This morning Carley and I had a very unexpected tender moment. I was going through the pile of mail on the counter, and found some "animal cards" sent by some amazing educational company. You know, just a few cards, 5 or 6, with lots of great animal pictures and facts on them. They are sent out to tempt us to join their club and get LOTS of animal cards. Well, we don't need LOTS of animal cards right now, but instead of tossing them I asked Carley if she wanted to look at the animal photos/cards. Eating her bowl of lucky charms, she said, "Sure!"
I unwrapped them and sat them in front of her. I piddled around the kitchen, cleaning up, carrying on a conversation with her about her cards. She'd say, "Oooohhhh...crocodiles! Oooohh..a snake! A tiger!" Then pretty soon, "Ooooh! A polar bear! .......but mommy, what's this red????" "What?" I asked. "There's red," she replied.
I walked over to see what she was referring to. I then see a very National Geographic-esque picture of a polar bear eating it's seal dinner. Scrounging in my mind for the best way to say this to my four year old's fragile mind, I said, "Well, that's the polar bear eating its dinner. Polar bears have to eat seal." Her face drained. Eyes watered. Lips trembled. I tried to give her "food chain 101" and tell her about how penguins eat fish, seals eat penguins, polar bears eat seals. We eat pigs, cows, chickens. Nothing could stop it.
Suddenly there were tears. Not "I'm-being-over-dramatic-give-me-attention" tears. Real, I-can't-believe-this-I-need-to-have-a-good-cry tears. She suddenly started BAWLING and saying "I don't want the bears to eat the seals!!!!" What do you say????
Needless to say, the fabulous animal cards were thrown away. I just had to hold her, rub her back and tell her that's how God made it. We all have to eat something. And then...we quickly changed the subject. I was anticipating suddenly having a 4 year old vegetarian on my hands, but for now the trauma has been forgotten. *UGH* Nature.....
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3 comments:
ahhh. yeah i remember the burgers with no meat orders you used to make, but with a certain amount of special condiments. Everyone that thinks and cares goes through it, it's just a surprise that she gets her first taste at 4.
Poor little Carley! Such a tender heart! I miss you all so much. Nana Shauna
Your Grandpa Willingham always says, "It's just nature" and leaves that as the explanation. Am I safe to assume that Miss Carley isn't going to care for hunting and fishing as she gets older? :~)
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