Death and God and kids

My three children growing up, each in their turn has asked me about death. I haven't been able to tell them much - the way I see it, it's like falling asleep, except you never wake up. And, when my time comes, I'll be looking forward to a long rest.

Funny, but it was the same with all three of the boys: after they'd asked the Death question, the God question would follow a couple of days later. I figure it took about 48 hours for them to absorb my answer and reason that the only way to perpetuate themselves ad infinitum would be by way of some cosmic saviour.

With the God question, I always tried to give them a measure of hope: I've told them that God (in the sense of the creator and sustainer of all things) is a grapefruit; more specifically, the invisible giant grapefruit in our attic. They regard this notion as completely nonsensical. But seeing as how the only argument they have consistently advanced against it is that my choice of deity seems entirely arbitrary, I imagine they get the point.

The Big Fella was talking about it last week. He has a running discussion going with one of his Christian friends. When I asked the basis of his friend's belief, the Big Fella reckoned it was down to his parents: "He was brought up to believe in God: I grew up in a family of atheists."

"A family of atheists" - that makes me laugh. I've never told my children I was an atheist, but it seems they just won't accept grapefruit - which is probably a good thing.