Gwynn,

You are actually sitting in the other room right now, watching some scene from Camp Rock . And I find it ironic, in a way, that I tried to shield you from that whole movie franchise, since it started with High School Musical when you were 6. Then you shielded yourself by the age of 8 or so. And tonight, we had "the talk" about Santa, because you were asking questions and it just seemed right, and you, in turn, tonight, are watching Camp Rock. Still, your reaction to me destroying your entire magical belief system made me think I probably could've ridden the wave of your unbridled innocence for another year or so. But no. When it is time it is time, and, it was time.

Parenting is such a strange task. At first you are given the responsibility of raising a being that would LITERALLY die without your intervention. Then, a turning point happens, where the being can survive on its own, and your task, as parent, becomes making very important decisions that impact its moral and internal fiber until it is able to make said decisions on its own. I am making you sound like some being from a sci fi movie now, but, moments like this one, as a parent, throw everything off kilter.

I think I need a glass of wine,
Mom