On vacation, Dan told me this:
“Flora asked me what romantic meant.”
“And you said…?”
“Romantic means being alone and reading a good book.”
The first time he told me that, I laughed because I thought he was joking. But the third time he repeated it (telling various family members), something occurred to me.
“Wait a minute,” I said, “Did you really tell her that?”
“Yep. She asked me what a date was, too.”
“Did you tell her it was reading books with someone else?”
I know that my husband thinks I give my children, especially the endlessly curious Flora, too many honest answers — and he may have a point. But, really, telling her a complete fabrication seems futile.
If Flora had asked me what romantic means, I would have told her that it means a special feeling between a boy and a girl (or a man and a woman — and no, not to discriminate against homosexuals, just to keep it simple for now). And that a date is special time that two people have together to enjoy each other’s company.
Maybe another father of girls can tell me where my husband is coming from here, because I strongly suspect his fear of his “little girls” becoming women motivated his definition of romantic. What do you think?
Are you honest (and age appropriate) with your kids? Do you put them off for when they are older? Or do you just make stuff up for now?
Red Pen Mama 