My kids which are a little older 16,14,12 and still get up 1 or 2 in the morning to open their gifts and are awake until the next night and often end up sleep deprivated Christmas Day.
Just to let you know 'Santa' comes to our place during the night.
(we have little readers out there so I hope we will keep the spirit of 'Santa' alive during this column)
2006-12-21 09:05:03 · 14 answers · asked by Sara 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
My teenage kids do understand the meaning of 'Santa' and also how much it means to children that are much younger than themselves, and will hopefully keep the tradition going.
2006-12-21 09:36:10 · update #1
ON Christmas eve take them out to do something physical ex. building snow forts, ice skating...etc... or drag them around a mall for about 6 hours, that'll tire them out.
2006-12-21 09:10:54 · answer #1 · answered by Rose 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like perhaps you've set yourself up for sleep deprived kids!! Wow...Santa comes to our place during the night, too, but we have a family rule that nobody can creep out of bed before 7, and you can only open your stocking while you wait for everyone to assemble. Because we've had this rule since the beginning, nobody has ever questioned it - same as your kids don't question their right to get up at 1 or 2 and stay up for 20 hours, because it's what they are used to. They should be old enough now, though, to understand and work WITH you on creating a "new" tradition, something better for teenage (and parents'!) sleep patterns??!
2006-12-21 09:14:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let them get up at 1:00 or 2:00. They can go back to bed after they open their presents. You could just explain to them that that is just too darn early and the presents will still be there at 7:00 or 8:00 or 10:00 for that matter. They are a little old to be so impatient.
2006-12-21 09:28:47 · answer #3 · answered by Wendi lu who 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I used to wake my parents up when I got up!! (One time that was 4 am after I had gone through all stockings and oops, put them back together in wrong order, dad had moms undies etc) We would do stockings and gifts, then quite often have a nap later that day between presents and christmas dinner. And those that say once kid can read they shouldn't believe in santa, I don't agree. I was reading at 4 and believed in Santa til 7 or 8, nothing wrong with a little imagination whether or not you can read
2006-12-21 09:27:52 · answer #4 · answered by memyselfandI 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well you could let them use the Norad Santa tracker on Track Santa/Norad and when the radar indicates that Santa is in your area tell them to go to sleep asfter they find out if Santa's near there house.
2006-12-21 09:35:20 · answer #5 · answered by Deleted 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't have kids, but when we used to get together, we'd read to the smaller ones and we'd just let the older ones stay up to help Santa Claus with the gifts and the tree (ours wasn't decorated until Santa did it himself).
2006-12-21 09:13:01 · answer #6 · answered by dingobluefoot 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think once a child is old enough to read, they should know "Santa" is just not real.
If my kids just can't sleep, then I let them engage in activities that will wear them out; calisthenics perhaps, or folding laundry, let them stay up cleaning their rooms until they are done maybe?
On the other hand, I let all my kids lay around my bed and read them to sleep. It might take an hour or two, but what a great way to wind down on a special night!
Well, I did say once a child can read they SHOULD be able to tell between reality and fiction.
2006-12-21 09:12:00 · answer #7 · answered by beagle1 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
You may not be able to get them to go to sleep. I was that way into my teenage years. You should make them stay in their rooms until a reasonable time like 6 and they may get some sleep.
2006-12-21 09:20:23 · answer #8 · answered by bookworm_382 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
tell them that santa claus wont come unless thy go to sleep. If they dont fall asleep Noone in the whole neighborhood will get presents at all!
2006-12-21 09:18:40 · answer #9 · answered by DeathCabForSeffy 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My family has dinner at midnight christmas eve then we open presents. by that time everyone is tired and we go to bed and have brunch on christmas day. that might help you and them get some sleep and still spend quality time christmas day
2006-12-21 12:14:38 · answer #10 · answered by Lovely 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