To think trying to persuade children to believe in Santa is wrong?

[antelopevalley]

Most children reach the age where they begin to question the existence of Father Christmas. I think it is fine when children ask if he is real to say, what do you think? But I see some parents going to elaborate lengths to persuade questioning children to keep believing.

I think there comes a point where this switches from a nice story to have magic in your children's life, to lying to your children so that as a parént you can enjoy them believing.

I get in terms of things we all do wrong this is fairly minor, but I do think it is better if children are told the truth by parents about Santa when they ask a direct question.

Ds has never been that big on FC so FC doesn’t bring anything here. The only thing FC is responsible for is spreading Yuletide joy. All presents and stockings are from us / relatives.

I’ve never liked the whole naughty / nice thing anyway.

Plus it avoids so many questions about present disparity (making it easier to say that Dave has a new PlayStation because they can afford it and we can’t) and how can Santa travel the globe in 24 hours and how can he eat all of the food put out for him and how can he live in the North Pole etc etc.

Depends on the age. If they’re under eight and sceptical because of something another child has said then I think it’s fine to go to elaborate lengths to ensure they still believe because they’re young and should have that magic in their lives. If they’re older than eight then yeah, it’s natural for them to question and eventually conclude that he isn’t real.

My daughter swears that there's only 2 out if her class of 16 that don't believe! They are sixth class so 11 or 12. I can hardly credit but if she's even half right, it's still a lot of children!

I've never done the Father Christmas thing with mine, but they started Reception this year and both (twins) believe now.
So, I'll go along with it for as long as they need me to and when they start questioning it all, we'll chat about it then.
But, they've never been told that they need to be good.in order to get presents and they think Mummy and Father Christmas have a chat in December to agree what both girls might like. 😅

I suppose I am just amazed that an adult would say such mean-spirited things about a child.

I loved receiving that sack of presents. It didn't change for me knowing it was mum and I don't remember feeling devastated.
I actually started doing a sack for my parents too!
I don't 'push' Santa but I go with the flow. My dd8 knows I'm sure but she's staying quiet!
It's the idea rather than the presents - father Christmas has never delivered an expensive toy and most things are very unpresent like - toothbrush? Magazine? But still fun. If you can't have wonder and magic when you're a kid then the world is a little sad.

My sister told all her children that Santa was not real. The three oldest accepted it but the youngest 6 1/2, absolutely refused to believe her. She said she sees him on TV in films, he came to her Xmas Fayre and Mummy and Daddy could not possibly afford to buy all the presents in the sacks for her brothers and sister and her. So Mummy must be making it up for some reason. Made us crack up with laughter when sister told us. Niece asked me if we get presents in stocking on Xmas day so I said yes, because we do stockings iny house. Apparently this convinced her even more because no young children in our house but stockings still filled. I told my sister if she wants to believe so much just let her have the magic.

What a brilliant post! I agree with every word, so well put.

Any 11 year old who believes a magical overweight man travels the entire globe within a 24 hour period delivering gifts, isn’t all that intelligent and should potentially be getting additional science tutoring

What a truly horrible thing to post. 😡

Honestly, maybe try remembering it's the season of peace and goodwill. Or something. Anything that will stop you stating other people's children.

@caringcarer , I remember arguing with girls at school that of course FC was real - how would my (almost invariably skint) parents have been able to afford all the stocking presents? I was probably 7 or 8 - and aware from a very young age that money was always very tight.
Still grateful to my long-gone parents for making that effort when there was so little cash to spare.

My children are young adults now, but still remember the magic of believing. DD loves it, even now, if I leave a trail of 'Santa dust' from the fireplace, and outside with a partly eaten carrots.
DS summed it up when I told him just before he started secondary school, that even if Santa doesn't exist, the spirit of Christmas does.
I always tried not to lie to them if they had questions, but at the same time avoided the truth until about 11.