Today we had "the conversation".
Not the one about the birds and the bees.
The other one.
It all started when Josh decided at dinner to mention, casually, he'd stopped believing in the Easter Bunny. I shut him down quickly, given the presence of one fully believing 5 year old at the table.
We took it to the spare room.
He sat on my lap and told me how he didn't see how a big bunny could possibly jump all over the world handing out chocolate eggs.
It didn't make sense to him. And he's right. It doesn't make sense. Especially to a hard line practical fellow like Josh.
So I told him the truth. And he was fine with it.
He is sworn to secrecy.
And as he hopped off my lap, and ran off, he told me he definitely still believed in Santa. Santa, apparently is an entirely credible concept and an all round great bloke. Fantastic.
Off he ran, seeing nothing at all bizarre in his imaginary creature belief system.
Next Sarah followed me out to the balcony and told me frankly, that since I left a Book Depository UK receipt in her book from 'Santa' and told her I'd made a mistake giving her Red Dog because it was too sad (I should have said Santa made a mistake), she'd had her suspicions.
I'd make a terrible spy wouldn't I? Can't keep my story straight.
Then she said she thought maybe the EB was real and was sitting on the fence about him for now.
Okayyy. That makes total sense.
Now I just have to remember who remembers what.
I never thought it was possible to believe in one of these concepts and not the other. Yet two of my kids are giving it a red hot go. And I know I'm not alone. For many kids the 'believe' to 'non believe' journey is far from linear.
For example, a dear friend of mine told me her son believed in Santa for an entire year longer than his twin brother, because he could not get his head around the idea of all the parents in the world getting their act together to give all those presents on the same night.
It was much easier to believe that one fat guy from the North Pole and 12 flying reindeer could do it all instead.
