Is this a mean thing to do on Christmas Day?

[AFewScrewsLucy]

Imagine you are the parent here.

You have a 9 yo, who turned 9 in early October.
They still believe in father Christmas (yes, really)
They have asked for an iPad.
You've told 9yo you can't afford it, so can't have it.
9yo says "it's OK, Santa will get it for me" and then proceeds to tell everyone they know since November that they're getting an iPad for Christmas.
You are actually buying the iPad for them.
But, you have decided that to teach them to be more humble, you're going to pretend that Santa hasn't brought the iPAD when you all open presents in the morning. And you're going to "find" the iPad at the back of the tree at some point in the evening,.and give it to them then.

Full context, you also have a just turned 6yo and 7yo who will be receiving their Santa present in the morning. (Barbie Dream House and Switch)

What do you think? Mean? Or fine?

Also this idea is mean.

Absolutely fucking horrible. I get teaching moments. This isn't one of them. What is the point of crushing disappointment and potentially ruining a little person's Christmas when you are actually buying the gift? It's made me feel sick. Very different if you actually couldn't afford it but such a dick move because you can. Gross.

There’s another 364 days in the year to teach a child to be humble…. Just plain mean and bordering on cruel. Why would any parent do that to their child? Make them feel feel sad on their Christmas Day to basically teach them a life lesson

Mean. Why would you do that? Even if you don’t want them to think Santa can bring expensive things let them open their Santa stuff and then give them the iPad as a present from you?

Peevish.

I’m torn, I completely understand your reasons but maybe don’t leave it as long as the evening, maybe half an hour after their younger siblings get there’s.
My 6 year old has had the same attitude with a Barbie dream house so I’ve planned to put it in a different room. I know with all the excitement of the other gifts she’ll actually forget about it so it brings the surprise back. We will take her to the other room when the tree if after she’s open her other girls for her main present. I want her to almost ‘forget’ about the gift to appreciate it more.

I don’t remotely understand what the point of this would be, other than sadism.

That's mean. An utterly horrible thing to do to a child.

Ridiculous! This is why for our 4 children Santa has always bought something relatively small on Christmas Day, something they wanted that is around £20. Imagine going to school and some kid has had barely anything because parents are really struggling this year and they hear their friend got an iPad off Santa.

they gony use the ipad to google whys my ma a c__t.
then spoil the surprise by telling your 6 and 7 yo
IN case im not clear...thats a complete stupid idea. I don t know why you think that would teach "Humble" ??
you have all year long to insight morals n beliefs in your kids.Probably you should read a book about it first tho. more than @AFewScrewsLucy

It’s a mean and cruel thing to do to a child on Christmas Day especially when there are other days of the year to teach them lessons.

I agree that the child won’t trust you (or take a while to do so).

Feel sad for this child! He isn’t being proud or boastful in telling everyone he’s getting an iPad, he’s showing childlike belief and hope in Santa. What a misguided parent 😢

Extremely mean. Why don't you explain to your children that family buy the presents and Santa keeps them safe to deliver on Christmas? That way it keeps the magic alive, teaches them the value of money and the thoughtfulness, love and kindness given to us from others.

A 9 year old child will not understand the idea of feeling humble, what a nasty ridiculous notion.

Sounds more like you want to be spiteful to your child and make their Christmas a Christmas they'll never forget for all the worst reasons; making the 9 year old watch their siblings playing with their big toys while you rub your hands at the 9 year old's misery and think 'that'll teach you'. You sound like a real peach.

Petty, mean and spiteful.

This is something the child will never forget - and in a year or two, when he stops believing in Father Christmas, he'll realise that it was his parent who did it to him.

Lmao funny it turns out to be a friend planning it following negative responses.

Mean. Please do not do that to your child. What would you gain from doing this other than a sad dissapointed child on Christmas day? He's just excited and that's what santa is bringing him so he's not saying anything wrong.

So the kid needs to learn to be humble about gifts, while being encouraged to believe in Santa.

Tell her the truth about Santa and where the presents come from. She should learn to appreciate the value of them.

Mean? It's downright cruel 😟

Could you not just explain that Santa doesn't bring electronics and it's parents that can afford to so that buy those. Tell them you've bought the iPad as a one off. It may help to manage expectations for next year.

No idea why you’d do that. This is why getting presents from “Santa” is confusing. I don’t do that for mine

But, you have decided that to teach them to be more humble

Why does a 9 year old need to learn to be more humble? I mean, I can see the child was bragging about getting it, so there's a lesson to be learned there, maybe, but not like that and not on Xmas day. All he's going to learn from that is that DM is a bit of a sociopath and can't be trusted - and those sort of lessons tend to linger.

'Humble' is just such a odd word in this context. Does she want him to go around like Uriah Heep saying how 'umble he is? (which is a brag in itself).

We've always had Father Christmas only bringing stocking and no big presents.

That way you avoid any of the cost issues, or why he gives some children iPads and other children socks and silly putty.

Maybe Santa could have a cost-of-living crisis this year and only do stockings, and the big gifts come from the appropriate parents/relative/friend?

I understand there are time when we can sometimes doubt ourselves when some situations are not black and white.

Obvious blatant cruelty to a 9 year old isn't one of them and needs called out there and then to let them know it is clearly unacceptable.