Looks like the indoctrination's taken then…

tonight I asked the children to write up their lists for Santa via Grandma and Grandad.

I expected happiness and gambolling towards the argos catalogue or a quick google search. Instead, Big groaned, and Small looked solemn.

What’s the matter?

If only I was younger, she said. I knew what I wanted when I was younger. What I’d like now is golf clubs, but they’re really expensive and I don’t want to ask for them, I’ll save up for them myself.

And what’s the matter with you?

I wish that sonic (something or other complicated game wise) was an older game so that it wasn’t so expensive, he said, somewhat mournfully.

And so I told them that I was proud of them, because I am.

I’m proud that they know that things have a value and a cost and that the two are very different things. I’m proud that although there are things they’d very much like, they don’t want to ask for the world.

I didn’t realise that all the conversations we’ve had about things, and money and ppl who have neither had sunk in to quite that extent. But I guess there’s more going on in both those minds than I’d realised.

Did I mention that I’m really quite proud of them?