(no subject)

[deterrence]

[written:]

A question, if I may.

What is an appropriate course of action when ["my" "our" ......] the child keeps asking for a parent who is not in the castle anymore? I used up all the distractions I could come up with last year. [and she doesn't know how to explain the concept of people leaving to a little kid.

this is going to be harder with every passing year, isn't it?]

Comments

[spongetastic]

I just told her the truth when my daughter asked.

[deterrence]

How did she respond?

[spongetastic]

Pretty well, actually. She's surprisingly mature for her age.

[deterrence]

... [that's helpful and all, but she doesn't know how old Peter's daughter is, either] Good for you.

But I suppose I should think about it a little more first.

[spongetastic]

How old is your kid?

[deterrence]

Five, if I'm not mistaken. [she could be fifty, and Shizuru would still pose the same question. The girl's kinda grown on her]

[spongetastic]

My daughter is five, too. If your kid is looking for a playmate, I'm sure Mary would be happy to have another friend her age.

[sexyhitchhiker]

What the other guy said. I'd lend you my dog but I need him.

[deterrence]

His name is Peter. [what, he helped her out before and she'd like to remember in case the need arises again]

Did you get back the child from last year as well?

[sexyhitchhiker]

[yeah, she's not going to remember that.]

No, I got a new one. A girl this time.

[deterrence]

[such a shame; it was entertaining while it lasted]

Really now. Who with? [nope there is no ulterior motive behind this question either. NOPE.]

[sexyhitchhiker]

[blink. Was there something else in your voice or - eh, whatever.]

Zuko, my neighbor. [he can take care of himself, right?]

[deterrence]

The one who sets things on fire? [or, "could you not do any better than that?"]

[foolreversed]

Just go ahead and tell them. My kid was upset at first but she got over it. Keeping things from children rarely goes well.

Plus, they're products of the castle right? Maybe they're more accepting of its crap. It's not like they stay with us all year themselves after all.

[deterrence]

I hadn't considered it from that perspective. [though what he brought up does make plausible sense] Then again, if we only get one week each year to meet the children, dashing their hopes of seeing the other parent again is rather harsh. [as if she is in any position to say...]

Have you found out where they go when they aren't with us in the castle?

[foolreversed]

Better to dash it then to let them keep hoping for years and years only to realize later you kept the truth from them. That sort of thing will make a kid bitter for a long time.

Not really. When I tried asking she only said "It's not a mystery if I tell you!" She's... really into mysteries and detective stories.

[deterrence]

There's nothing to say for sure that those who were sent home aren't going to return here in the meantime, either. [okay, she'll miss Sakaki a little more around this time of year thanks to the reminder in the form of an ever-growing little girl, but] If I discount that possibility, how am I going to explain it were my...partner to make a repeat appearance?

[ugh, this stuff is so needlessly complicated ):] Your "daughter" sounds adorable, I must say.

[foolreversed]

Just say she was brought back then. Kids are smart, they understand things pretty easily. Heck, that's a possibility kids with dead parents don't even get.

...Oh, um... thanks?

[deterrence]

You're right. I just cannot decide if it's too early to tell; children do view loss differently from us. [so she put it off last year...and might be doing so again this time round]

Should I keep an eye out for an inquisitive little girl?

[webbing]

I was going to say video games, but apparently that was the wrong answer.

Honestly? Not knowing hurts a lot more than learning to deal with the truth. Good luck.

[deterrence]

[video games worked the first time because the other-mom was here :'x so she's hesitant on those]

Thank you. I suppose I'll have to take what extra luck I get.

[webbing]

Yeah... but hey, at least she's still got you? That's still a lot, trust me on this.

[deterrence]

I'm doing what I can. [the "trust me on this" gets a questioning pause, but she's not going to ask about something which is obviously none of her business. Let's...move on to talking about other kids]

Strange how the castle only brings in children who view at least one resident as their father or mother, don't you think?

[webbing]

I'm not thinking that's strange so much as purposely done. Sort of like every other messed up trick this place likes to pull.

[deterrence]

Well, yes, it would be an efficient means to get to us. I can't help wondering where all the other children who have appeared in past years went to, though. Or "where they are now," rather.