This week has been a tough one for Alexa, as I had to explain that neither unicorns nor Rainbow Dash (of My Little Pony fame) are real. The unicorn revelation was an especially tough one, as Alexa had plotting a trip to go "unicorn riding," just like she's been horseback riding a couple of times. Her face had such a sad look as she accepted this harsh reality; I was truly tempted to find a way to affix a fake horn to a horse so she could ride a unicorn and hold onto the thought for a bit longer.
Tonight we were coloring some alphabet worksheets (I am relentless in my pushing of phonics), and she handed me the "D" dinosaur sheet to me to color as she worked on the "U" unicorn. As she colored the unicorn, she reminded me, "Unicorns are not real, Mommy; they're imaginary. Dinosaurs are imaginary too." I made the mistake of correcting her, and, as a result, I was stuck trying to explain the concept of extinction to a four year-old. I think the concept was resonating with her, as she asked, "So does that mean all of the dinosaurs are in heaven with Granty?" Sort of, I guess.
After Alexa changed into her pajamas later tonight, she was singing a couple versus of "Gone Gone Gone" and looking for the floppy giraffe. When she found the giraffe, she hugged it around the next and told me, "I really wish that Granty wasn't extinct like the dinosaurs; I miss him." She had an interesting perspective, and sadly, it's not too far from the truth.
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| At least giraffes are real! |
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