I have 3 kids: 5, 2 and 1 and they all still believe, however, some of our friends think that kids should know the gifts come from the parents as they work hard to buy them stuff and not Santa. I hope that my kids believe as long as they can - do you agree?
2006-12-07 07:43:30 · 27 answers · asked by ? 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Kids grow up so fast and I want them to enjoy this magic while they can!
2006-12-07 07:53:31 · update #1
my eight-, seven-, and five-year old kids all believe in Santa, and so do i.
i know i'm the one who buys the presents, wraps them, and puts them under the tree. i'm not crazy. to me, Santa isn't a jolly old elf who slides down the chimney. Santa is an emotion, the spirit of the season, and a joyful enthusiasm for giving. i love Santa and i'll believe in him forever.
2006-12-07 07:53:50 · answer #1 · answered by bigivima 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You know I let my kids believe as long as they could. It's a hard cold cruel world out there so I think a little fantasy is a good thing, but I did kind of get where I felt like Santa was getting all of the glory, so I finally started giving most of the gifts from us and having Santa only bring 1 or 2 gifts and just fill their stockings. They loved it just as much, and at least my husband and I got some credit for the gifts that way. Actually my kids are now 16 and 12 and I still tell them if they don't believe in Santa that their stocking will be empty in the morning! haha They play along because they still love it. Enjoy your kids they grow up way too fast.
2006-12-07 15:50:03 · answer #2 · answered by Shel 2 · 7⤊ 0⤋
I have 6 kids, ages 5 to 17. They usually stop believing in Santa around 2nd grade. Typically it is when their peers tell them and they come ask me and I tell them the truth. If they ask, always be honest. You don't want to set a precedence (sp?) for when they come and ask you about something that you lie. So, when they ask, "Is Santa real" you can tell them the story of Saint Nick and how he lived long ago. You can find the story online. We tell ours that a man lived long ago that had a big heart and he wanted to help those less fortunate than him by giving them gifts and things that they could use. The magic of Christmas lives in our hearts in that we give even when we can't afford to sometimes, sometimes it's giving someone something special of ours. Sometimes it's just a kind word or gesture like helping them with something. In the end, when they ask if Santa exists we tell them yes, that we are all Santa if we want to be but the original man did not really have a flying sleigh. That he never went down chimneys. That reindeer can't really fly, etc. They handle it well. In fact, they usually say, yeah, I kind of figured that because no one can fit down that chimney and magic is just a trick.
There are some who will say you are damaging a child by letting or encouraging them to believe in Santa. To that I say that they need to get a life. Make believe is an important part of a child's growing up. If you forbid them from any and all make believe then you are not doing them a favor. You are crippling them emotionally. It's through make believe and play acting that they grow, mature, learn, experience the world, deal with stress, dream of bigger and better things and learn that they can go farther, be more imaginative, create the things of the future. What is nonsense to some is considered to be the building blocks of childhood to others. My children are all well adjusted, well behaved, emotionally stable kids. My oldest will graduate in May in the top 20 of his class with a 4.0 GPA. He gets along with everyone from the book "nerds" to the "emo" kids in black. Would he be the same if I'd never let him believe in Santa? Maybe but it obviously did not hurt any of them. So let your kids believe in what you as their parent choose to let them believe in and who cares what other parents think.
2006-12-07 16:08:22 · answer #3 · answered by CHERI S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Agreed! My son is 7 and it is probably the last year that he will so I plan to really do it up for him! We sprinkle elf dust (which is just glitter) we hang chocolates on the tree with the Candy Canes. We eat the cookies left for Santa and we write James a note from Santa saying Thank You for being a good boy and for the yummies.We put carrots out for the Reindeer and then make it look like they ate them-and we leave Reindeer prints outside too!Giving your child gifts and not getting credit for it is one of those things that as an adult You should be happy to let your child experience the AWE and WONDER of Christmas.
2006-12-07 15:57:26 · answer #4 · answered by LoveMyLife 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Let them know that a few gifts come from you (the parents) and from Santa. If you can remember what they tell Santa put his tag on those gifts. There is nothing wrong with believeing in Santa as long as they don't forget what Christmas is all about.
My son is 12 now and has out grown Santa but once in a while I will hear a comment from him - maybe Santa will be nice this year and get me or that! lol
2006-12-07 15:50:25 · answer #5 · answered by wyattj23 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I agree. I tell my 8 year old daughter that i help santa get the presents as well by telling him what she really wants as she does not make a list, she just tells me so i put on the packages from santa and mama and some just mama. She still believes but questioned it 2 weeks ago when some boy said he is a fake. I told her, not to listen to that boy cause he will get coal in his stocking this year. lol...I have a 10 month old son too and as he grows, I will tell my son the same thing so they will be good for me Most of the time as they will know i tell santa.
2006-12-07 15:47:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
YesI have 4 kids. Ages 8,7,4, and 2. My oldest comes home talking about how the other kids in class dont believe. And they ar always asking. Is fun stuffing presents in the closets and takingthem out the night before when they are asleep. And seen their faces in the morning. But we do buy 1 or 2 for each as something my husband I got them. And put them under the tree as soon as we wrap them. So that makes them still believed. We also tell them that Theres so many kid sin the world, and only 1 Santa, so parents are hes helpers. Like that he gets the job done faster. Plus fif you come out and tell themthe truth. They are going to be heart broken. and they might really expect for you to buy them everything in their list and get angry at you if you dont. sO it dont matter what others think. As long as the kids are happy.
Merry christmas to you and your family
2006-12-07 15:51:13 · answer #7 · answered by you_me_set 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I never believed in Santa, but most kids did. I even knew kids who believed in Santa at 12 and 13.
2006-12-07 15:56:26 · answer #8 · answered by EG 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Please don't spoil your kids childhood fantasies. Let them believe as long as they want to. Kids are growing up way to fast these days. My son still believes and he's 9. He just tells the 'non-believers' that Santa only comes to those that believe. I know in his heart he knows its mommy buying the gifts but Santa, the toothfairy etc. is what being a kid is all about.
2006-12-07 15:53:06 · answer #9 · answered by truly_insightful 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have been very explicit with my 2-year-old that Santa is pretend. I do think kids should be kids as long as possible but this whole Santa thing is not some fantasy the child invented- it's an elaborate lie we stage for them and I think it's mean. We read Santa stories with my daughter but they are no more real to her than any other stories. Since she sees him in the mall and stuff we have had to teach her he's just a guy pretending to be Santa.
2006-12-07 16:28:07 · answer #10 · answered by AerynneC 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Christmas is not what you spend on your kid but about the magic and family of it. To say I work hard and my kids will know it?? Sounds like more issues than santa. Yes children should believe, if only to see that there is wonderment in life. The joy of their faces is enough reward. We dont need to tell them we work hard to get you gifts. Thats just selfish and horrible. Tell your friends to get over themselves and not work so hard if they are going to resent it and shove it in their kids faces on a magical loving family day.
Give them the copy of "yes Virgina, there is a Santa Clause"
2006-12-07 15:51:29 · answer #11 · answered by Lyssa B 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