I lied about Santa....

[slightlyworriednc]

My 9 year old asked if Santa was real this week. I had decided that this year, if he asks, I'll tell the truth. It's about time he knew. But...my 4 and 7 year olds were there, and I want them to have the magic a while longer, especially the 4 year old.
Would you leave it there, or bring it up?
He's in year 5, I don't want him teased at school.

Tell him. Don't make him look daft at school.

I'm inclined to agree with you, but how?

This is probably very cheesey for mumsnet,but I really like the idea behind it in that of course Santa is real,but not in the way your 9y/o has believed until now.

www.popsugar.com/moms/Telling-Kids-Truth-About-Santa-27332439

My daughter is 11 and says she still believes x

I've just been through this with my 10 year old DD. I lied to her a month or so ago because she asked in front of her 7 year old brother but then she asked again a couple of weeks ago and said some of her friends at school had told her. I decided to come clean but explained it along the lines of the 'truth about Santa' letter that gravyandspuds has mentioned above I.e. Although its me and daddy who put the presents under the tree, Santa is the spirit of Christmas that makes it all so magical. I followed our chat up with a little letter and asked her if she would keep the secret going for her brother.

I feel quite sad about it but I think 10 is a good age to get to and I am hoping it won't take away any of the excitement for her.

Though it would be lovely to get one more Christmas (as i had hoped), I would be tempted to tell your DS now because, as it gets closer and its talked about at school, it is bound to come up again. Better to say something now rather than him asking at bedtime on Christmas Eve!

You need to speak to him alone, and enlist his help to get the magic going for his younger siblings. Worked for us. Sometimes I wonder if my 10 year old believes after all

Dd1 has asked once or twice but always in front of the younger ones. I have tended to reflect it back 'what do you think?' Or 'we can discuss it later'. She is often on her own with me but she does it when they are there. I think that part of her doesn't want to know.

This is the 1st year that my kids know there's no FC, they overheard teens in the shop talking about it, asked me and I told them the truth but told in the way that St Nick Is real in the same way as Jesus etc. my DS (9.5) said he figured it out years ago but kept quiet for sake of his sister. My (just) 11yo DD was (still is a bit) furious that I lied to her all these years. She understands why, but feels like we all have made a fool out of her, that we should have told her sooner. Is very upsetting on both our parts and I wish I had have said something sooner.

Clueing - my DD was a bit like yours in that she wasn't that upset about finding out but was mostly upset that I had not told her the truth. I think she understands why though.

Hmm, it's difficult isn't it? I told both my boys last year....they were then 11 & 8. My DS2 had been asking lots of questions, mostly about the logistics of it all. My DS1 was a firm believer, but had started high school the previous September....I couldn't BEAR for him to be teased over it (He had some special needs and is in a learning unit within a mainstream high school, with lessons in both departments) so I decided to come clean. There's no way I could've told just DS1 either....they're very, very close and tell each other EVERYTHING. I used the St Nicholas story, and emphasised the whole magic of Christmas stuff..... They were both pretty upset with the situation, and I felt bad, but it was the right thing to do. Mind you, they both cheered up considerably when I told them the stocking full of presents would still be at the end of the bed!

Twonoisyboys - yes I think once they realise it's 'business as usual' they are ok. DD actually said 'so, if its you, why do you give me an orange and can you make sure it's a chocolate one this year?'. Love the fact that she immediately started exploiting her newly gained knowledge - that's my girl .

If he's asked he should be told the truth.

Get him alone and play up the angle about how he's grown up enough to know and grown up enough to be trusted not to spoil it for his sibs.

Having been mocked by an older child myself, I was determined mine would be in on the secret earlyish.

I told my 10 year old this year, she asked after finding out the tooth fairy wasn't real, she took it really well ( unlike me ) and she was quite pleased that she could now go Christmas shopping with me and chose what she wants.