Santa...

[csdax]

I'm a member of another parenting forum, where I've done something to seriously piss people off. I posted a thread entitled "What age do you plan to tell your kids that Santa isn't real?" A lot of people got very mad with me because there could be kids walking by the computer that might read the title of the thread and be devastated for life! Obviously, I'm a trouble-maker .

But I'm still very curious about what other parents tell their kids about Santa (or the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy etc.) To be honest, the idea that there are kids who are old enough to read but their parents are still determined to keep them believing in Santa, just boggles my mind. I'm one of those mean-spirited-bah-humbug parents who has always told my kids that Santa is just a myth (but it's still a fun story, whether it's real or not).

What have you told / do you plan to tell your kids about Santa?

 

[cybele]

CSDAX! How dare you go around typing things willy-nilly on a forum for adults where children can read?! WONT SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!

Thats such an extreme reaction, it makes me want to bang my head on the table.


Anyway, to answer the question. We dont celebrate Christmas, we celebrate Litha (as we are in the southern hemisphere, so for us Yule is in July) so my kids have always known that Santa is fictional and a fun-timey myth. We have had to had the talk with Dita about not spoiling things for other kids, but she's really the only one who has thought to go around telling everyone that their parents are "big fat liars" (in her 4yr old words)

Same deal with the Easter bunny, different holiday, but still the same deal.

The tooth fairy is one I often smile about. As part of our beliefs, we believe that fae folk are as real as you and me and we do teach that to our children. The traditional back story of the tooth fairy stems from a pagan ritual that a missing tooth must not fall into the hands of a black witch, because of course she can put an evil curse on your with it, so the Tooth Fae came along and took your tooth to care for it and protect it from black witches.

I dont know at what point it became "put the tooth under the pillow and money appears" but my kids did the traditional thing and buried it in the garden for the Tooth Fae to collect. They get no money, just protection.

 

[mom2many]

My older crew I told them, in a fit of anger at them when they were between 7-9. I felt like such an ass afterwards too. Partly cause of how I told them and partly cause they still did believe.

My younger crew are 10-2. I am fairly certain the 10 year old knows but he hasn't said anything. I'm thinking because of the little ones. My 8 year old might be suspicious but hasn't really asked. Obviously the 5 and 2 year old still believe. This time around I will let it play out on it's own, when they come to me and ask "Is Santa real?" and I ask "Well what do you believe" if they say no then it is probably time to let them in on the secret.

 

[Xero]

I will let them believe as long as they like. I'm not going to force it on them if they have suspicions, if they seem like they know what's going on I'm going to tell them the truth lol. I imagine that's what happens to everybody. Their kids grow up and become more aware, and they figure it out, and it ends. It's pretty simple really. I'm pretty sure no one is stupid enough to go off to college still believing in Santa and all that.

 

[NPRhead]

I was never brought up with the belief. I'm not really sure why, especially as my biological father was a department store santa back in the early 80's.

I'd be inclined to discuss this issue with my wife/partner, and let her have the final say. I'm glad I missed out on the myth, and the inevitable righting of the lie. But it is a very All-American thing to raise your kid in the Santa myth, and from that perspective, I like it.

Double-digits cusp seems a good time, but what do I know. I'm sort of a freak in how I was raised on this issue.

 

[IADad]

I don't see any reason to tell them about Santa, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. They're going to either be told by older kids or figure it out just like all the generations before. I don't see any reason to put that on a milestone chart.

 

[Mom2all]

I told them when they asked and really wanted to know. My daughter was young, around 8 or 9.. my oldest son is 20, he still hasn't asked.. The youngest called me out on when he was 5.. and I told him the truth. NOW.. I still sign Santa on all their gifts and probally always will. Santa to me is the spirit of giving.. and so I am Santa.. even have the jolly jelly belly.

 

[IADad]

I told them when they asked and really wanted to know. My daughter was young, around 8 or 9.. my oldest son is 20, he still hasn't asked.. The youngest called me out on when he was 5.. and I told him the truth. NOW.. I still sign Santa on all their gifts and probally always will. Santa to me is the spirit of giving.. and so I am Santa.. even have the jolly jelly belly.

hahahaha

yeah, I think my 10 yo knows, but he's smart enough not to ruin a good gig by asking too many questions...

 

[bssage]

hahahaha

yeah, I think my 10 yo knows, but he's smart enough not to ruin a good gig by asking too many questions...

Same with Cole. He just dodges the question.

I really dont see the harm in doing Santa or not. Its a choice and kinda a fun thing for those that do. The whole "I don't lie to the kids" thing to me is kinda malarkey if you ask me. I mean really are you also going to tell your kid he was a crappy unbelievable bunny in a school presentation. We had a poster on here awhile back saying he was permanently damaged by the Santa lie. Whatever.

 

[cybele]

I get being disappointed a a chid, but to be an adult pernamently damaged by a fictional character is pretty extreme.

Hey, as a child I was pretty sad when I found out that The Muppets were puppets and not real creatures, but you pick up and move on.

 

[csdax]

Hey, as a child I was pretty sad when I found out that The Muppets were puppets and not real creatures, but you pick up and move on.

Kermit's not REAL???

 

[IADad]

Kermit's not REAL???

define "real....";-)

 

[IADad]

I'm reminded of the suit a few years back where some family was taken behind the scenes at Disneyland for some reason, maybe a medical one, I don't recall, and while back there a child saw a character take off it's head and was supposedly traumatized...it was an 11 or 12 year old...I think more to the point the parents saw it as an opprotunity to gauge some cash from the Disney vaults. Personally, I'd be embarrassed if I took my 10 yo to Disney and the thought Chip and Dale were "real." I certainly wouldn't want to document that facti in court.

 

[cybele]

^^^ Theres no way that can be legit. That kid had to know by that age that the giant creatures walking around were people in costumes. Im with you on the parents seeing it as a cash grabbing opportunity.