If you send your kid to secondary school still believing in Santa the resulting fallout is on your head

[Stripitout]

Try and weigh up how important your Christmas magic is against your kid being mercilessly teased when their peers find out they still believe

Quite!!

My 17 year old about to go to University believes and has never been told otherwise. Don’t believe in Santa no stocking - she’s always believed.
Never been bullied. Recently her younger sibling told her that Santa wasn’t real (10) and she told them to pipe down or they wouldn’t be getting a stocking. Lots of wink wink etc exchanged.

Really doubtful that he/she actually does.

My kids were allowed on the internet (with some age appropriate supervision). They were parented properly and are all now well rounded twenty somethings now.

One of my friends has a Year 7 child she is convinced still believes. She has the best intentions but not sure I would let my child get to secondary without letting them know, would hate to set them up for a fall like that.

I believed in Santa in year 7, I think I was starting not too but one of my friends also was unknowingly in the same boat as me about believing but starting to question, we kept the pretence up for each other for a year by pretending to wholeheartedly believe. Neither of us were teased and if we were it was light hearted and didn't bother us. Maybe kids are meaner now 😂

Most kids know by the end of primary and I think I did tell my eldest DD when she was 10 but she had suspected anyway and kept the secret for her younger sister. Neither would have teased other kids for still believing though because they are kind girls and not bullies.

I think once they start getting suspicious and showing they are sceptical about the whole flying reindeer and Santa Claus getting round the whole world in one night it might be time to disillusion them.

I can't think that an 11 year old who is not developmentally delayed seriously believes in Santa as literally real. Their thinking and reasoning skills must surely tell them that flying reindeer and a sleigh big enough for a present for every child in the world is not possible

Exactly! I remember my 5 year old scoffing at the idea that "over a billion toys" would fit in a sleigh. But an 11 year old???😂

No, I think they hold it together with chocolate and consumerism from what I've seen 😂

Maybe it’s a bit like some people believing in Jesus (well into adulthood and even, some might hope, beyond)? Or any other prophet?

That's why I told my child this summer that we give her presents. I didn't say Santa doesn't exist. I think everyone needs magic in their lives, but i was honest who brings the presents. I don't want them hearing about it at school. They are 10 and it's about time I think. I think I was about that age when I found my presents in our house and knew it was my parents who buy them.

Your 17 year old doesn't believe really though does she?Wiith all the winking f ,which is entirely different to a child stating secondary school still who!e heartedly believing as some kids can be very cruel

My 6 year old is sceptical And questions the logic behind it

I told my granddaughter just last week, she believed

But she will be at big school next Christmas and I didnt want her teased so I let the cat out the bag and tbh I was a big shell shocked that she didnt have an inkling - even though she was with us for the weekend as mummy and daddy went Christmas shopping !!

Now she is a smart cookie - usually - I really couldn't believe it when she was so shocked at the news, I felt kind of horrible for bursting her bubble

How can anyone capable of even a modicum of logic believe a fat man comes down the chimney of every home in the world and supplies the children with presents? They must know the concept of money. And surely it would be weird for a strange man to offer you gifts?
I just cannot fathom anyone over around 8, not just working it out. Maybe they like the idea of it and talking about 'santa', but surely they know he's not an actual literal person?
Well if they don't know now, they will very soon.

@suki1964

Crikey! Is her Mum going to be annoyed ?

I predict an AIBU thread about this

We never ‘officially’ told dc that Santa wasn’t real.

Our youngest had always been one to question things and was about 6 when they declared that it was impossible for Santa to get around the world in one night!

We had some great books that tried to explain in more ‘scientifically’ - talking about time zones etc but he didn’t really buy it. He went along with it though and kept quiet so his big brother who was far more easy going had no idea for another couple of years.

We gradually started to talk more about ‘the magic of Christmas’ and ‘believing in the magic’ with a few wink wink, nudge nudge moments that confirmed that they both knew the truth!

They know that talking about the magic of Christmas is always a good tactic if younger relatives and friends ask them awkward questions!

No trauma, and they’re both fully subscribed ‘believers’ in the nicest sense of the word.

I think it is,easier to believe theses days ,when my kids were little we tracked Santa on the Norad Santa tracker thing ,he for speed through deliveries ....😂

If you haven't been doing it all this time with a wink and some well placed comments to let them down gently, and instead have been doing ridiculous snow footprints, 'all the presents from santa', and all that chavvy nonsense, you have nobody to blame but yourself

You can be doubtful all you want but we've had a conversation and he genuinely does. He's quite innocent for his age. My 12 year old doesn't believe. My 10 and 5 year olds believe

Not maliciously, but I'd be amazed if dd2 doesn't learn the truth from dd1 slipping up. She's a pretty rubbish secret keeper.