Wednesday, July 15, 2009
They Still Believe in Santa
"Mommy, do the elves help Santa make the toys?" my four-year-old daughter asked. I answered, "Yes, they do" feeling a little bit dishonest. I was wondering how much longer she and her other two siblings would believe in Santa Claus.
I get a similar feeling when I talk to my son about how cool it will be when he loses his first tooth because then he'll "get to put it in a cute pillow and get money for it." I'm not quite sure how he'll respond when he finds out that the tooth fairy is just a myth, but I think he'll come through unscathed.
As parents, it's okay for us to promote dreams and beliefs in our kids that are short-lived. My daughter frequently informs me of her career goals: to be a dentist, then a surfer, then a mom, and then finally a grandma. I never dissuade her from shooting for the stars and am fully satisfied that the top of her list includes being a "mom and then a grandma."
We should encourage our kids to dream big even if we know that our economy might not support their best efforts. Even if we know they have too many dreams for one lifetime. Even if they are silly, incoherent, and nonsensical. Even if we know that they will change their major a hundred times within their first year of college.
We need to support our children because it shows that we love and believe in them. Ultimately, if they know those two things, then they really can save the planet from global warming and accomplish world peace. In their own small space and throughout their relatively insignificant existence, they will experience love, peace, and joy because we have been their cheerleaders.
Santa might not be real, but they'll never forget your eyes...when they sparkled with your expression of wonder as you described his colorful toy-filled workshop or his royal-red velvet suit and his puffy cloud-like beard. They'll never forget the precious hand-sewn tooth fairy pillow passed down from great grandma Grace either.
They'll always remember how you were the loudest fan at their Little League baseball game and how you talked about "winning the next one" over a cold bottle of Gatorade. Their dreams of becoming a Major League baseball player will likely fizzle over time, replaced by the pursuit of finding a good job and a reasonably priced home.
Your investment in their dreams however big or small will help them to feel valued, so keep up the hard work moms and dads. Parenthood is exhausting and frequently void of visible results, but never forget your most important job of all. You are the keepers of your children's dreams.
I get a similar feeling when I talk to my son about how cool it will be when he loses his first tooth because then he'll "get to put it in a cute pillow and get money for it." I'm not quite sure how he'll respond when he finds out that the tooth fairy is just a myth, but I think he'll come through unscathed.
As parents, it's okay for us to promote dreams and beliefs in our kids that are short-lived. My daughter frequently informs me of her career goals: to be a dentist, then a surfer, then a mom, and then finally a grandma. I never dissuade her from shooting for the stars and am fully satisfied that the top of her list includes being a "mom and then a grandma."
We should encourage our kids to dream big even if we know that our economy might not support their best efforts. Even if we know they have too many dreams for one lifetime. Even if they are silly, incoherent, and nonsensical. Even if we know that they will change their major a hundred times within their first year of college.
We need to support our children because it shows that we love and believe in them. Ultimately, if they know those two things, then they really can save the planet from global warming and accomplish world peace. In their own small space and throughout their relatively insignificant existence, they will experience love, peace, and joy because we have been their cheerleaders.
Santa might not be real, but they'll never forget your eyes...when they sparkled with your expression of wonder as you described his colorful toy-filled workshop or his royal-red velvet suit and his puffy cloud-like beard. They'll never forget the precious hand-sewn tooth fairy pillow passed down from great grandma Grace either.
They'll always remember how you were the loudest fan at their Little League baseball game and how you talked about "winning the next one" over a cold bottle of Gatorade. Their dreams of becoming a Major League baseball player will likely fizzle over time, replaced by the pursuit of finding a good job and a reasonably priced home.
Your investment in their dreams however big or small will help them to feel valued, so keep up the hard work moms and dads. Parenthood is exhausting and frequently void of visible results, but never forget your most important job of all. You are the keepers of your children's dreams.
Labels: dads, dreams, moms, santa clause
