doesn't get "it". He has asked, "Why not just tell her? She knows that isn't possible. I mean, come on?"
What he fails to realize, as a child who never got the chance, is that she DOES believe. Because she wants to.
Once she gives up on Santa...there goes the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, and a large...VERY LARGE, piece of her childhood.
The part that believes in the un-believeable.
I, for one, hope that part sticks around for awhile.
***********************
This past weekend was our 3rd annual "girls weekend" in which my mom, L, Sarah and I go to Branson and spend the days, and night, shopping and staying on the Landing.
While there, L spotted Santa. I asked if she wanted to go talk to him. She did.
Now, let me tell you that L has asked for a "medium sized horse". Although this seems like a big deal, really, it isn't. We know people.
Or should I say, Santa knows people.
Santa was able to bring a pony to L four years ago.
However, the Santa on the Branson Landing, didn't get that memo. I get that. However, I can't imagine why he felt compelled to tell my daughter that he could not bring live animals on his sleigh because he travelled through cold parts of the world and they would freeze to death. Not only did he tell her this nice warm hearted story about the freezing of animals, he did it in a way that chastised her for asking for one in the first place.
Yes. He. Did.
(I feel compelled to add that L is fairly shy around those she doesn't know. She is soft spoken, mild mannered and wouldn't want to bother anyone....yet here he was making her feel bad for putting a voice to her Christmas dreams and wishes.)
(Also, I KNOW that not every child that asks for a horse, or a car, or a 4 wheeler, or go cart, or Nintendo DS, or a bike, or a pony, or a doll, is going to get one. I don't ask for Santa to make ANY promises.....but I feel like he shouldn't squash any dreams either. A simple, "I can't make any promises, but we'll see" would suffice.)
As I took note of her red face and wavering ill attempt at a smile (she wouldn't want to seem rude to Santa) I stepped forward to add that Santa must "remember that he brought her a pony a few years ago and THANKFULLY that one arrived safe and sound".
He looked at L and said that with any gift a conversation with mom and dad was in order to see if that was something that could be accommodated.
He then asked for a hug....a kiss on the cheek (that he didn't deserve) and told L that she had the most "striking eyes he had ever seen".
I walked forward, told L it was time to go, as he tried making conversation with me by asking:
"Where are you all from?"
Geesh!
You're Santa...you should know!
Comments
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
*shudder*