really im just substituting one made up person for another

there are some things you have to lie about as a mother. im sure quite a few of you know that, most especially since about half way through last year, i am trying very very hard not to lie anymore. and i'm succeeding...mostly. the thing is, its christmas, isnt it? and earlier on there was easter, and inbetween those the tooth fairy came to visit a few times.

so you can see that there are some situations where a lie is the right answer, at least for a little while.

one thing i'm being very honest about with my kids is religion. leading up to easter there was a lot of jesus talk at school. i didnt say it was true, i didnt say it was lies, but i did start most sentences with 'some people believe' and i also told them 'i dont believe'.
so when eli and i were at colonades and he stopped to look at the nativity scene, i didnt pull him away, but i didnt explain anything either. i just waited. if he had questions, he'd ask them

and he did.

'whats that baby doing in there?'
'thats baby jesus'
'why is he in there?'
'some people believe that jesus was born on christmas day, so christmas is his birthday'
'oh'

i reach down and take his hand. we start to walk away.

'so, jesus grows up to be father christmas?'

'yes, yes he does'