Even the Fairies are in Question

So the morning starts like any other crazy Thursday...I am dropping the kids at school before I make the drive to work.  I usually drop Gabby and then take Alex to her classroom and then swing back by on my way out to give Gabby one more hug.  Unfortunately on my last pass Gabby not only comes in for a hug but decides to hit me up and ask me the tough questions. The ones every parent dreads.  "Do Leprechauns exists?  "And what about Santa"  "What about Fairies"  The questions were literally flying out of her like popcorn from a hot air machine.  I'm standing looking down at my big blued eight year old thinking 'wow I really don't want to be having this conversation right now'.  I realize that she is eight and in second grade and I'm on borrowed time as far as the whole believing thing goes.  But for me, when kids stop believing in fairies and magic the fun of it all just vanishes. 

I remember last year Gabby and Alex worked on making this elaborate Leprechaun trap.  Gabby had the trap leading from her room down the hall all the way into the living room.  The trap was well thought out and you could just see the excitement in their faces as they were putting it all together.  I loved it!  I jumped right on board and made a little green shirt and little pair of green pants and stuffed them into their trap.  I still remember Gabby squealing with delight when she thought that the Leprechaun had lost his clothes fighting to get out of her trap.  Priceless stuff.  And of course, what is one of the first things she asked me that fateful drop off morning?  "Momma you didn't make those little green clothes did you?"  Uh....Uh....crickets were heard chirping throughout San Jose. 

So luckily my ADD daughter is easily distracted and I made a speedy get away before I had to tell any outright lies or shatter any dream before my first cup of coffee.  But all the way to work I was so sad.  Sad that my little girl was growing up. Sad that some kids at school are so hell bent on making sure other kids don't believe.  Sad that the only way to keep the magic is to either come up with some fabulously elaborate story aka lie or come clean that I am the worlds best Leprechaun seamstress.  (Seriously they were a cute pair of pants)  Darn I was just sad.

This is just one of the reasons I am so grateful to work at a school.  Counselors/life coaches/mentors/parents galore.  I must have brought up this story to everyone.  The Mom's and even the Dad's gave me the gentle nod and understanding eyes and just heard me out.  Everyone can appreciate the approach of the impending lost innocence and the Mothers fight to keep it alive.  There is a Lifetime movie storyline in there someplace I'm sure.  Two people I really like had basically the same line they gave their kids and it was, 'if you don't believe then you might not get anything and nothing may happen.'  I kind of like that.  But to me it's more than that.  I really do want them to believe.  Not so much in the little green man or the fella climbing down your chimney, but in the magic of it all.  Heck I still believe in a little magic. 

So I came home and luckily Gabby had basically forgotten about it.  But I decided to bring it up and I brought up believing in magic and how sometimes people help make magic happen.  She said 'yah I think Ms. Thomas moves the gingerbread people around herself and that they don't actually run around at night.'  I told her that was a great example of someone getting really excited about a holiday and wanting to make it magical and fun for other people.  I think she got it.  Alex looked a little worried that the gingerbread people and their shenanigans were being questioned, but she'll survive. 

My good friend made a surprise visit from the Leprechaun just the other day and the girls were so excited.  There was no questioning, no doubt.  It's almost as it they decided it was ok to just have fun and believe.  That's really the joy of being a kid right?  At least that's the fun part of being a Mom and getting to watch your kids.  And the fun thing is getting to watch the holidays and events through their eyes, you get a little bit of that magic back that you lose over the years.  Helps you believe again.