DISCLAIMER: This is not to be read aloud or by those that can read of elementary age. I truly don't mean to spoil anyone's visions on the guy in red.
On Tuesday of this week, I realized that Brigam had not yet seen the guy in red this year. What was wrong with me? He talks about him all the time. He is counting down the days until Christmas with such vigor! He loves everything about Christmas. He's watched all the cartoon Christmas shows he can get his eyeballs on. I was feeling pretty bad about not having the annual visit to Santa already taken care of. So I decided that even though this week was CRAZY with trying to get all the gifts wrapped and NOT SEEN, the house organized to be left by itself and a family packed and out the door for 10 glorious days in Arizona with family for Christmas - I must take Brigam to see St. Nick even if it was at the mall which is a little bit close to insane, I know.
Brigam knew that after Activity Days on Wednesday we were all heading to the mall. He was so excited about seeing Santa I had to remind him to go back into the house to get his coat and his shoes on so we could go. He was talking all about how he was going to tell Santa that he wanted is own palm pilot for Christmas. I strategically parked close to the Sears store so that there would be as little MallWalking as possible and a pretty straight shot to the "big guy" himself. While we are walking into the mall, Brigam is even squinting his little eyeballs so hard to see if he can make out reindeer and a sleigh on the roof of the Mall.
We've walked in the door and I see that there is actually NO LINE so I quicken my pace and the children in tow follow suit. Then, right when we are weaving our way through the line rope - Brigam asks,
"Mom, is Santa real?"
My immediate thought is - I have a personal moral dilemma that I never thought I would have. See I always wanted to be honest with my kids. One way I decided that I would do that and still have Santa be Santa was that when they asked - I would definitely tell them. It worked great with Tyler. He asked and I told him about the whole "parental involvement" thing. But then I told him that it was not his job or right to tell that to others. It was his right when he was a parent to his kids, but not as a kid to kids. I also told him that now it was his job to help with the "parental involvement" thing of maybe wrapping a few things or helping with that stuff, but most importantly he was to help keep the magic of it alive. I told him that Santa is a symbol of giving for the world. Here is a guy that asks for nothing in return, but he loves everyone in the world and wants to give them a gift. Not just any gift, but the gift that that person really wants or needs. Now Tyler could help in that giving to others.
He was so great! He never said a word to his siblings about his knowledge and even dressed up like Santa one year to entertain the kids. And I think I saw his penmanship displayed in a return response from the guy in red one year as well. He loved the knowledge.
Jeremy on the other hand asked one year and I gave him the same response. However, I must have not been as clear because the next year he asked me again! Funny, funny Bear.
Mykie did the same, but was like Tyler. They have all been great keeping the magic alive for Brigam.
But now Brigam has asked the BIG question and do you know what I said - what my personal moral said? It said a quick, "Yes" and took him to see the guy he'd been talking about all month. Simple and concise and wrong of me? What is wrong with me? I just can't let that baby grow up. I am so sad that this has come up. I fell that Brigam with his MAJOR creative personality just can't be bogged down with such information. Can't I wait to deal with this until at least 3rd grade? The simple truth is I AM A LIAR. I followed through with my plans for 3 kids, but botched it with the 4th. I really think that I just can't stand to see the look of astonishment leave his eyes during the Christmas season. What is a mom to do?
On Tuesday of this week, I realized that Brigam had not yet seen the guy in red this year. What was wrong with me? He talks about him all the time. He is counting down the days until Christmas with such vigor! He loves everything about Christmas. He's watched all the cartoon Christmas shows he can get his eyeballs on. I was feeling pretty bad about not having the annual visit to Santa already taken care of. So I decided that even though this week was CRAZY with trying to get all the gifts wrapped and NOT SEEN, the house organized to be left by itself and a family packed and out the door for 10 glorious days in Arizona with family for Christmas - I must take Brigam to see St. Nick even if it was at the mall which is a little bit close to insane, I know.
Brigam knew that after Activity Days on Wednesday we were all heading to the mall. He was so excited about seeing Santa I had to remind him to go back into the house to get his coat and his shoes on so we could go. He was talking all about how he was going to tell Santa that he wanted is own palm pilot for Christmas. I strategically parked close to the Sears store so that there would be as little MallWalking as possible and a pretty straight shot to the "big guy" himself. While we are walking into the mall, Brigam is even squinting his little eyeballs so hard to see if he can make out reindeer and a sleigh on the roof of the Mall.
We've walked in the door and I see that there is actually NO LINE so I quicken my pace and the children in tow follow suit. Then, right when we are weaving our way through the line rope - Brigam asks,
"Mom, is Santa real?"
My immediate thought is - I have a personal moral dilemma that I never thought I would have. See I always wanted to be honest with my kids. One way I decided that I would do that and still have Santa be Santa was that when they asked - I would definitely tell them. It worked great with Tyler. He asked and I told him about the whole "parental involvement" thing. But then I told him that it was not his job or right to tell that to others. It was his right when he was a parent to his kids, but not as a kid to kids. I also told him that now it was his job to help with the "parental involvement" thing of maybe wrapping a few things or helping with that stuff, but most importantly he was to help keep the magic of it alive. I told him that Santa is a symbol of giving for the world. Here is a guy that asks for nothing in return, but he loves everyone in the world and wants to give them a gift. Not just any gift, but the gift that that person really wants or needs. Now Tyler could help in that giving to others.
He was so great! He never said a word to his siblings about his knowledge and even dressed up like Santa one year to entertain the kids. And I think I saw his penmanship displayed in a return response from the guy in red one year as well. He loved the knowledge.
Jeremy on the other hand asked one year and I gave him the same response. However, I must have not been as clear because the next year he asked me again! Funny, funny Bear.
Mykie did the same, but was like Tyler. They have all been great keeping the magic alive for Brigam.
But now Brigam has asked the BIG question and do you know what I said - what my personal moral said? It said a quick, "Yes" and took him to see the guy he'd been talking about all month. Simple and concise and wrong of me? What is wrong with me? I just can't let that baby grow up. I am so sad that this has come up. I fell that Brigam with his MAJOR creative personality just can't be bogged down with such information. Can't I wait to deal with this until at least 3rd grade? The simple truth is I AM A LIAR. I followed through with my plans for 3 kids, but botched it with the 4th. I really think that I just can't stand to see the look of astonishment leave his eyes during the Christmas season. What is a mom to do?
2 thoughts on this subject:
Nice Terilyn, nice. heehee!
I still haven't told Katlyn yet...I will this summer so she won't be teased...but she still believes! Some children are different than the others. You gotta do what your gut tells you!
Merry Christmas!
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