Does your 9/10 year old still believe in Santa?

[pinkponie]

My DD1 is 9, will be 9.5 at Christmas. She currently still believes in Santa, at least she says she does. A lot could change between now and Christmas I guess but I really hope I get another Christmas with her believing. Does anyone else with dc that age still believe?

Mine is 10 in the summer. She has never said she doesn’t believe, as far as I can see she’s still a believer.

But she said she thinks I’m the tooth fairy recently so I think we’re heading in the non believer direction.

She has a younger brother so might all be an act for his benefit.

My DD is 10 in August and absolutely still believes , as do her friends. We live in a small country town so I’m not sure if it’s because the kids aren’t as worldly as perhaps city kids. When she was eight she relayed to me a conversation she had with one of her friends who was having doubts , DD said well we believe in god and we can’t see him so I don’t think believing in Santa is any different ! DH is 49 and still believes as do I We’re a household of believers !!!

My Gds (will be 10 in July) certainly did last Christmas. I wasn’t sure about his elder sister, who was 11 in April. I suspect that she doubted, but didn’t want to say anything in case Father Christmas presents failed to appear!

DS1 is 9.5, he busted the Tooth Fairy pretty early (but we still do it!) but as far as I can tell still absolutely believes in Santa - certainly did last Christmas. He knows that the ones in shopping centres etc are not the real deal, but still believes there is a real Santa out there. I'm sure there must be kids in his class talking about it, but he has never questioned it to me - and he would, given the interrogation I got about the Tooth Fairy!

No and hadn't for ages by then. He has always been pretty logical and smart and he sussed out it wasn't possible by about 7/8. We still have a fun time still acting like it's all real.

Tooth fairy is on me - I never ever pretended this was a real supernatural being!

No, but most friends do.

DS didn't at 6 and was quite happy with what he'd worked out. DD at 8 has asked but then refuted the answer so not sure where she is with it really

Yes but around 11 they didnt.

My kids both made to 11/12 believing. But some kids are earlier. Especially if they have older siblings who blab.

I my eldest is 10 and recently asked if it was true that parents put the presents out on Christmas Eve, so I think they’re done.

I had worked it out when I was 4 but didn’t let on in case I didn’t get presents.

Im genuinely amazed at how many children still believe at such an advanced age. Particularly with all the information and technology available

i never had the conversation with my children about Santa not being real unlike a friend of mine who did when her children explicitly asked her if he was real and she replied that he wasn’t. They were absolutely heartbroken so I vowed never to have that chat lol. My two eldest both got to high school still believing and my youngest gets now 9 still believes. And this tosh that I read on Mumsnet about your kids being bullied if they still believe in Santa at 11 + is just that. Tosh. Kids do not have chats about whether Santa is real or not fgs.

I did until I was 9 and my older brother told me he wasn't real and I wouldn't be getting anything for Christmas!

Yeah I am not sure I believe that they believe to be honest! Surely no 10 year old literally believes in flying reindeer and also haven't they wondered why poor children don't get many presents? I think they are just playing along, which is fine of course.

Mine are 29 and 23 and they still believe-because it’s in their best interests…..🤣Seriously-nobody should believe in FC after about 6. If you think they might, tell them. It’s irresponsible not to. Christmas is still fun and magic!

Mine did "believe" at that age. But you could tell it was becayse they wanted to believe rather than thinking it was real.

In the same way they wanted their Hogwarts letter. They knew it wouldnt cone... but it was fun to believe it might.

Well first of all my kids aren't in other kids' houses on Christmas morning, so don't really know what "poor children" are getting. They might discuss with their friends but most have no real idea of how much different things cost.

Secondly, Santa only brings stocking presents in our house, the big ones under the tree are from the givers. I think this makes Santa a smaller part of the whole Christmas experience, rather than having him bring everything, so there's perhaps less questioning of it all? I'm not sure exactly what DS1 believes regarding reindeer etc. We'll discuss if needed when the time arises.

I don't think I ever told my parents that I'd figured it out!

Mine did at 9.5 but both stopped believing by the Christmas after they turned 10

@CurlewKatehow is it irresponsible? 😬

@Mithralmy dc watch the Santa tracker and seem to believe very genuinely 😅

Irresponsible how?! I agree with PPs that a lot of kids pretend to believe after a certain age but 6 is still so little. 7 or 8 is fine to still believe!!

My 9 year old asked a lot of questions last Christmas aged 8 so we plan to be honest with him if he asks between now and Christmas. And ask him to play along and be part of the magic for his little brother. But if he doesn’t ask I don’t see any harm.

I do not think DS9 believes. But he still definitely enjoys getting a stuffed toy from London Zoo Santa every year, and so he pretends he does! He is also happy to go along with the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, and any other opportunity for loot.

I don't think they really do. Not deep down. Anyone who has developed logic can't. But they are still young and Santa is a fun thing they still want to have so there's no harm in playing along.

Nope. DD is 11 (year 6), stopped believing in year 4. She’s pretty smart and figured it out, same with the tooth fairy. Figured that out years ago but kept up the ruse as she wanted the money!

Ds is 7 (Y2) doesn’t believe in the tooth fairy and I’m sure won’t believe in Father Christmas for much longer.

My dd aged 10 blurted out in anger 'Santa's not even real' (in front of her younger siblings). I said 'If that's what you think maybe he won't bring you anything' and she never mentioned it again. However there was still a bit of her that wanted to believe. Xmas she was 11 she wrote a secret letter to Santa that she thought I didn't know about asking for a puppy (that she knew we'd already said no to).