So I'm driving the oldest home and he starts in on me about why we celebrate Christmas the same way every year. I'm like, I dunno, it's tradition, its what we're supposed to do, it's freaking turkey man!
Ninja: "Why don't we celebrate Christmas like 'Onica'?"
Me: "Um (trying to figure out what he's talking about and negotiating Toronto rush hour traffic), because they're two separate holidays, celebrated by two separate religions. We're Christian, people who celebrate Hanukkah are Jewish"
Ninja:" So if we're ever invited to go celebrate to celebrate Hannukah, does that mean we can't go?"
Me: (suppressing a Hell no!) "No, honey, of course we can go, we can go to any religious celebration our friends invite us to (friends, take note...I'm expecting some invites this year!) it's a great honour to do so." (in my head I'm thinking, and the food is freaking awesome-we know where my priorities lie)
Ninja: "Even though we don't celebrate them?"
Me:" Right. Did you guys discuss religion at school?" (I really have no problems with my kid's school, discussing religion, I just wish they'd send me a heads up so I'm not caught in traffic trying to think of anything else other than avoiding busses and getting us maimed)
Ninja: "I think every religion is right"
Me:" I think so too, I think whatever higher power is up there has given us the tools to find a way we best connect with them" (I realize I'm probably offending a hell of a lot of more conservative religious people, or at least sending them to the fainting chair, but ah well!) "For mommy, I best connect with God through the teachings of Jesus."
Ninja: "Did you know that people fight over religion?"
Me: "Yep"
Ninja: "Some people won't even be friends with people of other religions!"
Me: "I know, and that makes God sad, and really, it's truly their loss because think of all the great friends we have who worship differently."
Ninja: "Do Christians fight over religions?"
Me:" Yep, they even kill people who are different religions"
Ninja: "Well that's just crazy! God tells us not to kill or hate!"
Me: "Yep, they seem to have lost that message."
Ninja: "Its like when I play with my friend V, he is a different religion, but we don't even bother with that, we're just friends!"
Me: "Well that's the way its supposed to be."
Ninja: "Yeah, anyone who fights or kills over religion is freaking crazy!"
Me: "Amen!"
It's always a good moment in parenting when you see that all that programming has actually took.
3 comments:
You've got a smart cookie there. When he's ruling the world (with M at his side of course) we'll all be better off :)
LIKE! What a sweet story - I love how kids have that matter of fact way of putting things.
@Deb, he's going to have to wait until I'm done being Queen of the World before he and M can take over. LOL But I think they'll do a good job carrying on my benign dictatorship.
@A, Ninja is insanely outspoken, he went on this diatribe today in the middle of the lobby of his martial arts class about how everyone needs to get along, otherwise they should all use their martial arts on the bullies...I can see I have a little tinkering to do, the school has promised to help on their end. lol
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