Skip to main content

The unicorn debate

As a parent, I have found myself saying - and arguing - things that I never imagined I would.   
We don't pet puppy bottoms.  
Food does not go in the potty.  
I've just answered your same question fifteen times, 
so why don't you tell me what you think the real answer is.
Yet, there seems to always be an argument that Murphy gets involved in and I simply cannot win.  Lately, this is the unicorn debate.

The unicorn debate began when my daughter was approaching her fifth birthday.  She watched a Dora episode in which there is a magical unicorn who can fly the children around the sky.  It was such a happy unicorn and so, obviously, my daughter wanted one.  When I told her that unicorns are not real, the debate began.

The debate started as a simple statement of, "Mommy, I want a real unicorn for my birthday.  One with magical powers that can fly."  The response that unicorns are not real was not understood.  "No, Mommy, I want a real unicorn.  This is the only thing I want for my birthday."  I responded that we might be able to find a stuffed unicorn or we could dress our dog up as a unicorn.  Apparently, that response was incorrect as a dog with a unicorn horn is "simply a dog dressed up as a unicorn - it's not real."  Which led to the discussion about what is real versus not real.  

The comprehension of real versus imaginary or fake is not an easily understood concept for a young child.  In their minds, it is all real.  They see pictures of make-believe creatures.  They watch them on cartoons or in games.  They hear other children talking about them.  So, to them, they are all real.  But, to try and argue this point that there are things that are not real is not as easy as it would sound.  Logic is not an innate characteristic - imagination is.

So, how do you argue in a debate that can never really be won?  Me, I like to use my magical powers of diversion.  Sometimes this comes in the form of a bribe.  Cookies work wonders.  Other times, it comes in the form of simply yelling "Squirrel!" (Which could potentially bring up the possibility of having our house float away with balloons, thus bringing you back to a very similar debate).  But, lately, I've begun simply redirecting the topic of the reality of unicorns into the topic of what would you do with a unicorn and where would it stay?  Thankfully, our house and yard aren't quite big enough to hold a unicorn - especially one that flies.

Now, can anyone help me win the debate of magical powers like Elsa's so that she can turn things into snow and ice?


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leadership Mom: SWOT Analysis

In business, leaders often analyze our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats through a SWOT analysis.  So, if we are going to look at our role as moms as being the greatest leadership opportunity to us, let's start with analyzing ourselves and our kids.  Here's the SWOT I developed for my family: Family SWOT Analysis As a doting mother, there are hundreds of strengths that I could put up here for my kids.  Their hugs, kisses, bedtime stories and prayers, the fact that they come to me when they're seeking healing from an injury (physical or emotional), the notes and drawings they make for me, their precious hearts when they try to help me or that they've learned how to use the Keurig to bring me coffee in the morning...I could go on and on. Now, here's the part where we get honest with ourselves.  Yes, we love our kids and we love our family (or, hopefully, most of the time), but we are not perfect.  Nor should we be perfect.  As we analy...
3 comments
Read more

Cybersecurity 101

One of the things that continually amazes me as a parent of young(er) children is their ability to quickly understand technology and its uses.  Not only have my children learned the art of swiping to use different devices, but they've also learned how to access apps, take pictures, answer calls (both phone and Skype), and more.  My children could teach their grandparents a lesson or two on how to use technology. But, as a student of cybersecurity, I have seen a greater need to educate my children - as well as so many others - on the cybersecurity.  This goes beyond posting inappropriate pictures and unfriendly words on social media (although these lessons must also be taught).  This goes into the nature of understanding the benefits and risks of using technology and the privacy lost to it.  The major premise that must be understood in regards to cybersecurity is that information/data is money.  It's value is continually increasing.  We need to secure...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why can't they just be friends?

Why can't my kids just be friends?  I must ask myself this question hundreds of times during the week.  I thought that having kids relatively close together was going to be great.  They'd have a playmate and an automatic friend.  However, the truth is that - most of the time - they don't get along.  It's not that they're enemies...it's that they drive each other crazy.  They each want the other one to do what they want to do.  Then, when the other one does what they want, they get mad at them because they wanted to do it themselves. They don't want to share their toys.  Then, they play together only to then get mad and purposefully break the other sibling's toys. They want to get the other one in trouble so that they look like the "good" child and get more rewards.  Then they get upset that the other sibling got them in trouble when they *tattled* on them. At mealtimes, they want to sit where the other one is sitting.  They wan...
Post a Comment
Read more