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Original poster

Do your 8 year olds still believe?

86 replies

Girlsnightin · 09/09/2018 18:39

Am I kidding myself that he does?
Just started year 4. Started asking questions about the tooth fairy which I confirmed was me, but was vague about FC.
Do we carry on for a few years with this?

OP posts:
Governoress86 · 09/09/2018 19:21

My DD still believes in FC and she is nearly 9. I'm gonna keep it going as long as possible .

Longdistance · 09/09/2018 19:24

Yes, but she has questioned it. Tooth Fairy is another one she’s questioned,

Aprilshowersnowastorm · 09/09/2018 19:26

Ds nearly 10 still believes!

MsAwesomeDragon · 09/09/2018 19:26

Mine is sceptical now. I think she knows really but she still talks about Santa as if he's real sometimes.

My plan is to just keep it up but not do anything over the top. So if she talks about Santa I'll join in but I'm not going to extremes like making sure we use separate wrapping paper or anything.

missyB1 · 09/09/2018 19:28

My ds will be 10 in December, still firmly believes!

TittyGolightly · 09/09/2018 19:48

Mine never has.

TittyGolightly · 09/09/2018 19:50

Never encouraged it. Despite the absolute tidal wave of encouragement from friends, school, family, wider society —complete fucking strangers—, she’s never chosen to believe.

00100001 · 09/09/2018 19:52

Op. Thism is umsnet

Chifldren all into three categories

  1. Never believed ever
  2. Only beloved when they were 2. And "knew" at 3 or younger
  3. Still believe at 13!
BossWitch · 09/09/2018 19:52

Just make sure they know the truth before they start secondary school!

Itchytights · 09/09/2018 19:55

Of course.

My little boy is 7. Of course he believes.

PP is right- this is Mumsnet.

redsummershoes · 09/09/2018 19:58

no
and if they say they do it's because they don't want to dissapoint you.
imo

LIVIA999 · 09/09/2018 19:59

My 13 and 10 have never said they don't so I'm going along with it.
I was never told about Santa as a child so I find it hilarious!

Peoplemaynoticeus · 09/09/2018 20:01

Yes Smile

BertieBotts · 09/09/2018 20:03

No I think 8 was the year he said that he outright knew. He suspected but couldn't get us to confirm IIRC and then he found a tag off something I'd missed on the end of our bed so he decided this was proof.

MonaChopsis · 09/09/2018 20:22

Nope. She asked for direct confirmation of whether he was real last Xmas Eve, aged nearly 8. I was a bit gutted about the timing but actually it made not a jot of difference to how exciting Xmas Day was for her.

So far this year she is still treading the fine line between still talking about what she should ask Santa for etc, but also pointing out sotto voice to me occasionally that he's not actually real when I play along 😂

LusaCole · 09/09/2018 20:36

Yes! And my 10yo too. But not the 12yo.

Rebecca36 · 09/09/2018 20:39

No. Not heard of a child of that age who believes in Santa. Why should they? Father Christmas does not exist.

All I ever said about the mythical man was that he isn't real but it is fun to pretend. Better than lying.

Parents, or some of them, seem to care more about the story than children.

BikeRunSki · 09/09/2018 20:43

DS began to waiver last year at 9. I convinced him with some non-communal gubbins not to let on to his little sister, who still really does. I very much doubt that DS will believe at all this year, but he’s realised his got a vested interest in pretending to!

loubielou31 · 09/09/2018 21:43

Yes! Absolutely no doubts at all. DD us 8. Dd1 is 10, she also still believes as do a fair number of her friends. She has only just stopped believing in the TF and that's only because I made it quite obvious that it was me.

Stompythedinosaur · 09/09/2018 22:11

I would say that belief is not an all or nothing thing. Dd1 is 7, heading towards 8. She officially still believes, but she obviously has some doubt. No questions yet, I suspect because she wants to believe. It is clearly a topic discussed in the playground, and I am sure other kids have mentioned him not being real.

I am hoping that real belief will gently morph into the knowledge that we are playing a game together.

thaegumathteth · 09/09/2018 22:23

Dd is nearly 8. I don’t think she really believes but she enjoys it all. I don’t think they have to believe to take part.

Recently we went to Disney - dd knows fine well the princesses aren’t actual princesses. She was still completely in awe of them.

Ds was about 9 when he realised but he’s still never come right out and said it!

Flaskfan · 09/09/2018 22:27

Yes. I am really good at lying and adapt my story every time he gets suspicious. He's rumbled the tooth fairy though.

pinkhorse · 09/09/2018 22:34

My 8 year old still believes.

MotherForkinShirtBalls · 09/09/2018 22:37

Really? All these 7 yo dc who no longer believe? Dd is 8 and has complete faith in the tooth fairy and Santa and would happily believe in the Easter bunny if she hadn't caught me unawares (I forgot she believed in the bunny and I had raging take-no-shit pmt so couldn't think of an instant cover story). We're going to lapland in December so I hope that gets us another couple of years.

Singingitoverandoverandover · 10/09/2018 10:40

Jeez there are some boring buggers out there. “ My child WONT believe because SANTAS NOT REAL.”

Woah no way. Mindblown.

Christmas from Santa is magical. A childhood without Santa is a bit shit 😂

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