Whose reality is this anyway?

Reality is a relative term. I have come to realize that each one of us creates their own reality, according to needs and wants...some aspects are connected to the world around us, others are not.

I live in a bubble, I openly admit that. I prefer not to watch, read or listen to the news (depressing), I selectively forget things that I don't particularly like or want to remember (frustrating). And I'm okay with it...most of the time, because I'm pretty sure that I know when I have to let the real reality in, and deal with it.

But my children don't. I've noticed lately that at least 2 out of 3 of them also have their own reality. The oldest one is almost totally detached - denying (consciously or not) the relationship between his actions and their consequences on the people and world around him. And the youngest one just goes around singing all the time, barely discerning that characters from sesame street and parpar nechmad are not his real friends (I don't actually see a problem with this in a 3-year old, but his ganenet seems to think it's affecting his social skills).

How do I make sure they will know when to let reality in? And face it? and deal with it? Did they learn to create these alternative realities because that's what I do? Is that something they would pick up on?

I don't know if there is some kind of test for these things (I suppose life itself provides enough opportunities), but it's definitely time for a reality check.

And, as one of my favorite Billy Joel songs, Summer Highland Falls, goes:
"And though we choose between reality and madness, it's either sadness or euphoria"