This morning I broke my little boy's heart.
Ethan got a Zero Gravity Micro for Christmas from Santa. If you remember, his letter requesting this gift is in an other posting. The car is pretty cool, it drives on walls using some sort of suction mechanism and he LOVED getting it. Problem? The suction mechanism stopped working. He called the Troubleshooting Hotline and got some pointers on ways to eliminate the problem but they didn't help, so this morning he called them again. Ethan was cute trying to tell this guy what was going on but then the guy asked to talk to a grownup. Ethan gave me the phone and stood there listening while the guy drilled me on some questions. Then the killer guestion came, "Where did you purchase the car?" Without thinking, I said, "I bought it at Toys-r-Us." Ethan's eyes got big and he said, "I knew it, that's how it works."
What had I done? When I got off the phone, I tried to smooth things over and thought I did a pretty good job. Ethan went to get dressed for school and I assumed the problem was solved. When I went to check on him he looked a little sad and when I asked him what was bothering him he said, "I just wanted Santa to be real!!" And then the poor kid started to cry.
I couldn't have my little guy's dreams shattered, not when he's so little, not when the possibility of Santa not being real made him cry. So I just told him, "Mom lied!! I am sorry, but I had to lie to that man. (the customer service guy) I told him that I bought the car at Toys-r-Us. But you asked Santa for that toy and it was Santa that brought it to you."
Did I make the right choice? What will Ethan think of me? I'm not sure, but holding Ethan on my lap this morning as he cried, I knew Santa had to be real -- for him and for me.
The bell still rings for me and for all those who truly believe....
7 comments:
So this made me so sad... Poor little guy.
That is a really funny story in a sad way. Brynn found out in a funny way too. Last year we had a National Lampoons style Christmas. (leaking pipes, stuck cars, soaking wet christmas presents, bad sewer problems) in the middle of moving all the presents for the umpteenth time she saw all of the cousins presents from Santa and it was still 2 days till Christmas. It just confirmed what she was pretty sure about anyways.
Of course you did the right thing. That little story breaks my heart.
I hope your a really good liar!
Every kid deserves to believe as long as possible.
Love you Mindy. Your a great Mom. Thanks for sharing your stories.
oh man, i don't know what i would have done. what a sweet story!
I think you did the right thing. I would have done exactly what you did! I was thinking it in my head even before I wrote what you did. Kids have it hard enough these days without having even the little dreams shattered! You're a great mom!
...Summer
You are such a sweet, thoughtful mom! I'm ashamed to think that it probably wouldn't have occured to me to say I lied.
That story makes me love you even more. I think we all need a little more "believing" going on. Thanks.
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