Dear Baby Jesus

Little minds are like sponges. I know this. It's why I try not to cuss or let Anna watch Cops when Kevin is watching TV. But it sort of hits you when other people have made the impressions in your little one's mind.

All morning yesterday Anna was carrying around this stuffed animal Owl which Kevin's mom gave her last year. She got it when they were in Oregon. It reminds me of an Ewok. Anyway, she kept carrying it around and calling it "baby jesus." It's not unusual for her to carry a baby, usually named Carter or Carson, or sometimes Carson Carter (we have a friend with a baby named Carson) or sometimes Alex (another friend's baby), but "baby jesus" was new.

Two weeks ago my mom had asked if she could take Anna to Sunday School. I thought it was fine since I wasn't really planning on taking her but I would like her to be exposed to different religions. After my mom took her I asked her how it went. Turns out they don't have Sunday School for Anna's age at my parents church, it was just babysitting or something.

At daycare, she has learned a few prayers and songs like God is great God is good let us thank him for our food. Ahhh men. and some song that ends in "for the sun and the rain and the apple seeds, the lord is good to me." And occassionally she says/sings these things at home. I think it is a little inappropriate to teach these at daycare, but I figure there are worse things she could be learning. I have wondered how other parents in the room feel about it, especially if they are jewish or muslim, etc.

But the "baby jesus" thing was a little much. Especially when she wanted to bring jesus to lunch with us (to meet my mom) but I was like, whatever. I kept trying not to laugh because all I could replay in my head was the Talladega Nights scene when they pray to "dear baby jesus."

She asked me where jesus stayed and I told her in a manger. She asked me who jesus mom was and I told her Mary. She asked me who jesus grandma was and I was stumped. I told her to ask grandma.

When you're little you just believe what people tell you. And even growing up I thing this is true. You learn your political beliefs and religious beliefs and all kinds of nuances about life and people just from how your parents handled it or said what they believed. When you're young you just think your parents are right. End of story. Or at least I did. Until I learned to question that later or realize, you know, my parents actually don't know it all. It sort of happens when you realize your parents are just people too.

She hasn't mentioned it once today so maybe she's over it.

But really I wish everyone else would let me teach my child what to think about jesus. And really I think it's something you have to learn when you're older and make your own decisions.

If I tried to explain now that mommy and daddy don't pray to jesus, etc. I just don't think she would understand what I was trying to say. And I already answer enough "why" questions that aren't even hard.