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I wondered about this myself when my daughter was a baby. Is it good to lie about things like that? After much debate, I decided to go with it, because I had good memories of believing in Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy; and was not devastated when I learned they weren't real.
In fact, my mom did a good job of breaking the news. She waited until we already knew, and told us as if she was letting us in on a big secret. It was almost like some coming-of-age thing. She even let us be honorary Easter Bunny helpers and Santa helpers, with the honor of setting out gifts for younger kids and keeping the fantasy alive for the little ones.
There's a very interesting article about this subject:
That "candy witch" idea is interesting, because I do something like that with my daughter but call it "the Great Pumpkin". I got the idea off the Internet, as way for parents who don't want to promote candy, as a way to let kids engage in the fun of trick-or-treating without feeling deprived of the "goodies". This gives them the opportunity to trade up the candy for something better. (And mom keeps the candy in the closet.)
In fact, I've started telling my daughter that the Great Pumpkin does it as a service to kids who don't like candy. (She says she hates it, but does like a little chocolate from time to time.)
I've never considered Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy or any of the others to be a lie. It's more of a game than anything. My two kids that know were not upset when they found out. It was more fun. The oldest loves to help carry on the traditions. The second child used one of his devices to catch us in the act. He loved that. The third one isn't saying yet, but we noticed she was not into Elf on the Shelf this year. She didn't set a trap for the leprechaun. I suspect her best friend came to a realization this past year because she was usually the driving force behind the elf and the trap.
There have always been differences between how our families handled traditions compared to other families. For instance, we hide the eggs when the kids are in bed. Other families announce a time for the Easter egg hunt and know who is hiding the eggs.
Even knowing, we also still love to watch the Santa Tracker, see Santa or his elves feeding the reindeer,or getting the email video from Santa on whether you're on the naughty or nice list. Santa sent an email to my 14 year old this year. He was disappointed that he wasn't on the naughty list. My kids love this stuff. It's tradition. So are those stockings that magically appear stuffed with all kinds of goodies.
Even questioning this sounds like you might not be a fun parent. Maybe the problem is people birthing too old these days. They lack the enthusiasm that younger people do, everything becomes so damn serious as they only have 2o years left on earth so they rob their children of happiness. Stop this world I want off...
Even questioning this sounds like you might not be a fun parent. Maybe the problem is people birthing too old these days. They lack the enthusiasm that younger people do, everything becomes so damn serious as they only have 2o years left on earth so they rob their children of happiness. Stop this world I want off...
Interesting theory. I had the opposite thought.....always pictured the young liberal politically correct crowd being the proverbial fun Scrooges! Us older farts are more in the "let kids be kids" in enjoying things like Santa. I may just have 20 years left but dammit...going to have fun enjoying them.
If children are greatly traumatized, heartbroken, disillusioned, outraged, etc. when they find out the truth about Santa, then why do so many of them want to pass on the same pain to their children?
The point is that they are obviously NOT all that traumatized, etc., and they obviously thought the fun they had in believing in Santa was worth the eventual disillusionment.
Again, what parents choose to tell their children about any fictional character is their business, and it irritates me when people try to force their views on others.
If children are greatly traumatized, heartbroken, disillusioned, outraged, etc. when they find out the truth about Santa, then why do so many of them want to pass on the same pain to their children?
The point is that they are obviously NOT all that traumatized, etc., and they obviously thought the fun they had in believing in Santa was worth the eventual disillusionment.
Again, what parents choose to tell their children about any fictional character is their business, and it irritates me when people try to force their views on others.
Seems the only ones trying to "force their views" on others are these kooks who consider the Tooth Fairy, Santa, Easter Bunny, La Befana, etc., part of some big conspiracy to lie to and traumatized their kids, and never miss an opportunity to try to lay a guilt trip on the rest of us.
Location: In Thy presence is fulness of joy... Psa 16:11
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The 1998 poem -- "Children Learn What They Live" has a line I feel is very important here:
"If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness."
Many people tell what they consider "little white lies," or "cheat a little," or "fudge" on their taxes or to their employers ("sick days" when one is only "sick" of work). They add to their alternative reality fables and myths of imaginary creatures that heap materialistic goodies on children--especially "if they are good." We want our children to be honest, so we tell them of Easter Bunnies, Good Fairies, Leprechauns, Santa Claus, and the like? This is landing in the Land of Oz. "Children, I want you always to be honest. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain..."
What do children learn from mixed messages like these? That truth is relative; life is what you imagine it to be; and that if you finagle your way, you can hit the jackpot...because he who dies with the most stuff wins the game.
There's a better way! Lavish love (not stuff or "magick") on your child...go bird watching...play catch in the backyard...take a hike together...don't let them waste their lives in front of the TV or computer game...read books together (start with the Bible)...work on projects together (build a bird house, teach them to repair the car/make house repairs/cook/sew/make wall hangings/etc)...help young children write letters and stories and illustrate them--sending them on to lonely grandparents and friends...learn First Aid together...sing together...pray for others...reach out as a family to help the elderly and needy...give them examples of a truly honest, upright, love-filled life.
Who needs the imaginary world when real life is so exciting?
It is so sad that our entire culture as American people is being supplanted with 'diversity' and 'multi-culturalism' to the point where we no longer wish to carry on traditions that are based on anything that smacks of Christianity. It is even sadder when this affects our children.
St. Nicholas (where "Santa Claus" comes from...say the saint's name quicky) was a persecuted Christian in the 4th century AD, from the area we know as southern Turkey. Supposedly he was told by Christ to sell all his things and give the money to the poor...which he did. Thus, what he represents.
These are your children and I'd fight to give you the right to raise them as you see fit.
- Father of 2, grandfather of 6.
Seriously? This doesn't have ANYTHING to do with any of that stuff. I swear, some people- if they hate elephants, they see an elephant conspiracy in everything. Its like Seinfeld's Uncle Leo, who claims his hamburger was undercooked because the cook was an anti-Semite. "They don't just undercook a hamburger, Jerry".
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