Thursday, March 31, 2016

I'm Not Ready For The Magic To End




I went upstairs to say goodnight and she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked, alarmed. Did she get hurt? Was she watching those videos again on animals that have been mistreated and need our help?

"I saw you," she sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I saw you putting the Easter Bunny stuff out." Her lower lip wobbled. A fat tear slipped down her cheek.

My heart dropped. I thought I had waited long enough. It was 10 PM. Yes, I knew my daughter was still awake. She's a bit of a night owl. But she also normally stays in her room.

Not this time.

Curiosity got the better of her. Perhaps she heard the sounds of bags wrinkling. Maybe she could hear me walking back and forth as I set out the items. It didn't really matter, I suppose. Because she had seen me.

She's nine. I know she's getting older. She's on the cusp of being a little kid and being a tween. Many kids her age no longer believe. Rumblings of the truth on Santa Claus have been going around since the second grade. Still, Natalie chooses to believe. Or maybe she wanted to believe. Maybe she's also aware that she's balancing between being a little kid and a tween, too.

I hesitated. I admit I was frozen as I stood there in her room. Do I tell her the truth? Or do I let the magic go on for a little bit longer?

"The Easter Bunny can't be everywhere at once," I found myself saying. The magic was staying. I wasn't ready to give up the magic. And from the way my daughter was looking at me, I don't think she was ready either. "So sometimes parents help out."

I waited. Maybe Natalie would accuse me of lying. If she did, I'd have to tell the truth.

"So that's why I see the same things at Target in my basket," Natalie said, nodding slightly. Understanding flashed behind her wet eyes.

"Yes," I answered, relieved. "That's why." I sat down beside her and she climbed into my lap, resting her head against my shoulder. Will she always climb into my lap when she's upset? I always think this now. I savor each time she does it, in case it's the last.

Some people thought I should have told her the truth. When I talked about this with some friends, some said, "Oh, my kids stopped believing in the Easter Bunny at six. You might as well let her know."

Maybe. But I want to hold onto the magic a little longer because I know what's coming. Boy troubles. Friendship troubles. Should I wear the pink lipstick or the red? Can I have the name brand shirt that everyone else has?

Yes. There is still time for the magic.

I'm glad Natalie still believes an umbrella can make her fly one day. Like Mary Poppins.



I smile because Natalie still believes she can dress up and become a character from a movie.




I'm happy Natalie believes her stuffed animals have feelings and enjoy the same food we do.



One day she'll know the truth about the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. One day all her costumes and toys might be in a box in the closet.


But that day isn't today.



And I'm glad.

65 comments:

  1. What a lovely post! This was the first year for us where my two boys understood about the Easter bunny and it was so magical. I love their innocence and excitement around the holidays and their absolute and total belief in all things magical. I shared this post on my page, Emily's Puzzle.

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  2. This same thing happened to me this year! I thought my eight year old was asleep. She wasn't. When I went to talk to her, she said "did the Easter bunny leave all our stuff and you are helping him?" I told her yes, he was very busy so he asked me if I could put everything in the baskets. She was so relieved. She is very innocent and she very much still wants to believe in all the magic. And I plan on letting her as long as she wants too. I'm glad Natalie still believes too!!

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  3. I love this post so much! There is nothing quite like the magic of holidays.

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  4. Love this...keep the magic going...it goes away too fast..I miss it but recaputure it with the grandkids!

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  5. Oh gosh. I'm glad you didn't tell her yet. Unfortunately, people pretty much ruined the Santa gig for me at a young age (asshats). Good for you for letting her be a little girl for awhile longer.
    As an aside, this totally reminded me of Grownups 2 with the tooth fairy and Selma Hayek!

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  6. I think you did tell her the truth, or at least in a round-about way. The Easter Bunny (and Santa) is everywhere. It is the spirit of giving, and it can't just be one person! I'm facing this with my youngest, who is ten, and I'm sure that he only 2% believes, but he wants to believe so I'm going to let him. Childhood ends too soon anyway.

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    1. It does. Kids seem to be growing up even faster these days.

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  7. I have a stepdaughter who is 13 and a set of boy/girl twins who are 11. I am sure that they are aware of the "truth". But anytime a question of Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairly comes up, I answer the same way that my mom answered me - if you don't believe, he won't come anymore. Considering the fact that they love checking their stockings and baskets, that's usually the furthest the conversation goes. I got a stocking well into my 20's and I see no reason to stop. It's all about the spirit!

