Would you be annoyed if a class mate told your 7 year old that Father Christmas didn't exist?

[nickEcave]

My daughter is 7 1/2 (Year 3). She is right on the cusp of not believing in Father Christmas any longer. Her older sister (10) knows that we fill up the stockings and I have no problem with my younger DD no longer believing. My problem is that if we confirm that Father Christmas isn't real then she will immediately tell her class-mates. (She will do this even if we ask her not to as she is extremely impulsive) We moved to a new school relatively recently which is much more MC than her last school and lots of her friends parents are a bit PFB about their kids. Most of her friendship group don't have older siblings so she is already perceived as a bit more "sophisticated" (in a bad way!) by the parents. In my shoes would you keep "Father Christmas" going another year for the sake of giving her class-mates another year of innocent wonder?

No it wouldn’t bother me as I know the non believing happens around that age anyway.

You could always tell her not to mention it to those who still believe as it isn’t kind.

It would be nice to keep up the sharade until after Xmas if possible. Could you be a bit vague in your answer to her?

We don't do Father Christmas with our DCs and they never told their classmates, even at a much younger âge.

Some kids will believe anyway ds1 stopped believing at nine but some kids in his class had been saying for a yr or two they didn't believe my son still did though.

It wouldn’t bother me if a classmate told my DD. If she asked me about it my response would be that she is to decide whether she believes in Father Christmas or not and act accordingly until she indicates otherwise. However, you should probably start working on how to develop empathy with with your DD. It’ll be useful in lots of similar situations.

I’m not convinced my DD (4) has ever believed in Father Christmas, she just sort of goes along with it. She’s been an only child for her 4 years old so not sure how having an older sibling makes a child ‘sophisticated’ to be honest...

No, I probably wouldn’t tbh, but I get why it would annoy you.

I’d be relieved we no longer have to keep up that charade tbh.

Struggling to explain to 7yr old ds he won’t be getting a Nintendo switch this year but his classmates probably will (we can’t afford it). I’ve told him we sent money to Santa to get the gifts.

Sorry, not “you”. I get why it would annoy some people.

Fwiw, I told my best friend that he wasn’t real and her parents were quite miffed apparently. I’d been strictly told not to tell anyone, but I did! I think I was 7.

Yes. A lot. I think its too young to have the magic lost if thats what your family does.

A boy told my 7 year old last year Santa wasn't real. I was really pissed off. I told him if you don't believe then you don't make the magic that lets Santa come to your house my late mum went out of her way ti make Christmas magical for me so I want to do the same. Kids are only little once and its not hurting anyone.

My best friend’s parents were a bit highly strung though.

at this point in the year yes i would make an effort to keep the secret if she is likely to tell others.

Every year my DD (7) still believes is a bonus I would be disappointed if a classmate told her (especially mid november). Though I expect this will be discussed with peers and come out at some stage and I wouldn't be annoyed at the parents or the child who told it would change my Christmas so would be grateful if you didn't.

DO3271 - I think that's a great idea for what to say if they question it and I will be stealing that when the time comes! My daughter is 7 and I would be peed off if someone told her he's not real. I want to keep the magic going as long as possible

Steal away Katy

Wouldn't bother me, if someone told mine he isn't real I'd just shrug it off and ask remind them people tell lies sometimes so don't worry.

It wouldn't worry me, i'd just tell her to keep it to herself (and be very surprised if she did). She's nearly 8 and the illusion won't last much longer. We'll carry on doing stockings anyway, in my family FC brings a stocking of small presents and everything else comes from people that you thank. I still get a stocking from my parents and would not be happy if it stopped! So the custom will remain when the cause has gone.

It wouldn't annoy me at all.

YABU

I would be annoyed tbh. It's something that lasts for such a short amount of time. Not angry --- of course little kids if they know want to share that with others. But a little bit irritated.

However, I expect my 7 year old does not believe. 2 years ago my DCousin's little boy aged 5 announced on Christmas Day;' My Grandma says Santa does not exist and adults should not lie to children'.

Cue hysterical meltdowns from all the assorted little cousins aged 7 and younger. It's true too......my DAunt did say that to him. Might have been a good idea if she had cleared that little revelation past her DSon and DDIL though as they were aghast.

No reasonable parent but get their knickers in a knot about one seven-year-old running its mouth off to another seven-year-old about the existence of Santa.

But there are a lot of unreasonable people out there.

True Bitchy. Besides how did we all learn it - most of us were told in the playground and then cross examined our parents. Was ever thus!

Unreasonable to be annoyed. The schoolyard is the schoolyard: this stuff happens!

Some 7 year olds will swear Santa is real (and they've seen him).

Some will swear he's just made up.

Negotiating your way through this minefiled is what being a 7 year old is all about.

See also God and adults.

Do adults not exist???!!!! SHIT!!!!

yes I'd ask her to not tell anyone, and definitely not tell anyone younger than her. Hopefully some of that will work, but also - 7 year olds and secrets.....

My 5 yo told all his friends at his very MC school that father christmas was not real.His older and younger siblings believed until about 7 or 8, but what can you do? You cannot expect a child to lie because you do.

Believing a load of nonsense isn't 'innocence' it is ignorance!