And now youre teachin me
How only a child can see
Tonight while were on our knees
All I ask is
Please, let them be little
Cause theyre only that way for a while
Let Them Be Little – Billy Dean
Country singer Billy Dean had a run of minor hits in the early 1990s, but the only song he ever had reach the Billboard Hot 100 was Let Them Be Little, released as part of his 2004 album, Lets Be Us Again. The album had multiple releases, with a second release re-titling the album title to the top hit from the album. Let Them Be Little peaked at No. 6 in Billboards county chart, and it topped out at 68 in the Hot 100.
The song portrays a parent reflecting on the growth of a child, reminding the listener that a child is only young and little for a short time, and they need support and love in those years.
Two of my daughters asked the question that every parent dreads recently.
No, not that one.
Not that one, either.
My two youngest asked me whether Santa was real. They relayed that friends have told them that there never has been a Santa; parents purchase the gifts.
We drove a few blocks as I pondered their question and listened to the two of them relay names of children who had told them this information in bits and pieces. I then asked them a question.
What do you think?
They didnt hesitate, and they replied in unison, Hes real!
Being the investigative father that I am (my apologies to future dating partners for my daughters for the background and credit checks that will be completed before a movie date), I inquired how her friends who were now Santa-doubters found out about Santa.
A few had asked parents, the same way they both did. Some had found out from older siblings. One in particular caught my attention.
(Name redacted for child – and parent – protection)s dad said he was too old to still believe in Santa and told him that he needed to give it up and there wouldnt be any Santa anymore, my youngest rattled off.
Now, if you know my youngest, youd recognize that while she may not be my blood child, shes absolutely my daughter in her ability to weave a yarn. This, however, was not a typical story embellishment from her. It was matter-of-fact, reporting the details, as she understood them.
My two youngest are in Washington 4-5 center in Huron, so they are fourth and fifth graders. Primarily nine- to 11-year-old children are at that level of the Huron School District.
A child at that age is still exactly that – a child.
What is it hurting for the child to still believe that there is someone with so pure a heart that he would gift every child around the world on one evening as a yearly assignment and believe in the mission so much that he has engaged an entire ecosystem of manufacturing, transportation, and wildlife in order to pull off that gifting excursion each year?
This reminded me of a comment this fall from one of those same daughters when she asked whether she should be for Harris or for Trump. I asked what brought the question on. She said that her friends were told at home that they HAD to support one or the other.
She was 10. Her friends are the same age.
No matter who won this fall, theyd not be on the ballot the first time any of those children could vote for the President. In fact, all four of my children will vote for the President for the first time in the same election, and even if Harris had won and then also won re-election in 2028, they wouldnt vote until after she was out of office.
In other words, this is something of interest to them the same way the winner of the Dodgers and Yankees in the World Series was of interest – passing, not something theyd be directly involved in promoting one side or the other.
Not something they really need to choose a side on at 10 years old.
Remember as much as theyre willing to espouse their opinion on the world and (in at least one case in our household) are taller than their parents, theyre still children and that time in their life is so incredibly short.
If a child lived to be 90 (less and less likely as our life expectancy has now dropped in this country for three consecutive years), they would likely spend roughly 18-25 years being a child/student, 30-50 years in their adult working life, and then 15-25 years retired (hopefully).
Would you push someone backward from their retirement years toward work? Most wouldnt, but we try to push children to be adults and make adult decisions before they have reached that point in their lives.
Let them be kids; let them be little. Enjoy those days, especially the innocence and joy that comes around the holidays!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
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