THE Talk

Well, today I had the talk that I've been dreading.

Tyler came home from school today with something on his mind. Before he even had his coat off, he said, "Mom, I need to talk to you and I don't think this is something Danielle should hear. Can I talk to you in my room, please?"

I was instantly filled with dread. I knew what was coming. I've been waiting for it. I was just hoping Ron would be home to at least help me out a little.

We went upstairs to Tyler's room and shut the door. I sat down and he started; "Mom, today at school Max told me something, and I need to know if it's true. I need you to tell me the truth..."

So... we talked about the "s" word. Santa. And phony looking elves that sit on shelves. And Christmas magic. And the real meaning of Christmas. And I told him the truth.

Yes, I told him, Santa is real, but he's not the jolly elf in the red suit that you see in books. Your Santa is the man who goes to work every day, all year long, and saves his money so you and your sister never have to wonder if there will be presents under the tree. He's the man who doesn't just want to know if you've been naughty or nice, but teaches you by example how to be nice and gentle and kind. Your Santa loves you and cares about you every day of the year, not just for a season.

Yes, Christmas magic is real, but it's not about flying reindeer or an elf that changes locations when you're not looking. It's about being an 11 year old child and watching people from church bring presents to your door when there was little hope for Christmas because your single, working mother could barely make ends meet. It's about listening to your 8 year old read the Christmas story from the Bible and knowing he understands Christmas is so much more than presents and candy. It's about driving around on Christmas Eve, looking at the Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music, and feeling like nothing else in the world matters. It's about watching a little sister wrap her arms around her brothers neck because he tried really hard to think about what she would like when he picked out her present. And it's about the miracle that God would love us enough to send His only Son to be our Savior.

Honestly, Christmas is so much better than Santa, but this conversation was bittersweet for me. While I enjoyed having a heart-to-heart with Tyler and earning his trust even more, this conversation marked another end. He's 9. Honestly, it was probably time. My struggle is with the fact that he's 9! Time just keeps marching on.

Before long we'll be having THAT talk about the real "s" word. (shudder)



We also talked about the importance of playing the game and allowing other people to come to their own conclusions about Santa, especially 7 year old little sisters who still have stars in their eyes.