I was reading a chapter of The Four Story Mistake to him. I've never read this book before, but I loved The Saturdays (the first book in the series) and we'd finished that so I ordered this one and the next one, And Then There Were Five, from Amazon.
Anywhoooo, I was reading the chapter that is about Christmas week and one of the characters says that she wishes she still believed in Santa Claus.
I didn't read that sentence out loud.
I skipped it.
MM still believes in Santa Claus and I like it that way. So I skipped the sentence about NOT believing in Santa Claus and the book was fine without it. We finished that book 4 days ago and now we're on And Then There Were Five.
A new character has been introduced in this book, Mark Herron. He's being abused by the horrible cousin he lives with. And I'm reading it to MM.
We've been playing Lego Indiana Jones on the Wii, so I've let him see the movies and reassured to him that it's only pretend. People aren't like the Thuggees in real life (plenty of time to explain about Abu Gharaib and Auschwitz when he's older).
But I censor the idea that Santa doesn't exist.
In a world where grown people hurt children they're supposed to be caring for, there'd goddamn better be a Santa Claus.
Through My Glasses, Dorkily
12 years ago
4 comments:
It's fascinating what we censorwhen reading to our children. I was thinking the other day about reading 'The House at Pooh Corner' to D when he was about 2 or 3. I never read him the last chapter - where CR grows up and doesn't 'need' Pooh anymore. I censored, partly because it makes me cry, and partly because at that point he was still my baby and I wasn't ready for him to grow up. I'm still not really ready, but i am getting closer. It ties into your last post really.
There's a show on TV here called 'The Nest; a kind of reality show about adult children living at home. It sets a challenge for the kids to move out into group houses together, and then sets a challenge for the parents to move as well, presumably to downsize. In some ways i think it's a good thing for families to stay close - more of a village feel - but in others it doesn't look healthy.
amen.
I couldn't agree more.
Well said, Liz!!
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