As a parent, I've always felt like it has been so important to make sure my kids understand the truth about things. We'll play pretend and imagine, but always with the clear understanding that this is pretend. Or when the tooth fairy visits, the kids get quarters and an authentic tooth fairy note, but they know it's a fun game we play, not a real little person who leaves a surprise under their pillows.
But finally their sweet imaginations have gotten the best of me, and I can't help but just let them imagine. The kids love to collect those long boomerang shaped seed pods that fall from the trees at the park, and open them up to find all the seeds inside. Some time ago, I can't remember why, they decided that these were 'magic beans'. So this Spring (Spring!) Ellie and Owen have been so excited to plant their magic beans in the round-a-bout in hopes of a tree to come. And I just love it so much. So we don't talk about February in Logan and how the seeds will freeze, (and I don't even know - do trees grow from these kinds of seeds?) or about if a tree did manage to pop up how it would be mowed with the rest of the grass... I just let them imagine together, with Ellie telling Owen all about what is to come, "maybe a little tree will grow here and it will get bigger and bigger...." or "we have to remember to go and water our seeds today Owen!" And maybe a tree will grow, and probably not, and either way what a fun little experiment for these two. (Right?) And either way, it makes me excited for the (real) Spring, when I know they'll be excited to help plant seeds in our garden and see the real magic of little plants popping up and great things growing.
