all the answers.

Sparky asked me, "mom, why when you wish stuff, do the things not happen sometimes?" I went off on stars and prayers and pretend and reality and then actually started rambling for so long that I almost forgot his question.

"Wait, what have you been wishing for that's not coming true?" I asked him.

"To be a real viking and to fight dragons and to cut their bones forever." Then he starts bawling. Seriously bawling. A noise somewhere between a chuckle and a sob escaped me just before I started rambling again... Here are bits and pieces of my reply, meant to be comforting...

".....maybe you could do some historical research......there are whole groups of people who want to be vikings that dress up and pretend and smash stuff like a reenactment, we should look into it......you are special just being you, and you're alive at a really cool time with computers and stuff.....dragons are nice, so why would you want to cut their bones?.....you could fight FIRES and save babies and cats instead.....forever is a long time to cut anything....wouldn't you rather be playing games with your family forever?..." I went on and on and on. Seriously, how do people do this parenting thing? I thought by the time my kids had questions that I'd have all the answers.

He interjected, here and there. "What?... No, mom...I mean for REALS....I don't want to play the computer....I don't care that dragons are nice, they're really actually mean and scary....JUST BECAUSE, mom......No, I don't want to save babies....How about I fight dragons WITH my family forever?......"

Eventually he asked me if I would say a prayer to Heavenly Father that he could be a viking and fight dragons and cut their bones. I told him that he should ask for that, since it was his wish. He wanted me to ask for him. I told him that I felt weird asking for something that I didn't actually want for him. He cried and I finally prayed something like, "Please help [Spraky] to understand his purpose and potential and to live his dreams to be a viking the best he can." Sparky smiled an incredibly satisfied smile and told me he felt really good about everything.

And since then he's been extremely happy riding vacuum cleaners and chopping evil bushes with his axe.

Perhaps kids come with their own answers. Parents are around just have to help them search inside their own hearts and minds. What a comfort, considering that sounds a lot more possible than knowing it all.

PS- Thank you, grandpa and grandma, for the viking gear and stuffed-dragon, which are very delightful additives to our daily shenanigans.

Comments

alyssa said…
love this.

love the new header.

keep writing please so when I have kids I can go to your blog for any answers.
Jessica Jackson said…
You boys are too cute! And you are such a good mom!
That's the sweetest post. I wouldn't have known what to say, but you said it perfectly. And I love that you're teaching your boys to pray. That's so hard to do sometimes. I hope he gets to be a viking one day. :)
Angry Carp said…
I peek in at your blog from time to time, and from where I sit you and your husband appear to be great parents. The fact that you have a child who comes to you with such a pure and innocent desire reflects well on you. If we all had moms like you I believe the world would be a better place.
Cute story. I had to share it with Scott. I love when kids ask to say prayers when it isn't a typical pray time. Jacen sometimes goes on and on..they are at such a cute age!