Fairy Friday

Now before anyone jumps to any conclusions, the title of today's post has absolutely nothing to do with gay men!

And since I've been in sort of a sharing mood, this week, let me tell you that when I was growing up, I had no interest in dolls, imaginary friends, or anything remotely like those things.  (big surprise, no?!)

I played outside with the neighborhood kids; hide-and-seek, tag, whiffle ball, kick ball, etc...

The only time that I ever played with dolls was when I slept over at my best friends' house in elementary school and she had dolls and made me play with them.  We played 'house'.  We had 6 kids.  3 girls and 3 boys.  And I was the Dad!  (and keep in mind this was in 1966-68 - years before "The Brady Bunch" had aired on TV!)

So the whole concept of dolls and playing with them, collecting them, etc... is completely bewildering for me.  Therefore, I always knew that if I were to have a daughter - whether biologically or adopted - I KNEW that she would be the complete opposite of me.  It's just how things work.  Something about being a learning experience or some crap like that!

Anyway, my daughter is what I refer to as a 'girlie-girl'.  Whoever thinks that you can 'make' children anything but what they are, come TRY and make my daughter a tom-boy.  I dare you!  I TRIPLE-DARE you!  It won't be happening. 

She LIVES to wear dresses and up until this year, she pretty much refused to wear pants, even in the winter when it's FREEZING outside!  She loves dressing up, having her nails painted, trying to make her hair curly and just loves things that would be known as girl things, IF I were to classify things.

In the past few months, she has become fascinated with fairies.  You know, like Tinkerbell?  She heard from a friend at school that they really do exist and that if you leave them notes, they will write you back.  (what sick mother started THIS crap .....)

So Sophie wrote a note when she was at my ex's house and a fairy, named Sherry (!!) wrote her back!

I heard ALL about it when Sophie came to my house with the note for me to read. 

Now of course, it was my ex's handwriting, but in teeny-tiny writing.  sigh.

So Sophie wondered if Sherry would write her when she was at my house and I shrugged and said, "Well, leave her a note and see."  

The next morning, what do you know?  Sherry had written!

Sophie didn't question the difference in handwriting.  She was too excited about the fact that no matter where she was, Sherry was communicating with her.

Linda sort of rolled her eyes at me as I told her about it and smiled at Sophie as the notes were shown to her.

I have, even to this day, not had any conversations with my ex about this fairy business.  We have just always continue to write a note to respond to hers.  I really thought it was a phase - and I really hope that the phase is going to end soon.

One night, she left a note and I forgot to write a response.  When I saw her in the morning, she said rather sadly, "Sherry didn't write me."

My heart stopped.  I recovered quickly.  "Honey, you know how crazy Petey (the cat) is and how he knocks things down and even sometimes carries things around?"  She nodded.  "Well, did you look under your bed and all around?"  She nodded slowly. 

"Have some breakfast and then the two of us will look for the note.  Sherry always writes back to you."

So I made her breakfast, got her set up and then headed over to the desk to write a note!

I planted the note under her desk in her room.

Then we went into her room and started crawling around the floor and what do you know, she found Sherry's note!  Oh, happy day!

She asks Sherry how she gets around (flies, of course!) and how she knows where to find Sophie (she was assigned to Sophie as the fairy that keeps her safe, so she is always nearby) and if any of Sherry's friends could be her friends' fairy, too (Sherry has no control over who her fairy friends are assigned to!)

It makes me laugh to think just how gullible Sophie is, but I guess, when you want to believe in something, you can convince yourself of anything.  She still believes in Santa Clause, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.  Hey, whatever makes her happy.  Though she never asks who brings the Hanukkah presents!

Well over the past 2 weeks, there has been no mention of Sherry and the notes.  (yay!) But she's been reading all kinds of books about fairies that she's found at the library.

I thought the note stuff was over with.  Thankfully.

Well, over the weekend, Sophie asked if she could have a journal book, so that she could write about her life.  I thought that this was a great idea.  So we picked one up and she started writing.  After an hour, she told me that instead, she was going to make up stories and write them in the journal book.  I told her to write whatever she wants.

Wednesday, on the way home from school, she told me that when she grows up, she wants to be a writer.  Wonderful.  I told her what a great imagination she has and how I was looking forward to reading her stories, as I think she writes really well. 

After dinner, she announced that she was going to write to Sherry Fairy.  She had decided that instead of a book where she could write stories, that the journal book would become a Fairy autograph book instead.  (uh, oh.  I'd have to come up with a variety of fairy signatures?!  You've GOT to be kidding me!)

That night, she left a note for Sherry asking her to 'autograph' the book and also to get her fairy friends to do the same.

Ingeniously, I (Sherry) wrote her how fairies don't give autographs in books and that she had a lot of notes where Sherry was signed (printed)!  And that again, Sherry has no control over making her fairy friends do anything.

Sophie seemed happy to have just had any kind of response and the autograph refusal by Sherry was taken in stride.

Who knows what will happen next. 

i know you have to accept your children for who they are, but would it be too much to ask that in addition to loving fairies and fashion, could Sophie care just a little tiny bit about the UCONN women basketball team?!

Shabbat shalom.

Comments

[PixieFlute]

I love the innocence of childhood.

[Ezer K'negdo]

This type of thing is actually really important for faith development. If we take away the mythology and supernatural characters of childhood (tooth fairy, Santa, etc.) how can we expect our children to develop a sense of the Divine? All of those things are intangible and based on a faith that they exist. Whatever one's theology, the sense of a larger power in the world (whether it is an anthropomorphic version of God or just a sense that there is something greater out there) is developed over time. I think you are absolutely doing the right thing.

[Tina-cious.com]

Ok that's too damn cute. lol

[val]

EK... thanks, I hadn't looked at it that way. And she definitely believes in a higher power and we talk about that all the time.

Tina... cute, yep!

[KMae]

Wonderful story.

I hated dolls when I was little also. Thought they were stupid.
But when I got in touch with my "inner child" (children ha!) (around 40) I learned to love them & have a big collection now.

[Sheila]

Kelsey and both of my brothers kids were big believers in fairies. We built fairy houses in the yard and would sometime leave small things out around the house for "the little people". This is a wonderful time...have fun!