But Amma, who made God?

I sat in my living room enjoying my first day as a homemaker by listening to some of my favorite old melodies of John Denver playing in the background and watching my daughter engaged in her play. Just as I thought that this moment could not get better, my daughter, A, decides that it was time to have a conversation.

Gulp!!! For parents who have a curious 4 year old at home know that a conversation is never a simple conversation. It is often filled with some of the most basic yet difficult questions, to which we parents often fumble when it comes to answering them.

So here we are back in my living room when, A asks "Amma, who made us?"

Wow! I think.What a question! Now what do I say to this? We happen to believe in a divine power above all of us, so I tell her " God made us baby."

I hope that this is the end of this conversation but sadly A had other plans. She continues "Amma, what has god made us with?"

I seriously did not see that coming. So after some thought I tell her, "God has made us with lots of love, some blood, some bones and skin", feeling rather proud of myself for having come up with such a cute answer.

A thinks about what she had just heard from me and continues with her Q & A. 

"Amma, is God a boy or a girl?"

What! I don’t like the direction this conversation is taking! I groan inwardly. "Well, A, God can be whatever you want God to be."

"Ok, but Amma, who made God?"

I feel trapped and the pressure of delivering the right answer is high and come to think of it, even I do not know the answer, a concrete answer to this one! Man made God Aanya, I think in my mind, but I do not want to get into any further discussion regarding this topic so I come up with some easy answer and come up with "Maybe God made God?" I venture, feeling rather foolish after the answer. 

A continues as if suspecting my answer and not fully convinced with it "So God made himself?"

I do not want to lie to her and give her false information, so I do what mother's do best to get away from tricky situations with children - use some diversion!

I say, "A did you finish your homework? Show it to me please? You can play with your playdough then." 

I know that A loves her playdough time and feel sneaky for having played the playdough card, but desperate questions call for desperate measures, don't you think?

A runs to hand over the homework book, and the talk about God and creation all forgotten!

I breathe in relief and peace and calm ensues.