to have just cried when DS told me this? (edited by MNHQ)

[ReallyNormalForNorfolk]

He's only just turned 7, and appears to have worked it all out for himself. Santa doesn't exist, does he mummy? It's just you and daddy isn't it? I honestly didn't know what to say. I don't like to lie exactly, and sort of changed the subject to how you can believe in things that you can't see - like love, different people's gods, etc. He then said religion was a load of rubbish and not true as he had never seen an angel come down from heaven. Fair dues, a rational analysis I guess, but I was hoping that this moment wouldn't be quite so soon.
He is in fact a very rational little boy, and I don't want to lie to him, and give him the time to make his own mind up - but I am sad to say I did shed a tear or two because it seemed like such a loss of innocence/watershed type growing up moment. I said "should we forget about xmas then?" No, he still wants the presents! I haven't confirmed or denied anything - just feel a bit awkward about it all -wwyd?

Valuerange Please don't leave for Nethuns, you're hilarious.

The Santa threads always go a bit strange.
Someone will be along shortly to say their dc worked out the falsehood of father Christmas at 18 months.

Same in this house too.
I just used to say ‘well I’m nit sure. What do YOU think?’ And then leave it at that.

I still can't fully understand why people lie to their kids, and why kids fall for the santa nonsense. It doesn't make any logical sense of it. My 5 year old doesn't believe any of it, and good for him.

I lovend Christmas as a kid and I never really believed in Santa, the Santa bs is really for adults. Your son hasn’t lost his innocence, he just no longer subscribes to an obvious falsehood.

He sounds incredibly intelligent with great critical thinking skills. My overriding feeling would be pride.

I'm 34 and I don't think we've ever acknowledged that he's not real! 🙈

I’m 28. My mum still won’t confirm it. She always says do you really want to take the risk

I've always felt a bit funny about "lying" to the kids, tbh....

Thank goodness someone else said this. This is how I feel too. Don't want to be a misery guts, don't want to spoil things for anyone else...but don't like peddling brazen untruths. I was mightily relieved when DD1 announced that I was Father Christmas!

value aren't you a bundle of chippy joy?!

OP - I do understand why you welled up. Year 3/ start KS2 is the big changer but despite the questioning there seems to be loads of children that still believe in FC and why not? There is no class thing involved at all. Some people love the tradition and others hate it but judging others either way is v odd indeed

just thats me. Can't get too excited around these parts. Might cause the site to crash

what with my PhD and all

Sure.

I worked it out about 6 years old when it dawned on me that 'Santa's' handwriting matched my mum's.

I still kept it 'secret' as there were still kids in my class who believed.

It's a pity you blubbed and threatened to cancel Christmas, OP. I hope you have apologised to your DS for that and acknowledged that you were being a bit silly.
Bear in mind that DC also have every right to reject any other 'magic' or superstitious nonsense their parents peddle, so any families who are religious need to be prepared to accept the DC working out that religion is a load of crap as well and not making a big drama out of that conversation - just point out to them that they are entitled to their opinions but shouldn't be rude about other people's views...

My very bright 11 year old, who is in high school, just told me he still believed. I am not quite sure if he is having me on or not. My sister definitely believed in high school and embarassed herself in class by insisting he was real.

Not sure what to do.

It's not whether you believe in Father Christmas, but whether he believes in you.

He probably has a few reservations, Tinkly if he's intelligent he would have questioned the logistics of one man delivering to every child in the world. I expect he just wants the fun of stockings and presents to continue.
I don't think "a Talk" is needed. I still do stockings for all my much older children. We all play along a bit.

Value -youforgot the charity Christmas goat. There’s some right miserable fuckers in here. See you at nethuns

This is why we only get one gift each from Santa and the rest from mummy and daddy. Keeping the magic and my DS actually prefers gifts from us.

I never questioned it until someone told me he didn’t exist. Fairly sure I was older than 7.
I am a Cambridge graduate and lawyer. Not claiming that’s the pinnacle of intellectual accomplishment but if you’re going to be those things it helps not to be stupid.
Those congratulating themselves that they have spawned Einstein because their 5 year old no longer believes should perhaps calm down.

valuerange I think I have a lady crush in you lol.

OP this was probably the wrong forum for you they are all a bit cynical to believe! You were not being over dramatic loss of innocence is a difficult time for a parent so we have a sniff and move on. I also don't think that what you said would be in the same tone and context as it was when read. My DS is 7 santa is fine though getting there but everything else is definitely gone.

As for Christmas not being magical I get that they can be fun and meaningful and maybe even better but santa is magic without him the magic is gone.

ILost; If he's intelligent he will have questioned the logistics of one man delivering to every child in the world

I'm not entirely sure that he has. He has three much older siblings who have all made an effort to keep him believing; we have left footprints, hung soggy Father Christmasesque socks over the radiator, left fancy caligrophied letters from him, done that online video message thing. I suspect the clincher might have been when we went out on Christmas Eve a few years ago to watch the international space station crossing the sky. He definitely believed then.

Plus he went to a very churchy primary school where they were all thoroughly indoctrinated to believe stuff without too much questioning.

I just don't want him to be laughed at at High School.

A child who questions the logistics has surely missed the point. Santa is a magical being and can do things we can’t. He moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform.

It's a rite of transition, OP. You should have turned it into a "you are a big boy" thing now, not into an occasion for your own self-pity.