sheltered

i've never liked the idea of raising sheltered kids.
i have been extremely aware of this because of where i live.
however, sam showed a sheltered side this weekend that i was totally ok with.
we were talking about a friend we were inviting over for dinner.
the kids asked if her mom & dad would be here, too.
we said just her mom.
of course they wanted to know why her dad wasn't coming.
her parents are divorced,
so we just explained that her mom & dad don't live together
and she just lives with her mom.
this sent sam's brain into a tailspin.
he had no idea what we were talking about
or why the mom and dad wouldn't be living together.
we tried to explain divorce to a child who had never even considered the idea.
he was very concerned about such a possibility.
i was grateful for this sheltered attitude
because i was a child of divorce,
and i hated it.
i am glad this is a reality that my children don't know,
at least on a personal level,
and i was happy for the confidence that pete & i were able to assure him that we were never getting divorced.
this assurance is the best thing i have to offer my children.