Nearly 10yr old DS still believes in Santa

[Happyhappyveggie]

DS is 10 in Jan and still totally believes in Father Christmas. I assume it might be the last one and he's still really sweet & innocent about it all.
But another parent said to me that it was ridiculous that he believes still and that her son had worked it out at age 7.
Aibu to be worried about it or just. E glad that he's still innocent and sweet!

I’d be inclined to drop some pretty big clues in the run-up to Christmas.

Do not let him start secondary school not knowing, however.

My dd 10.5 still believes in FC, she has SN, so is socially and emotionally younger, I haven't the hear to tell her yet. Her brother is 5, and believes in FC, so she both blue live in him together. Critical thinking skills, op ds is still a child. We seem so concerned about making our kids grow up too fast. Why not keep the innocence a bit longer.

At 35, I know the truth, but still ‘believe’! I probably figured it out around the age of 8, but was worried I wouldn’t get a stocking if I said anything, so there was never a conversation about it. I reckon most 10/11 year olds know, or have their suspicions, but will continue, especially if they have younger siblings. Anyway, surely it’s more fun to talk about Santa than the reality of it all?

Mine still believed at 9. At 10 he asked me if I was actually Santa. I said "I will never tell!" so he knows now obviously, but we keep up the stocking pretence etc. Because it's nice! Even when I stayed over for Xmas eve at my mums I got a stocking. I was 33

There are some proper helmets on this thread.

DS9 still believes. His critical thinking and problem solving skills are fantastic. He believes because he has no reason not to, and there's a lot of supporting evidence for his existence.

I believed until I was 13. I also believed in magic. I went on to become a first class honours student, a teacher specialized in critical thinking and am on my way to a PhD, so I wouldn't worry OP

Let children be children.

Of course I won't let him start secondary believing- I suspect this will be the last year that he does

I remember how magical & amazing xmas' were when I believed in FC. No chance am I telling my DS the truth until he's just about to start secondary school!

Oh, and if he goes to secondary school still believing, people will tell him he doesn't exist. Simple.

Can't quite believe this - it never really added up to me and was game over aged three when I saw the elastic attaching the beard looped around the ear.

Your son must be overwhelmingly naive!

Any child approaching 10 who says they believe in Santa is probably telling a white lie in case the presents stop.

My DD asked me outright at 8 and I told her that whether she chooses to believe or not, nothing would change. She would still get coal.

Children do talk in the playground.

And yes yes to PP re critical thinking. Really quite worrying.

My older DS is 12 and I have only just had a conversation to confirm his current state of belief. I think he probably knew last year, but I can't be sure such was the level of excitement.

By contrast, his 7 year old brother has been challenging his existence for several months. He's sharp greedy though, he'll keep up an act in order to get a full stocking.

FC has only ever brought pocket money toys here. Any major gifts are known to come from us/family.

I think a lot of kids sense their parents like the fact they still believe.

Yanbu to be worried.

You could tell him gently or make him think it through so that he figures it out for himself.

Hoping he's just pretending for you though perhaps!

I let my son know when he was 7 yes old. He was a bit shocked, but I didn't think it was bad to know that it was his parents who paid for stuff. That his dad worked hard to make sure we had nice stuff. I'm a SAHM. He has not found it traumatic at all. I think 10 is too old to believe in Father Christmas, he may be picked on at school. But I understand why you don't want to.

How does not believing stop children being children professorcat?

If you’re worried about other children taking the piss out of him you could drop some heavy hints. Do you know his friends parents well enough to ask them if their dc believe? It’s quite possible a good number of them still do in which case it’s unlikely DS is going to end up feeling foolish or being laughed at.

I think it’s really sad that so many people think children should know by 7 or 8, why? They’re just innocent little kids, there’s nothing wrong with them believing in magic. My DD has just turned 8 this month and definitely still believes, I would only tell her if it got to a point where most of her peers knew and there was a risk of her being mocked.

I have an 8 yr old and a 9.5 yr old. I'm aware that we are on borrowed time, so much so that we are off to Lapland Windsor to see the "real" one this year .
When the eldest one knows, the youngest one will know too

Who deemed Santa to be for the under 7’s Flora?!

Jesus, in a world full of shit the fact that some 10 year olds still believe in Santa is nice.

Bunch of joy suckers.

My DS is 9, nearly 10 and I think he is working it out but staying quiet. I am not bursting that bubble. Leave him OP, he is only Year 5, still this Christmas and another at Primary school.

Since when was a 9 year old a ‘pre-teen’ ?

the world is full of shit, true but it is also full of beauty and joy- our kids will find more strength in recognising what is real, than persisting with a belief that defies their experience. What's real of FC (hopefully) is the love of family and the joy of giving and receiving. That's what will sustain children as they grow up. No adult ever looked to FC to get them through the tough times. But they might look at a sunset, or remember being loved.

I strongly suspect my 9yo DD has figured it out. But we’re doing one of those hideously expensive Lapland trips in Dec so I’m not going to burst the bubble just yet!
I don’t see any harm in letting them believe. Nor do I see any harm in them pretending to believe ‘just in case’.
They’re figuring the world out. Our job is to help them feel secure while they work it all out.

I was 7 when I made my mum tell me, because kids at school were teasing me and they all knew ages ago. I was devastated, cried and everything. If he wants to believe I think let him!

I just asked my 9yo (y5, so others in the class are 10) whether FC is a fact or a story in his class. He reckons only about half a dozen still believe, but says they're a range of people.

If you're worried about critical thinking, then ask the questions. "How does he get round the world in such a short time?" "Why does he give some children big presents and others tiny presents?" etc. Just ... maybe in January

Why oh Why Would anyone choose to tell their child!