The Magical World of our Children Begins to Crumble...

So...

This morning, Kaylee comes in and asks Michael the loaded question, "Daddy, do you believe the Tooth Fairy is real?" Mike & I look at each other and Mike asks her, "Well, what do you think? Why do you ask?"

Kaylee tells us that there was a little girl at school that was telling her about how it was her daddy who was the one who would put money under her pillow when she lost a tooth.

So, we told her the little girl was right. We explained that we just wanted to make things special for her (she still liked that it was Mike who put the money under her pillow and I that sprinkled glitter on her). We then told her that she could help us be the tooth fairy for Taylor & other siblings in the future. Now! that was an idea she definitely could get behind. She was really excited about that. We, also, told her we would continue to exchange her lost teeth for money. Finally, we asked her not to go around telling other little kids that the tooth fairy actually = mom & dad (seriously, don't need my kid being THAT kid. ha.)

I assume Santa is up next on the chopping block.. we'll see.

But, this does bring up the very real fact that my children will be learning things from their friends in their interactions with them (things I am not there to say, "Whoa, wait one minute.. I get to explain that one." or "She's still a little young (as in it isn't really pertinent for you yet) for that question.. give it a year or so and we will come back to it").

Granted, this was a silly & innocent revelation... but I imagine that more serious topics will eventually come up. Topics that I as a parent am hoping that I get to first before some random friend gets to them. It may not always happen (since my timetable is not the only timetable out there), but I will continue to promote an open dialogue with my children. If a topic comes up that my kids are still questioning, I hope that they will do as Kaylee did this morning and come to Mike & I and ask for further explanation. We are forever willing to talk with our kids and to be open with them. We just hope that they will continue to be open with us and want to talk to us.

Ah, the stories I have about Kaylee asking me about babies. Thank you pregnancy for opening the door to all those questions. Ha. But! at least it was me who was first (and I am sure we will revisit this one several more times) to start laying the framework that will begin to shape her thoughts and ideas on the parental-child topic of all parental-child topics...