How my Son Sees His Father

It was one of those rare mornings where the kids were enjoying each other’s company and wanting to play together.  I was downstairs making breakfast, thoroughly enjoying listening to their chatter and laughter. 

I was on my way back upstairs when my son called down, “Mom, B’s name is now Olivia.  Her parents died and she’s come to live with our family.  And I’m Ben Bishop.”

My daughter rarely engaged in imaginary play, so while the part about “Olivia’s” parents dying was a bit morbid for my liking I didn’t say a thing.  And, I thought, it was no surprise that my son had chosen to be one of his favorite NHL goalies.  It was all good!

“What’s your name going to be?” my son asked as I entered his room.

Personally I liked the sound of ‘mom’ but apparently the kids did not.  “Jen,” I said spontaneously.  Everyone liked a ‘Jen’, right?

The kids got up and continued to move through their morning routine.  I checked on them again once they were in the washroom brushing their teeth.

“So remember,” my son reiterated, “she’s Olivia.” And he pointed to my daughter.  “I’m Ben Bishop, you’re Jen and dad is God.”      

What?!  Did he just say that dad was God?!  I – mom – do everything for everyone within our home and he called his father (who was not even present) God!  Unbelievable!  But as I always say, as parents we always have a choice as to how we respond to the things our children say and do.  And we always have a choice as to what ‘truth’ we glean from their words and actions.  So this mommy chose to remain silent and smiled inwardly. 

The ‘truth’ was that my son had put his father on a pedestal.  He looked up to him and worshiped him.  He believed that the sun rose and set with his daddy.  My son asked where his father was as soon as he opened his eyes in the morning, and the last face he saw at night before falling asleep was usually his.  They enjoyed a father-son bond that I prayed would never be broken.  So if in my son’s imaginary world he chose to call his dad ‘God’ that was okay by me as I knew he wouldn't always feel that way.  

Another ‘truth’, however, was that a man’s ego only needed so much stroking!  So up until now that story was known to only three persons.  And I've decided it's okay that daddy continue to believe he’s God (but only in the bedroom), so long as he remembers that this mommy will always be the Queen Bee!