After a long pause during which my brain was frantically whirring with all the advice I'd ever heard/given on answering these kinds of questions (Answer ONLY the question asked, you can be truthful and vague, move forward cautiously and question the child to find out what they're REALLY asking about...) I said, "Well woman have eggs in their ovaries and if the eggs get the right things they can grow into babies." I also said something about seeds, though I can no longer recall exactly what.
Harper asked, "Like the way seeds need water?"
I said, "Yes," and that was the end of that.
Judge all you want, but I'm not telling her the stork brings babies.
*****
Later this afternoon she was playing in her little kitchen area and talking to her dolls about Christmas presents. Then she started frantically rushing around. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I have to get presents and pretend they're from Santa because Santa isn't real!"
I think my jaw hit the floor. I tried to remain calm but I was all, "What do you MEAN Santa isn't REAL????!!!!"
Harper kind of laughed at me and said, "Mo-om, I know Santa's real, but he isn't real to my dolls."
*****
Each night when we say prayers with Harper we ask her what she is thankful for. Usually it is something like being the napkin helper at school or the movie we watched for family night. Tonight she added that she was also thankful for God and Jesus and our family and the earth (pronounced earf) and the shephards and said, "Sometimes I'm thankful for that kind of important stuff too, Mom."
*****
That's a lot to go through a little person's head in one day!
8 comments:
The Santa thing! Ack! In a sitcom, the parent would have said, "I didn't know you knew Santa wasn't real!"
Whoa... I think my jaw dropped a little when I got to the part about Santa not being real! Oh, but not for dolls. Right on, Harper!
Nice call on the seed/stork issue! Good, fast thinking.
Great response on the baby issue - might steal that one, though having a son I may not ever have that conversation?
Once again Harper shows her bright personality.
I hope you guys have a lovely Christmas.
I soooooo want to be your neighbor. Andrew and Harper were meant to be. You should have heard our conversation about smoking yesterday morning...
I would die if Harper didn't believe in Santa. Luckily it is just the dolls.
Love Shannon
how do you keep up with her??
i think you managed the question wondefully. really.
I have always told our kids the truth, too, or at least Josie. Patrick hasn't asked. I once read that as long as you answer what they ask, without too much elaboration, you'll always be able to tell the truth and they will make of it what they will in a way they can accept. I think it's the best way to go. I mean, what do people who use the stork theory, or whatever, do when they run into someone who is pregnant?
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