s/o Santa post: NOT telling kid there is a Santa?

~CoCo~

Reading the post about taking DC to get Santa pics, made me realize I'm torn about this. I'm not sure I want to tell my DD there is a Santa Claus. I realized at a very young age that there is no Santa, and I was fine with it. I actually thought it was odd that so many kids believed in Santa.

BUT, it seems odd or even mean to eliminate the whole Santa thing for DD.

Is anyone (not for religious reasons) NOT going to teach their kid that there is a Santa?

ABMcKinney

I'm all for encouraging imagination, so we will be telling DS about Santa.

vanillacourage

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

racegirl723

We do not plan to tell DS that there is a santa.  We do plan to tell him about the tradition of santa and explain how and why people celebrate it so he understands why other kids believe in it, but we won't be lying to him and giving him gifts from Santa. 

My sister found out at and early age and I found out at what I think is an older age (7) and we were both pissed about it and dismayed that our parents lied to us so that's why we're not going to perpetuate the myth.

CameraPerson

With all due respect, as a teacher, giving kids this "gift" of splendor and excitement is such a wonderful thing to do for kids. You are only a kid once. When they become adults, everything kinda sucks in the sense that there is no more magic.

~CoCo~

vanillacourage:

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

What about Jehovah's Witnesses, or Jewish kids, or all the other kids who don't believe in Santa? Are they ruining the fun for others too?

Amrice78

vanillacourage:

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with this.  I don't have a problem with others teaching their kids that there is no Santa, but I would hate for someone to ruin it for my kids.

 

brandonswife07

vanillacourage:

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

ditto. 

vanillacourage

~CoCo~:

vanillacourage:

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

What about Jehovah's Witnesses, or Jewish kids, or all the other kids who don't believe in Santa? Are they ruining the fun for others too?

I think that those children should also be taught that it's no ok to spoil it.  You know how kids are, they love to spill secrets or things they're supposed to keep bottled up but can't.  As a parent I would be really unhappy if my kid came home from daycare one day and DS said "Jimmy said there's no Santa and that his parents told him so."  Big bummer.  It's an issue of respect for other "cultures", so to speak, and it's never too early to start that.

destea1

I loved the idea and magic of a 'santa' when I was little. I found out when I was 6 or 7 and wasn't mad about it at all. I think it's a really cute time in a kids life to have that imagined, special thing at christmas time. I'm not religious at all, if that makes any difference

IckyThump

vanillacourage:

~CoCo~:

vanillacourage:

Being honest & no snark here, I think that if you teach your kids that there's no Santa you also need to be sure to teach them that it's not ok to ruin the fun for other kids.  JMO.

What about Jehovah's Witnesses, or Jewish kids, or all the other kids who don't believe in Santa? Are they ruining the fun for others too?

I think that those children should also be taught that it's no ok to spoil it.  You know how kids are, they love to spill secrets or things they're supposed to keep bottled up but can't.  As a parent I would be really unhappy if my kid came home from daycare one day and DS said "Jimmy said there's no Santa and that his parents told him so."  Big bummer.  It's an issue of respect for other "cultures", so to speak, and it's never too early to start that.

ITA. I will definitely teach DS to respect other cultures, but I would expect ours to be respected in return. That culture includes Santa.

rocknrola

There will be a Santa in our house. I can't imagine not having our kids believe in him (at least while she's little). I'm not sure how the conversations would go with other kids if they believe in Santa and my kids don't know who he is.

~CoCo~

Vanilla, I actually agree w/that... I remember my parents telling me not to say anything in school or to my neighbors...

ali-1411

I can't imagine what kind of grinch you have to be to not let your kids believe in Santa.  Yeah, I remember being pretty upset when I found out Santa wasn't real, but guess what?  I got over it.  I don't think anyone's ever needed therapy because their parents lied to them over a little Christmas magic.

 

Amrice78

racegirl723:

We do not plan to tell DS that there is a santa.  We do plan to tell him about the tradition of santa and explain how and why people celebrate it so he understands why other kids believe in it, but we won't be lying to him and giving him gifts from Santa. 

My sister found out at and early age and I found out at what I think is an older age (7) and we were both pissed about it and dismayed that our parents lied to us so that's why we're not going to perpetuate the myth.

I'm not lying to my child.  Is Santa imaginary, of course, but I don't equate having DS believe in the magic of Santa lying to him.  I'm sorry you were upset with your parents, one of my fondest memories of my childhood is the Christmas my dad made "Santa footprints" out of ice going from the front door to the Christmas tree because I was worried Santa wouldn't be able to get to us as we lived in an apartment with no fireplace.

jennessey

CameraPerson:

With all due respect, as a teacher, giving kids this "gift" of splendor and excitement is such a wonderful thing to do for kids. You are only a kid once. When they become adults, everything kinda sucks in the sense that there is no more magic.

I totally agree.  I also teach and try to instill that sense of wonder in my students everyday.  It makes life so much more fun. 

lanie26

LOL @ "lying to them" COME ON.

Are you serious? You tragically put the myth and excitement of Santa down to a ball faced lie? That's sad and your own really pathetic issue IMO.

There will be Santa in our house. I don't even compare non Christian families celebrating their own cultural events with celebrating mine. That's bizarre and illogical.

We celebrate our way, they celebrate theirs. I just remember being alone at night shaking with excitement and imagination over santa claus. I want my daughter to experience the same thing.

CoastieWife08

I am going to sound so hokey here, but I don't care.

I still believe in Santa. Not the man who comes down your chimney and leaves gifts, but I believe in the Spirit of Santa and the season.  Sure, she'll learn that the guy in red doesn't leave her gifts and eat the cookies she leaves out, but I hope she'll still believe in the Spirit of Santa and the joy he brings to Christmas.

A kid at school ruined it for a a whole group of us and, yes, I was upset for days over it.  But, I've been disappointed in a lot of things in my lifetime, Santa only being one of them.

However, I had years and years of excitment, great memories, joy, and anticipation because of believing in Santa, and I wouldn't give that all up just to avoid a few days of disappointment.

Disneygeek77

I think it is funny when people at my church don't want to do the Santa thing because they would be lying to their kids.  I also wonder if they know that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th either.  December 25th was a pagan holiday celebrating the Roman God  Saturn and the early church decided to make it Jesus's birthday to get people from celebrating the pagan holiday. In fact most scholars believe that he was born sometime in June.  So I guess telling the kids that Dec 25th is Jesus's birthday is kinda a lie too. 

I never had a problem with Santa even when I found out the truth in kindergarten.  Even then I knew it was just a fun thing to do,