Innocence.

I would like to keep my kids pure from the bad things in the world, but no matter how much I want it, it is just not gonna happen.

Let's talk about the subject of death, for instance.

Just a couple of weeks ago, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we were riding thru our small little town. It just so happens that that there was a dead dog in the road over by the DGM (Dollar General Market). So Emma says to me, TWICE, "Hey Mom, what is that in the road?" I avoided her questions, in fact, I pretended she didn't even speak. The third time she asks, as we are leaving the DGM, "HEY MOM, WHAT IS THAT THING IN THE ROAD?" I quietly answer, "a dog." She says to me, "well, is he taking a nap? But why would he go to sleep in the road?" I just said, quietly again, "no, he's not asleep" hoping to leave it at that. Did that work? No. She said in a very strained voice, "is he dead?" And so I answered with a quiet "yes."

This conversation went on and on. Tripp became involved. Why would people run over animals? Why did the dog have to die? Did he go to heaven? What if Harley-Charley died? We would miss him so much. Does everyone remember the kitten that Mommy ran over (last YEAR) and his head was squished and his tongue was hanging out?

I get sad that my children are having to learn that bad things happen in the world. I would like them to keep up the idea of sunshine, flowers and rainbows. But it is not going to happen. Just recently, we also discussed divorce. Why do people get divorced? What does that mean? Why wouldn't mommies and daddies stay married? Wouldn't their kids be sad? Are you and Daddy going to get divorced?

Ugh.

Just a couple of days ago, following a family dinner with a family who really doesn't talk much, (mine, by the way) Emma and Tripp noticed that everyone went outside to smoke after dinner. They know the basics about smoking being bad for you, turning your lungs black, and that type of thing. But they never realised that one of their aunt's smoked. As we were pulling away from the party, Tripp asks, "Did you tell them that their lungs will turn black and that they will die? Roll the window down and tell them." Um, no Tripp, I didn't tell them. They know."


So, I guess it is just sad when the kids start to know things aren't always peachy. Eli, of course, knows things. I have already been thru things with him. It has just been so long ago that I forgot how bad it felt when he started becoming knowlegeable about worldly things.

It makes me want to lock them up in the house.




**** DISCLAIMER - as a former smoker, I try to keep my mouth shut to smokers. I would love to smoke, but the fact is, I am an addict. I am addicted to cigarettes. So I don't smoke at all. I am just sad when people do smoke, cause it is the hardest thing in the world to quit.