Accept no substitutes

Jamie is very much into Santa Claus this year. There was some sense last year but this year he has really internalized the idea of a kindly older gentleman who will reward good behavior with a toy. Jamie is still very specific about what he wants. Last year it was "McQueen, the noisy red race car." This year, from the first moment we asked pretty much, Jamie has been very clear about wanting a big cement mixer. He's very into working trucks these days especially and the cement mixer, a important part of any construction site, is really the missing link in his garage.

We haven't had him visit a Santa, knowing his reticence about new people, especially men, but we did make it clear that we would pass the request on in no uncertain terms. At his school last week they dressed one of the teachers, Ms. Rosa, up as Santa. Jamie was typically wary and to try and ease his mind I told him it was really Ms. Rosa and did he want to tell her about the cement mixer? "No," he said, "I just want to tell the real Santa." Good man.

We have, I have to admit, used Santa as a motivating factor for good behavior, especially eating dinner, suggesting that Santa was very detail-oriented in his evaluation of good/bad. This morning we talked about how Santa was coming tonight to bring toys. Superego beginning to work Jamie said, unbidden, "If I don't share the toys Santa brings he will take them back." For the record, I said no, Santa wasn't in the repo business, but that it would go on the scorecard for next year.