What about Fairies???
Some of my favorite stories I read in my beginning readers were fairy tales. I enjoyed imagining these tiny people dancing in the grass and playing games. I remember once as a child finding a rotted out tree stump in the woods. The outside of the stump was still standing, and part of the top was still there. There was lots of moss and even a couple of tiny mushrooms inside. I imagined it to be a little house where the fairies might play and was pleased with myself for thinking of it.
It is good to encourage our children to use their imaginations. But can it go over the top if we carry it too far? Can believing in fairies get in the way of believing in God?
There is a new fairy fad going around with parents putting tiny fairy doors in their daughters’ rooms (or gnome doors for boys) and playing them up as if they were real. The children leave messages for the fairies and get messages in return – with the help of Mom or Dad. And everyone gets caught up in the fun. Fairy notes and treats are used to reward good behavior. To many, this seems like a win-win situation.
But while these children are leaving messages for fairies and getting written replies, are we giving them the impression that fairies hear their requests – maybe even better than God does? Could we be unwittingly teaching our children to pray to fairies, to put our confidence in them by using these methods to get our children to behave? Good behavior is no longer about pleasing God, but pleasing fairies. Sometimes things that seem good get in the way of what is best.
It is our responsibility as parents to teach our children to put their trust in God – to teach them that He is always there and He hears and answers their prayers. We must teach them that God has given us all the messages we need in his Word, the Bible. And we need to be knowledgeable enough about the Bible to help our children find the answers they need.
Where do we draw the line between encouraging our children’s imagination and teaching them Biblical truths? How can we put that same kind of excitement into talking with God and learning from His word?
By Janice Green
Copyright: iimages / 123RF Stock Photo
Excellent questions, Janice. And I love your statement:
“Sometimes things that seem good get in the way of what is best.”
Thank you for your wise counsel!
Thank you Ava. I expect to see some comments saying how innocent this fairy play is, but it can be so dangerous to young minds if they see the fairies as more tangible than God.
Love this post! Fantasy and imagination are a critical part of early childhood development. Saying the words “let’s pretend” can inspire young minds to be creative and imaginative. But you are so right, Janice! There is a danger in getting caught up in the world of fantasy to a point where the lines get blurred. I think it is important for parents to let their children know when they are playing make-believe and when they are in the real world. I don’t think that would hinder their enjoyment of using their imaginations. So adding the words, “Let’s pretend there is a fairy . . ” might make all the difference.
Thank you Crystal. You are so right about the importance of clarifying what is imagination and what is not.
Great idea, Crystal!
Thanks for this – I love fairies. I have so much fun with them in my writing. But I never made them more tangible than God. Not intentionally. However, I’ll make sure to be extra careful when using them in my children’s stories. I suppose you could rank them right up there with Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy – all these fantasy characters “write” notes to children.
Yes. It sounds like you are on the right track.