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  8. I really like this post and I Ike the fact that you don't allow your kids to grow up too fast where you just allow them to be just kids. I am also glad that Natalie doesn't fall into the peer pressure thing where some kids her age may have already stopped believing in the Easter bunny or tooth fairy. Good for you Natalie for allowing yourself to still be a kid and not be in such a rush to grow up being a grown up isn't all what it's cracked up to be. Kudos to both Natalie and Amber your a good kid Natalie and Amber your a great mom good luck with the move hope it all goes well

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  9. YES! Let her believe in magic and be a kid for as long as possible!

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  10. Good save, mom! I'm not sure where my kids fall on the continuum of belief, but they either believe completely, or they are fooling me completely! Either way, I'm happy!

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  11. I let my kids believe in the tooth fairy, even though my oldest is 10. He was so upset when the tooth fairy forgot to collect his tooth and give him money. She had to sneak into the house during the day while he was at school to make up for it. My younger son is skeptical, but I haven't given up. I can't wait for my daughter to have a tooth fairy!

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  12. I love this and honestly, I took a page from your book when my son asked me about the Easter bunny this year! He is 10 and he is on the edge of wanting to know the truth, so instead of saying it wasn't real, I said we help out. He asked me, "So the Easter bunny is real?" and I said, "Do you think he might be? Because that is all that matters."

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    1. I like your response. "Do you think he might be?" I'll keep that one in mind!

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  13. Oh wow. My heart broke a little for you! The real world is tough, hold on to the magic as long as you can! I think you handled it perfectly.

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  14. I have an 18, 14 and 10 year olds. I will never tell them that the Easter bunny or Santa isn't real. I just say they are real as long as they believe. I know the older two really don't believe and haven't for years. But it makes it fun to keep a little of that magic around the holidays. :)

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  15. I have an 18, 14 and 10 year olds. I will never tell them that the Easter bunny or Santa isn't real. I just say they are real as long as they believe. I know the older two really don't believe and haven't for years. But it makes it fun to keep a little of that magic around the holidays. :)

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  16. I think what you told her is perfect. and the truth. the "Easter Bunny" and "Santa"have you to help. They live in you, their spirit is in you. that's the best thing about holidays and not a lie at all. Life is boring without some magic.. I hope to always keep some magic in my kid's lives.

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  17. Always keep the magic going, I say...! We always need some magic in our lives...!

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  18. The magic ending is sad. But I still believe stuffed animals have feelings and that I can be any character by dressing up. I hope she keeps some oft hat magic alive even when she stops believing in Santa and the Easter Bunny.

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  19. And hey, the magic lives on too. There's all sorts of wonderful things to believe in for life.
    Scarlet is three years younger, but I see this day coming and I want to cry. I love that she believes she'll fly and grow a mermaid tail. I swear I believed I'd fly until I was.. I dunno.. 20.

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  20. I think you did the right thing, we spend enough of our lives without the magic. Keep it around for as long as is humanly possible!

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  21. Magic is for life! I still believe in all the spirits of holidays...and more!

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  22. I'm sorry to be the party pooper here, but I just don't get why believing in something that doesn't exist is a good thing.

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    1. It's the magic of believing to me. I do think it's a good thing, but I understand all people parent and believe differently.

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  23. My 5 year old told me she doesn't think the Easter Bunny is real. She also told me that she knows the characters at Disney World are just people in costumes. I told her she was correct, but it is fun to believe they are real.

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  24. Kids will let you know when they're ready to know the truth. And even then, the magic can continue. My boys are 21 and 18 and Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny still visit our house!

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  25. I love your thoughts on this, and it really made me think. I hope I'll feel the same day when my daughter is older! :)

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  26. I just hate it when they grow up. I still remember my mom putting out the Santa stuff. It messed me up for years.

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  27. Such a lovely post! Love reading it! Time goes really fast! We all need magic in our lives!

    Rita | http://www.styleroundtheclock.com

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  28. What a sweet story. My 6 year old son has never been interested in things like Santa or the Easter Bunny. Heck, he was afraid of the tooth fairy! He is obviously not like other kids, but that is okay. I just don't want him ruining it for the other kids :)

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  29. My daughters are five and four and neither believe in santa etc.. they stopped not to long ago, sad day!

