I'm a bit disappointed that dd is so sensible about this

[Lawks]

I took dd (nearly 3) to the ballet, to see Angelina Ballerina doing Sleeping Beauty last weekend. It was wonderful, and dd loved it. We were chatting about it yesterday, and I said something like wasn't it exciting to see Angelina dancing. She smiled, and explained kindly that "it wasn't really Angelina, Mummy. It was just a chum, pretending to be Angelina". ('Chum' is her word for any soft toy or teddy).

I know she really enjoyed it, but I can't help feeling a bit disappointed. I'm having trouble explaining exactly why (keep typing and deleting) but I suppose I wanted her to be swept away with the magic of it all and really believe that we'd seen Angelina dancing. I'm disappointed for her, I think.

I was a very fanciful child and believed in fairies and such until I was at least 10, probably older. I sometimes still do, a bit.

Talk to me about sensible, practical children. She's only 2! Surely she should have believed it was really Angelina?

Oh now you see I think she sounds brilliant in her perception. I never believed in Father Christmas (was bribed not to tell my much older brother), understood that pretend was only that and magic wasn't real from the off. I- if I do say so myself- have a very good imagination, am creative and write quite a lot of fiction, some of which is okay. I derive a lot of pleasure from fantasy (oo-er), theatre and make believe.

There's more than one way to enjoy and be swept away by something.

Thank you SoH. That's a nice post and just the sort of thing I need to hear. It is pretty clever of her to realise, I suppose. She does have a great imagination - most of her games are role play and inventive. I suppose I'm a bit wrong footed because her understanding of it is so far from what I was expecting.

The problem is because you wanted her to experience your particular brand of magic, you forget that she may have her own brand of magic.

Dd was exactly the same as your dd, saw through any tricks very early. But for her, the magic has always been in knowing that it is a show; she is completely stage-struck and, like SoH, writes her own stuff. She wants to be the magician at the back, pulling at the strings, making an impression on the audience. It's a great brand of magic!

I like it, she sounds wonderful. Very kind and thoughtful as well as perceptive. It sounds like she'll grow up to be a very good friend.

Love the word 'chum' too

She is wonderful . (I think so, anyway!)

I will just have to accept that my child is not quite gullible as I was at 4 times her age .