DS age 7 no longer ‘believes ‘

Why would you punish a child for developing critical thinking skills?

Possibly. Perfect learning opportunity then.

I remember saying this to my DM as a little girl and she responded by saying that since I didn't believe there was no need for Easter eggs/Xmas presents anymore. Obviously I don't recommend saying that it kinda stopped with me as being rather cruel.

Magic is what you make it. If you invest your meaning into ridiculous things like this then you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Start making traditions that have real longevity.

He was probably getting St Nick confused with St George. He is only seven!

i am waiting for my slayer call up so I can start athletically fighting handsome vampires and demons :)

Speaking Turkish?
What, like in modern day Turkey? Which is not where St Nicholas of Myra came from. Lol. He ain’t as clever as he thinks he is then, is he?
Just kidding. Sort of.

I’m 48 but there’s still a bit of me that wants magic, fairies, witches, santa to be real. Logical brain knows they aren’t, child brain still believes.
It’s all still far more believable than any of the religious nonsense plenty of adults swallow without question.

When my DD starts to question (she’s 6 so it will happen soon) that’s what I’ll be encouraging her to hold on to. I think it’s a bit sad when people completely loose that ability to believe in magic just a little bit. It makes the world a better place.

I still talk to the fairies in my garden and my letter from Hogwarts will arrive one day. I spend many a happy hour in a make believe world in my head. Beats sodding work meetings.

I figured out Father Christmas wasn’t real when I was about 6 and I don’t think I ever thought the Easter Bunny or Tooth fairy were anything other than pretend play. I went along with it all and enjoyed it though until I was 11 or so. The fun doesn’t need to stop.

I cant say I have thought that deeply about it, we still leave a stocking out and watch christmas films and decorate and go to santa events just because we are older does not stop us joining in

I would have thought that was quite normal at 7. I never did believe in any of those, hadn't even heard of the Easter bunny and knew mum or dad took the tooth from under my pillow and replaced with a coin.

It's best not to teach children these things are 'real' because they are not! Just say they are traditional stories and it's fun to pretend.

Of course they don’t believe.

But playing and ‘make believe’ and tradition are still fun, so who cares?

Play and fun is more important than magic, and lifelong. If we choose.

I think part of the fun was the “You know and they know you know and you know that they know you know” but you still kept up the routine!

We teach our children not to lie then when they’re at their youngest and most impressionable every year we spend a whole month lying to them…

Smart kid you've got there. Both of mine were ages 6 and 7 when they stopped believing in Santa and tooth fairy, we never did Easter bunny. They were smart and curious enough to know it didn't add up and I was happy we could stop lying to them.

I did ask them not to ruin it for other children who do believe, I explained it as it's very rude to tell people their religion isn't real/pretend so we don't do that about Santa either.

Yes I still do adult dc their partner stockings , Easter eggs etc.
Adult dc had a wisdom tooth removed and the tooth fairy came. It was more of a joke plus I have younger dcs who belive so had to make it look real.

I told mine of you don't belive it means mummy and daddy have to do it and we'd be rubbish at choosing gifts and could never afford to buy what santa gets.
They then asked santa for something they knew i wouldn't like in the house and would never buy. ( santa delivered ) that gave us a couple more years.

What 😲 how can I just be finding this out now. Well thanks op you've just ruined easter and Christmas and my life. I hope you're happy

So heartening to hear all the other daft parents who keep the magic alive! My eldest is 26 but they all still have stockings and have to wait to see if ‘he’s beeeen’. It’s fun. Keep the knowing wink every time they mention it and let them think they’re humouring you.

Well you don’t have to do it :)

we like the ritual and yes, the “magic”. It’s nice. I spend a fair bit of time and effort on little surprises and it’s always nice to get unexpected presents.

If your son has been wondering about Father Christmas et al, you would have had some tentative questioning, or him rooting for evidence. Your son saying: "Father Christmas would be speaking Turkish" sounds like an adult has been deliberately debunking him of his beliefs.

Who was it? They need to learn that it's not big or clever to do spoilers to little kids, for magic or faith, unless it is causing harm and Father Christmas is harmless. Children need to work things out for themselves, as part of building critical thinking skills.

Seriously, it sounds like he's been got to by some pompous, know-it-all male, who is fond of being right.

My autistic DS came up to me in Year 6 and said he needed to chat to me about something important. Santa Claus. He'd be moving on to secondary next year and he just couldn't go on pretending he believed anymore. He hadn't been able to tell me for years because he knew I still believed but it was time I knew.
I thanked him for breaking it to me gently and told him I had had my doubts for a while now...

It always seemed faintly ridiculous as an adult move items from one place like the cupboard in the back bedroom to the bottom of the tree and act like it's magic.

What magic?

Do you not think it’s a little bit magical getting up Christmas morning to presents and family?

even if you know how they got there?

my mum did us stockings and gifts delivered overnight any time we stayed over Christmas, even as adults. I’m sure she’d do it now if we went. Of course we know how it all gets done, but it’s still lovely seeing the sparkly lights and gifts all appear.

my kids are adults and of course they know Santa’s not real. We still do the rituals though and put the presents out once they’re in bed.