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Original poster

At what age do children stop believing?

100 replies

Whatsername17 · 21/08/2017 18:19

Dd1 is 6 and dd2 is 7 months. Dd2 will be 11 months at Christmas this year so a little too young to 'get' the whole Santa thing. I just want a couple of years where they both believe at the same time. What are my chances?

OP posts:
motheroftwojedi · 21/08/2017 20:18

My niece is 11 and just found out when my 6yo told her. Hmm
He figured out when he was 3 (he has ASD) and decided 'humans can't fit in chimneys and reindeers can't fly so Santa is probably grandpa who has a beard, big belly and front door key or mummy and daddy pretending). I was gutted he knew. Am bribing him not to tell his little brother so we can have a few years of magic with him.

ScrappyMalloy · 21/08/2017 20:24

Bertrand, my sons were really properly shocked when I told them, so I know some 10/11 believe. Plenty of their friends did too Grin

DamsonGin · 21/08/2017 20:29

Our 11yo does Bertrand, we think he was doubting it, given what he was hearing at school, but then the neighbours drunkenly knocked over some furniture one Christmas Eve and he was convinced it was the sleigh landing on the roof. They also wrote a letter to Santa to go with the mince pies and I replied (left handed) and they count that as irrefutable proof. Really must tell him before school's back.

80sMum · 21/08/2017 20:39

I was about 5 when I asked my mum to tell me the truth and confirm what by that time was obvious to me! I do remember her telling me not to let on to my younger sister, but she worked it out for herself anyway by the time she was about six.

I never attempted to convince my own children that FC was real (as in, true). So, they always 'believed' in the story as a story. FC was a fairytale type of character and it was fun to pretend that he was real, but we all knew that he wasn't. It didn't detract from our enjoyment of children's Christmas traditions, such as putting out carrots for the reindeer and mince pie for FC on Christmas Eve.

Macncheesewithbacon · 21/08/2017 20:59

We all still go along with it and it's hilarious - they're 12 and 14. My parents told us that if you don't believe you don't get a stocking Grin

Loungingbutnotforlong · 21/08/2017 23:45

My son is 8 and was told by a school friend! Gutted! He seems fine about it- I've asked him not to spoil the magic for me his little sister

Trudee · 21/08/2017 23:46

Ds1 is very switched on and has questioned it since he was 3 and last xmas at just turned 8 he announced that he KNOWS it's us as it's just impossible. We brushed it off and neither confirmed or denied it for ds2's sake. Ds2 is 7 and has never had a single doubt even when ds1 made his announcement in front of him lol

tigercub50 · 21/08/2017 23:52

What? Does Father Christmas not exist?! 😮

NoWordForFluffy · 22/08/2017 07:54

My just-4 year old DD was grilling me about how Santa could possibly get down the chimney the other day. I think she will stop believing sooner rather than later!

Blackandpurple · 22/08/2017 08:13

I never told my eldest 2. They just figured it out at about 10-11. DS is 9 and is a firm believer

LilyMcClellan · 22/08/2017 08:21

My DS is 4 and has already told me he doesn't think Santa is real (he's a very logical kid though). My DD was 2 last Christmas, so we got one whole year.

tootsieglitterballs · 22/08/2017 08:54

We never had a discussion about it, was never told otherwise. It was just one of those things you 'realised' when I was probably about 10/11 ...

I think if you continue with the magic , even when they don't perhaps believe, it still keeps it magical and special if you know what I mean.

Oncewaswho · 22/08/2017 09:13

We had to tell my oldest the year he went to secondary school, partly because of the potential for teasing and partly because his younger sibling had twigged (age 9). He was upset and didn't want to believe it, was still a bit wobbly about it for a couple of years, it was an awkward time, but we're ok now and still doing Santa the same as we ever did, apart from not going to visit him in his grotto.

Oncewaswho · 22/08/2017 09:17

I totally thought mine would work it out younger though, I am an absolutely rubbish teller of stories and make-believe so Santa has always been a fairly vague concept in our house, I think it might have been the Norad tracks Santa thing that made DS believe for so long.

Goldenhandshake · 22/08/2017 10:38

DD questioned at 6...so we went to Lapland UK that year and she will be 9 this November and still completely believes and even though a friend or 2 has voiced suspicions she shouts them down and will not have any of it, because she met the real man himself Grin

MamOfTwo · 22/08/2017 15:24

Oncewaswho - I think our experience may turn out like yours. DD is 9 and a believer but will be distraught when she finds out. Not quite sure how to handle it. Have one friend who never 'did' the whole FC thing and is pretty smug she will never have this issue but I wouldn't swap those magical few years for anything. The only thing is, if she asks us outright near the big day I kind of feel it might ruin Christmas but at what point do you have to drop the lie? Do have a younger DC so could enlist her help to carry on belief, I guess?

TheWoollybacksWife · 22/08/2017 15:41

We sort of assumed that DD1 would stop believing of her own accord so never "broke it to her". She must have gone to primary school with some big believers or some close lipped cynics as she found out by accident during a conversation between me and my friend when she was in secondary school Blush

DD2 definitely knew before she left primary school - her friends were definitely more worldly Grin

DS is 10, nearly 11 and I think he suspects and is playing along to keep his dear old mum happy.

2wild · 22/08/2017 15:47

I really can't work out if my son knows. He's 10 and I think he wants it to be true but I'm sure last year he was suspicious. The younger ones very much believe no matter how many stupid slip ups I make.

GherkinSnatch · 22/08/2017 16:37

I'd say around 7/8 - but how you handle it is what dictates how it impacts festivities.

Technically, my mum and dad should be thinking that I still believe in Santa based on the lack of official conversation on the subject. I can honestly say that Christmas at my parents never lost any of it's magic once we were older - we all gave and received presents, we shared food and enjoyed each others company.

MirandaWest · 22/08/2017 16:43

My oldest was 10 I think. Did believe when he was 10 as Father Christmas gave him an iPad which he didn't think I could have bought Grin
Younger one was 9 I think. Which would have been the first Christmas older one didn't believe but the two weren't connected.

SpanishFly · 22/08/2017 17:47

DS is 12 and I'm not convinced he knows for sure yet. Those saying 7 or 8 is baffling to me!

BertrandRussell · 22/08/2017 18:04

Oh, ffs, you can't let a 12 year old go to school believing in Father Christmas! You really, really can't.

CJCreggsGoldfish · 22/08/2017 18:11

DD is 5. So far this year we have lost the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy...it is not looking good for old Father Christmas. After the barrage of questions last Christmas Eve, I can't say I'm too sad though.

She's very cynical though, and questions everything, absolutely bloody everything.

SpanishFly · 22/08/2017 18:11

BertrandRussell nice.

gentlydoesit89 · 22/08/2017 18:14

I think my son will be suspicious this year- he's 6.
He lost his first tooth last week and stared me straight in the eye and told me I was the tooth fairy. He's like me and too cynical for his own good.

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