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?

I don’t think children should be encouraged to believe things that aren’t true. And if they are believing past about 5 they are being encouraged. They are being encouraged to disbelieve their own logic and thinking skills.

@pinkponie Are you for real? Is your dc really believing this huge lie without question or saying she believes to please you? Surely she’s not that gullible? You need a chat!

Haven’t your kids heard of shoebox appeals, food bank donations or seen charities advertised in shopping centres and tv? My kids worked out that if Santa was real then good kids from poor families would get loads of presents including necessities likes warm coats and good kids from rich families would get minimal gifts because they don’t need as much as the children from poor families.

My eldest was 10 when his friend googled “is Santa real?”.

Exactly - DS isn't in other children's houses on Christmas morning but is aware of the world around him plus he has friends from cultures that don't do Christmas at all so he was aware that Santa doesn't visit everyone.

My 8 year old asked A LOT of questions last Christmas , very logical mind and couldn’t work things out , she asked me outright if he was real last year and I said yes of course but I think that last year was prob her last believing.

I have a young, quite naive 9 year old and she is still totally believing. I am waiting for someone at school to try and ruin it, but I am hoping we get this xmas as a believer still.

My 6 year old grandson told me that he was pretty sure that Santa was a myth! He said not to tell Mum as she would be upset and he may not get "a visit from Santa". When I managed to recover from the shock I just agreed that he was very wise. Meaning that I hadn't lied to him ( important to me) but I hadn't gone against my daughters instructions to deny that Santa wasn't real. I now have to keep a straight face when she tells me he still believes in Santa.

Kids are smart they know if you think they believe you buy more gifts. 😂
normally by p1 the older kids have told them. We even have some in nursery who know it's not real, various from kid to kid

10 YO, nearly 11, no way she still believes but has never said so, and changes the subject when anything related comes up. But last year I commented that Santa had been very generous - wink, wink - so I think it was one of those things we didn't have to say. She's the youngest and I think doesn't want it to end (I was exactly the same).

Almost 12 year old DS, approaching year 8, still believes in Santa, EB, tooth fairy.

DD believed until 11.

My twins both confessed to me when they were about 10 that they had stopped believing around age 7 because all the other kids at school said it was the parents who bought the presents, but they just kept up the pretence for a couple more years. Certainly, it was considered uncool to still believe at the age of 10

I'm not sure if my ds1 genuinely believes or not. He has been cynical since he was about 5 but seems to indulge it more now than when he was small, maybe he's scared he won't get a stocking if he tells us he doesn't believe.

I know that if we tell him, he will instantly tell his younger brother which would be a real shame. Sadly I don't trust him to keep his mouth shut.

I definitely knew by the age of 5 and so did most of my friends. The few that didn't only lasted until they were 7 at most. But that was in the 1960's when many kids actually went out to work at the age of 14. They'd have looked like right numpties if they still believed in Father Christmas. I find it amazing that there are 11 and 12 year olds that still believe. But I guess adult children still go on holiday with their parents at 25 now and people live until they're 100 so everything has been kind of been pushed back. I do think parents actively encourage it for their own benefit these days though.

My DS is 9 (10 in August) and still believes! I'm hoping it will still be that way come Christmas especially as he has a younger sister who is 7

Daughter will be 10 in September and definitely still believes.

My just turned 9 year old believed last Christmas but has just stopped believing.

He saw something on youtube and came in to tell me 'Mum I know you've been lying about Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy.'

Oh well. I think I knew it was likely close. I asked him to help make it magical for his sister now he is too grown up to believe.

Does he believe generally in magic? I find it so hard to imagine someone of this age not seeing the holes in the story. Are you sure he's not pulling your leg/ playing along?

Are they NT? Genuine question because that is unusual

Mine didn’t by age 6 as his GM left price tickets from the local market on all the Santa gifts. He still moans about it and he’s 30! He continued to get presents from Santa so no harm done. 😂

No, she did up until she was 8

Eldest DD did until 11, or at least never questioned. After her 11th Christmas we had a chat one day in her instigation where I was honest with her - she was a bit sad about the lack of magic in reality. However when last Christmas came she had a great time helping keep all the magic up for her wee sister, put out her Santa plate and sticking etc

@bugalugs45 Why did you lie to her? Let dc have reasonable doubts! They end up thinking you are very silly to peddle this stuff. I asked DDs what they wanted for Christmas.

What hang on, what are you talking about? He is real.

Mine beloved until they were about 11. We told them before they went to secondary school