DS age 7 no longer ‘believes ‘

[Touchofsilver]

My DS (7) has just announced to us that he no longer believes in the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy and if Father Christmas is real he should be speaking Turkish as that’s where the original St Nicholas is from…
I was hoping for a few more years of magic as he’ll be 8 this year.
However he’s got a very logical mind so didn’t think it would be too much longer in reality.

Bit early for the Xmas threads

My youngest DS stopped believing this last Christmas age 6.
He said ‘magic’s not real, and only birds can fly, so… is it you?’ Then he looked me dead in the eyes and said, ‘Just tell me Mummy.’ Busted!
Broke my heart a tiny bit, my last baby, but I was also quite proud of him!
Now he knows the ‘magic’ was all meeeee, because I love him.

My mum told me that when we stopped believing, they’d stop bringing us things. I wanted my Easter egg and 50p from the tooth fairy, and of course I wanted a present from Father Christmas, so I never said I didn’t believe!

On a serious note though, if he has decided not to believe any more, you can tell him that means it’s time to get involved in making the magic. If there are any younger siblings/cousins etc, it’s a good way to stop them from spoiling it for them.

My mum and dad had to tell me the truth about father Christmas when I was 6 because I was too scared to sleep. I still believed in the tooth fairy but I would always leave my tooth in an egg cup on the landing windowsill so she wouldn't come into my bedroom.

Can you though?! I mean it’s sweet and lovely to say this, but I always inwardly raise an eyebrow when people say ‘I’m 46 and I still believe!’ Believe in what?! Because we all know that if we don’t work our arses off all December / November and do everything then… no ‘magic’ will happen will it?! Sorry to be a cynic, maybe I just don’t get it.

Ah, it's a little bit sad when this happens.

We still did a stocking/pillowcase left on the bed for years afterwards. DS is 23 and he still likes the same traditions each year.

Bit harsh.

? He’s late to the real world! My dc knew much earlier but went along with it to get a chocolate rabbit and money when a tooth came out. Believing in all of this (lies!) until 9 would be very odd in my view.

Pffft... You could have countered...if birds are the only thing that can fly, what are the planes doing in the sky? Or bats...or flying fish... BEES? Etc

Do you not think it’s a little bit magical getting up Christmas morning to presents and family?

even if you know how they got there?

my mum did us stockings and gifts delivered overnight any time we stayed over Christmas, even as adults. I’m sure she’d do it now if we went. Of course we know how it all gets done, but it’s still lovely seeing the sparkly lights and gifts all appear.

my kids are adults and of course they know Santa’s not real. We still do the rituals though and put the presents out once they’re in bed.

What magic?

It always seemed faintly ridiculous as an adult move items from one place like the cupboard in the back bedroom to the bottom of the tree and act like it's magic.

My autistic DS came up to me in Year 6 and said he needed to chat to me about something important. Santa Claus. He'd be moving on to secondary next year and he just couldn't go on pretending he believed anymore. He hadn't been able to tell me for years because he knew I still believed but it was time I knew.
I thanked him for breaking it to me gently and told him I had had my doubts for a while now...

If your son has been wondering about Father Christmas et al, you would have had some tentative questioning, or him rooting for evidence. Your son saying: "Father Christmas would be speaking Turkish" sounds like an adult has been deliberately debunking him of his beliefs.

Who was it? They need to learn that it's not big or clever to do spoilers to little kids, for magic or faith, unless it is causing harm and Father Christmas is harmless. Children need to work things out for themselves, as part of building critical thinking skills.

Seriously, it sounds like he's been got to by some pompous, know-it-all male, who is fond of being right.

Well you don’t have to do it :)

we like the ritual and yes, the “magic”. It’s nice. I spend a fair bit of time and effort on little surprises and it’s always nice to get unexpected presents.

So heartening to hear all the other daft parents who keep the magic alive! My eldest is 26 but they all still have stockings and have to wait to see if ‘he’s beeeen’. It’s fun. Keep the knowing wink every time they mention it and let them think they’re humouring you.

What 😲 how can I just be finding this out now. Well thanks op you've just ruined easter and Christmas and my life. I hope you're happy

I told mine of you don't belive it means mummy and daddy have to do it and we'd be rubbish at choosing gifts and could never afford to buy what santa gets.
They then asked santa for something they knew i wouldn't like in the house and would never buy. ( santa delivered ) that gave us a couple more years.

Yes I still do adult dc their partner stockings , Easter eggs etc.
Adult dc had a wisdom tooth removed and the tooth fairy came. It was more of a joke plus I have younger dcs who belive so had to make it look real.

Smart kid you've got there. Both of mine were ages 6 and 7 when they stopped believing in Santa and tooth fairy, we never did Easter bunny. They were smart and curious enough to know it didn't add up and I was happy we could stop lying to them.

I did ask them not to ruin it for other children who do believe, I explained it as it's very rude to tell people their religion isn't real/pretend so we don't do that about Santa either.

We teach our children not to lie then when they’re at their youngest and most impressionable every year we spend a whole month lying to them…

I think part of the fun was the “You know and they know you know and you know that they know you know” but you still kept up the routine!

Of course they don’t believe.

But playing and ‘make believe’ and tradition are still fun, so who cares?

Play and fun is more important than magic, and lifelong. If we choose.

I would have thought that was quite normal at 7. I never did believe in any of those, hadn't even heard of the Easter bunny and knew mum or dad took the tooth from under my pillow and replaced with a coin.

It's best not to teach children these things are 'real' because they are not! Just say they are traditional stories and it's fun to pretend.

I cant say I have thought that deeply about it, we still leave a stocking out and watch christmas films and decorate and go to santa events just because we are older does not stop us joining in