There are lots of things that I should probably think more about as a mother. I don't worry too much about germs, or choking, or reading a ton of books about how to be a better parent. I didn't get into the whole "play Mozart to the baby while in utero" gig, or the Baby Einstein videos. We don't do Gymboree, or Kindermusik, or whatnot. On the other hand, there are lots of things that I probably think too much about as a mother......many of them ridiculous.
Right now, I'm wrestling with the whole Santa thing, and wondering if I am weird for doing so?
Santa is cool. I mean, who doesn't love a big fat jolly man in red? Especially one that arrives laden with gifts? Yet, there is also the little detail of "Santa isn't real". And the other minor detail about how I dislike much of what Christmas has become in America today. And the way that to take any mention of religion or spirituality out of Christmas is no big thing for many people, but the mere mention of taking Santa out of Christmas makes some people actually angry. Am I strange for feeling torn about creating this whole Santa myth for my kids? Am I weird for feeling like its lying to them? I mean, I believe that lying is wrong, but I have already lied to my kids (is it a lie to say that the LOUD.ANNOYING.TERRIBLE toy is broken when in reality the batteries are just dead?) and I will likely lie to them again several (*cough cough*) times in their lives. So why any hang up on the Santa thing?
Luke and Julia went and got their picture taken with Santa last night. Luke seemed totally into it, until it was time to actually sit on the big guys lap. He didn't cry ~ But he made his discomfort clear as he reached out to us with both arms and gave Santa dirty looks. I had actually expected Jules to cry, but she was fine with the whole thing. Luke calmed down after a moment, but only once he determined that Santa was clearly.someone.not.to.be.trusted and decided not to take his eyes off of him. That got Julia looking at him as well (as she is already obsessed with doing whatever her big brother does) and resulted in the photo below. Santa looks right whacked in the pic if you ask me. No wonder Luke was scared of him.
The problem with Santa is that he is so easy. As soon as we left Luke was shouting "Danta!~ Danta!" every time he caught a glimpse of him (which was about 300 times in our 30 minute stint at the mall). It's fun to see your kid getting excited about anything, and I caught myself saying "Santa!~" in that awful high pitched Mommy voice along with him every time that he pointed one out. Later last night, I felt weird about it. Now, I know that Luke isn't even two yet, so getting the whole religious aspect of Christmas into his head is a little tougher than visually identifying the big jolly guy. He isn't likely to point to a creche and scream "Silent Night! Holy Night!". Luke is too young to buy or make or otherwise procure gifts for others in this Christmas season. Luke is too young to get into serving others, or volunteering, or donating. He just doesn't get it at almost 22 months old. But he gets (or at least identifies) Santa. That seems unfair to me.
I guess that this all boils down, to some degree, to my *slight* authority problem. I feel like I have to get all into Santa now that I have kids, and I truly hate feeling like I have to do anything. I really don't want my kids to be those brats who run around the schoolyard making other kids cry by telling them "Santa isn't real". And as my kids are going to go to school, and as I don't think that a 3 or 4 or 5 year old has the emotional maturity to know something and have the wisdom or self discipline to not share it with other kids......I don't know how to not have to tell them that Santa is real, and hop on the proverbial Santa train. Then I worry that I am a weirdo kill joy ~ I mean, its SANTA......the whole world loves Santa, right?
Am I a terrible Mother for not really giving much of a hoot about Santa? Am I weird for even thinking about this? Do I need to take up knitting, or learn another language or something to stop me from wrestling with idiotic issues like this? Do all parents feel like this for a moment? Religious, not religious, whatever do all parents just feel kind of weird, maybe even for just a moment, about lying to their kids about Santa or about who the gifts come from?
Bueller?
Bueller?
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