Reality Is Close

I feel like we live a pretty charmed life and our girls are pretty (I thought) sheltered. Until recently. I'm discovering that reality is right there, and Payton is getting old enough, and observant enough, to see what's there. Yesterday she asked one of her friends where his daddy is. What she doesn't know (I don't think) is that this little boys parents broke up long ago, and he and his mother live with her parents. This little man is one of the most loved children I know, but his father is not in the picture much and it's probably better this way. Today she asked me why another friends daddy lives with her other friends mommy, and if that friend has a mommy. Seriously, where does she get this stuff? All of this while walking through Costco! I didn't really know what to say. Heck the whole thing took me a few days to digest! How do I explain divorce and separation to a 4 year old, why do I have to? I tried to lightly tell her that D's daddy and L's mommy like each other, that they're good friends and leave it at that. And that of course D has a mommy. Luckily she was fine with that explanation and went into the next conversation about who to invite to her birthday party in 6 months. Eeekk! And these are the little things. Upcoming I know that it's going to get much tougher. Thank goodness I had some great teachers in dealing with the tough stuff!