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  30. Keep the imagination flowing Mommy! Children now a days are too hooked up with gadgets.

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  31. I can totally relate! I cried thinking my son was going to soon figure out there was not Easter Bunny and when he did he took it pretty well. Now fining out Santa is not real is going to be a hard one!

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  32. Magic is important. To believe is to make it possible. And I still believe in santa claus😊

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  33. Magic is important. To believe is to make it possible. And I still believe in santa claus😊

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  34. I am not surprised. Nathalie is such a smart girl! It does hurt a little bit, not easy to see them grow!

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  35. I'm glad for both you and your daughter that she still does believe in the magic of holidays. My son is 5 now and I make sure to enjoy every second of those magical moments that I got to spend with him. :)

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  36. Very nice article..my baby is still a toddler..I guess I have to be ready to believe in magic now

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  37. I loved reading this post. You remind me of my mom and I love that you still help her to believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny. Those are some of the most exciting things about childhood!

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  38. I don't have kids yet but I am forever grateful to my parents who kept the magic just a little bit longer and I too choose to believe just a little longer. There is no shame in it and each parent knows what's best for their kids

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  39. I'm right there with you on the desire to keep the magic alive. My oldest daughter is 13 and still staunchly believes in the miracle of the jolly old fat man. I'm not killing her belief in the bunny either, and if she wants to hold onto that for a while, I fully intend to let her.

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  40. My sisters ruined all the magic I found in some stories my mom shared with me. Why not let the kids enjoy the magic and believe in something that brings them joy?

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  41. Everyone has a different way of handling the magic of the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. My own parents pretended they were real, but weren't fussed when my siblings and I came home one day with the news the (gasp!) our school friend had said they were all our parents, haha.

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  42. Ah thats too bad, I understand. I never told my kids about Santa or the Easter Bunny. I decided to let them know that their lives were the benefits of hard working parents instead.

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  43. Your daughter is such a cutie! Let her believe in magical for more time as possible, a little of magic is our lives is always something positive and funny!

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  44. Aww, such a sweet post we all have the magical spark in our lives in some form or the other and that's your darling for you, loved going through your feelings expressed dear, don't have kids yet but, i'm sure someday soon I will be in your shoes too :)

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  45. I'm with you. I want them to enjoy being kids and believe that all things are possible. The world is tough and large and cruel. Let them enjoy the magic as long as possible.

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  46. this is awesome keep posting more! good work I actually think you are very good in writing your thoughts and I learned a lot from you :D love the pics btw :D

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  47. This is such a beautiful post. I truly do believe that imagination drives real creativity. Children are the so beautiful in the way they can pretend and imagine.

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  48. I dread this part of raising my child, mostly because I'm afraid of not knowing what to tell her or somehow messing up. You handled the situation very well. Good on you :)

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  49. Childhood innocence is such a great thing. It doesn't seem so bad to let them be innocence as long as possible. It's a reminder that we all used to be as innocent as kids.

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  50. This definitely reminded me about my quandary about how to let my daughter know about the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, etc. The truth is I think I may have snuck one or two things past her, but this was the first year she was there for all of the shopping I did for Easter. So she really could have seen any of it and put two and two together. Likewise, I am not sure whether she wants the magic to die either. So she didn't tell me anything yet about it. I am curious to know what she is thinking. Maybe I will find out soon.

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  51. This was a very nice read! i feel the same way, I want my daughter to grow up naturally and not to quickly . I want her to have as much fun as possible before life gets really serious.

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  52. Kids are so wonderful in their innocence you just wished they would stay like that forever.

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  53. I can imagine myself being scared of the moment when they'll stop and have their own world. I savor each moment and I never want to let go as well.

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  54. What a thoughtful post. I felt the same with my kids.

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  55. I loved this post and it's so lovely to see these photos. I love that star wars costume and the comment about flying like mary poppins!

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  56. It's such a difficult choice when it comes to telling kids the truth about something. My kids are six and three. I guess I will have to think of a few creative stories about Santa in a year or two.

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  57. Shouldn't let the magic end too soon. Peter Pan all the way!

    XOXO // Check out my latest post if you like ;)
    SINCERELY OPHELIA | CELINE TRIO: WHAT FITS.

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  58. I love it! This was an incredibly heartwarming article. Thank you for sharing.

    www.jimburgoon.org

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Thanks for the comment!

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