When I met Clayton after school today, he looked devastated. . . crushed. Surely something horrible happened while he was out of my protective care and I could feel my mother bear instinct beginning to rage. I asked him what happened. "Well. . ." He started to say, and his little lip quivered and turned under. It was heartbreaking. "Well, I thought that the Echo Bush was real. But when I went out there and tried it, it wasn't. (with tears now) The Echo Bush isn't real AT ALL!!"What. . .????
From what I could piece together. . . the music teacher, Mr. IwatchDoratoo, told the kids that there is a real Echo Bush near the playground at school. He probably made an especially big show of it. And as a children's music teacher myself, I'm guessing he used the "Echo Bush" as a silly way of getting the kids to "echo" his rhythm and pitch patterns.
So right then and there, in front of the school, in full view of the Echo Bush, I told Clayton the real facts of life. 1) You can't always believe everything your teacher says. 2) Echo bushes are not real.
2 hours later. . .
With my GoogleMaps printout in hand, the kids and I went to pick up the babysitter so I could go to Parent Teacher Night. As I was driving around town, from street to street and from house to house and back around again, I started complaining (out loud) about my broken GPS and how I needed to find that dang warranty so I could send it back for repairs.
"To Santa?" I hear from the backseat. (What? Oh yeah, that was a Christmas gift, wasn't it.)
"I didn't know you could send broken stuff to Santa? Wow - Hey Isaac! Do you want to send your Chitty back for repairs? Oh, I can't believe it! I bet Santa can fix anything!"
Hmmm. . . so much for the real facts of life.
2 hours later. . .
It was obvious, by the amazing mess, that the kids and the babysitter had a great time while I was at Parent Teacher Night. After she left, I stood in the middle of the messiest room, facing the children, and promptly announced that if they didn't clean up NOW! the Mess Monster would come while they were asleep and gobble up all the toys that were not put away properly. That really got them moving. . .
and got me thinking. . . about the Mess Monster, Santa and the Echo Bush.
After saying prayers tonight, Isaac asked with genuine fear in his little voice, "Is the Mess Monster real?"
(A million thoughts went through my mind: Wait! I like the Mess Monster. It's so effective. If I tell him yes, then it will surely work again. And plus, I won't have to admit that I lied. But I don't want to scare him either - especially not right before bed. It might be a loaded question anyway. He might actually be asking me if the Mess Monster is going to eat HIM tonight. In that case I should tell him no. Hmmmm. He trusts what I say - which is funny because I make stuff up all the time. . . doesn't everyone? Then again, the Mess Monster doesn't have to be real to motivate my kids. Right? Just like Santa doesn't have to be real to enjoy giving presents in secret. The Echo Bush isn't real. But that doesn't mean the end of fun in Music Class. . . OR the end of the Echo Bush for that matter. . . hmmmmm) No.
There was a pause and a sweet sigh of relief that filled the whole clean room. . .
"Is Heavenly Father real?"
( I didn't even have to think)
yes.
( I didn't even have to think)
yes.
12 comments:
Okay, I was SO not prepared for that ending. I'm laughing about Clayton's memory of where you got your GPS and his response.
And I'm thinking how it's so helpful to have make believe things until your kids ask you if they are real, and you aren't prepared to let go of that crutch, but aren't willing to set a standard of untruths....
And then tears sprang to my eyes when I read the last line.
Loved this. Nobody loved this.
i love how intuitive your little boys. and i love reading the stories you tell about them. that was a great story, esp. the ending!
Wow Emily- You have a great blog. It has taken me long enough to comment on it though. I have been reading it for months now. It is so fun to read about your family adventures. Thanks for brightening my nonadventurous life.
At least you are nice about the mess monster, I just threaten to my girls that I will throw what is left on the floor away. You have such funny kids. I love the GPS story!!! Still laughing:)
Great post.
Our little family is dealing with the "is this real?" phase also.
I wonder when they are gonna realize my formula which is: the bad, scary people (darth maul, wicked witch of the west, etc.) aren't real, and somehow magically the good people (princesses, tinkerbell, santa, tooth fairy) are always real. It's such a delicate time. I always ask them, "Well what do you think?" And I love to hear there perfect child-like answers.
I think it is okay to fib (doesn't that sound so much better than lie) to our children if: 1. it is for their own good, 2. it will not scar them for life, and 3. it gets them to clean their room! As an example, for his own good and as to NOT scar him for life; before I had Eli Luke asked me how doctors get babies from mommies tummies. Hummmmmmm, "Some mommies have to get their tummies cut open."
"Did you?"
"No, I didn't"
"Then how did I come out?"
"Not through a big cut on my tummy. Quick, look at that big dump truck!"
now that you have left a comment on mine & know that I have checked your blog from time to time I MuST leave a comment! LOVE the echo bush story, LOVE all your stories. So wish you didnt move just as we moved in.
PS the now & then pics post-AMAZING
Em this is how I see it. You could have totally said yes to the mess monster. They don't have to know that you are that mess monster. We use the toy monster gag all the time and there isn't any way that I am given that one up. Even if one day I tell them the truth, that the toy monster was me and the toys are really in a big box in the garage.
You are such a great Mom! Your testimony will lead those boys to the real truth and they will do amazing things in their lives.
Great Post!
Add
Addison - Dang it! You are SO RIGHT!
No harm done though. I took Michelle's advice and asked Isaac if he thought the Mess Monster was real.
He said, "Oh yes. I know the mess monster eats all the toys in the whole world."
So there ya go. Hopefully he'll sort it all out on his own eventually. I did. . . I think.
Ha ha ha ha - still laughing at the dump truck comment. . .
I like the GPS story. I have issues with Santa and have had several conversations about it with my husband.
Have you heard of the gunny bag who eats leftover toys and keeps them in his tummy??? Aww, Joy School days are creaping back into my memory. I love your posts!!! Don't forget to publish them and give me a signed copy!! LOL
I am going to use that toy monster one. I am so grateful for all the wise comments. Eva is in a phase where she keeps asking why Jesus made certain things or let things happen. I need your wisdom.
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