Most of my preschool kids know that sometimes my mom is upstairs during preschool, and whenever they hear a noise they can't immediately identify they ask, "Is your mom upstairs today?"
Today they heard such a noise (it was really just the furnace) and asked the inevitable question.
Miss Dawn: "Well yes my mom is upstairs today, but that noise was not her. She is asleep today because she worked all night last night." (Of course I had to explain to them why anyone would stay awake all night and then sleep during the day...silly nurses.)
Then came a new question:
Little Girl #1: "Miss Dawn, is your dad upstairs?"
Miss Dawn: "Nope, he is not upstairs." (I was really hoping this was the end of this line of questioning)
Little Boy #1: "When is he coming home?" (I guess it was not the end of the questions.)
Miss Dawn: "Well....................my dad does not live at this house so he doesn't come home to here. He goes home to his own house."
(You know, the place where he lives with his wife and my step and half siblings.)
Little Boy #2: "Why doesn't he live at this house?"
(Because it would be a little awkward for everyone involved if he lived here. It is probably better that he live with his wife, rather than his ex-wife...duh! And my mom is also probably quite content with him going to his own home.)
Miss Dawn: (There was a VERY long pause here...what should I tell them?!?! What if something I tell them scares them about their own parents? I scan the faces and nope, no know here has divorced parents.) So finally I start talking, still quite unsure where I am going to go with this. "Well do you know what married is? Your mom and dad are married to each other. And when I was a little girl my mom and dad were married to each other. But then they decided it would be best if they got unmarried. So they did, and my dad moved to a different house. But it is okay because my mom and dad both love me and I get to spend time with both of them and now they are both happier."
This is the point where I literally hold my breath....I don't want to talk about it anymore and I am already worried that they are going to be traumatized by this discussion.....
Then, silence. Glorious silence. There are no more questions about my dad or his whereabouts. Thank Heaven!!!
13 Years ago today....
8 months ago
7 comments:
Way to go on explaining! Sounds like you did it perfectly, in a way that they were satisfied not to ask any more. I wonder if some parents got some questions later on. ;)
sigh. I had that almost same situation bc my mom came to visit and not my mom during preschool. brother. I DON'T want kids to think it's the norm. But they do need to know about it, but that it's not ideal. blah.
I am sending James to you with all of his marriage questions.....and for all the birds and the bees ones too. Phew...now I wont have to have any awkward conversations I will just say "ask aunt Dawn, she knows everything"
Dawn Taylor... I have been wondering how you are doing these days. I starting searching and found your blog. Somehow I knew you would have one of these. I love your preschool. I looked at all of your pictures in your older posts and I am very impressed! Seriously I will tell people I know all about your preschool. I am sure you are an amazing teacher! What else is new with you? You can check out our blog to find out what is going on with us. Nothing real exciting just normal life! :) I am so glad I found you and we can keep in touch! tandhdeaverfam.blogspot.com
lol You were always the best at anwsering questions! :)
Ha Ha Dawn you are great! You gotta love the kids innocence!
hah! Dawn, I am impressed, you handled that situation very well. Sometimes I don't think I'll ever be able to answer all of Katelyn's questions!
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