I think I've broken my child's heart....

[AlphaAlpha]

It sounds dramatic, but I'm bereft.

Thought my 9 year old had gone to bed, so up to my room I go, into the dressing room off the bedroom and retrieve the Santa stocking from the boiler cupboard to shove something in it...

In walks 9 year old.
Saw everything (well the sack and one long wrapped present, the rest are in the bottom)
I let out a noise that can only be described as a feral cat crossed with Michael Jackson.

Yes child is 9, and could possibly have an inkling but I didn't want it this way. They looked crestfallen, claims they didn't see anything, and looked very sheepish going back to bed.

Arse.

[Morestrangethings]

@WaddleAway

There are grown adults who believe in ghosts, God, horoscopes and all manner of ridiculous and unscientific concepts, yet people are shocked that children believe in something that they’ve been told is true repeatedly for their entire lives?

Good point, Waddleaway

[AlphaAlpha]

Thanks for the mostly reassuring responses!
I'd had a long day yesterday and please do take my post as a little tongue in cheek - I'm not flailing on the floor like I'm sure some people think.

I know deep down she 'knows' and that's fine, and she'll be fine, and I'll be fine and I won't have to keep up the pretense!!

Merry Christmas MNetters!

[serenaisaknobhead]

I let out a noise that can only be described as a feral cat crossed with Michael Jackson.


😂😂😂

Poorly in bed and reading this just made me almost heave my guts out, thank you 😂

[Minesril]

A couple of years ago DS saw a giant lego set hidden in a cupboard. We said 'oh no you've found our present from us...but wasn't that on your Santa list? We'll send ours back and perhaps he'll bring it instead.' Christmas morning came around, opened the giant set from Santa!

[Fifi00]

Your DC probably already know my DD said in September I know Santa's not real she's 9. They discuss it at school. My DD plays along for her younger cousins once they are ready they will say.

[PurpleButterflyWings]

Yikes! 😩 Bit of a blow @AlphaAlpha but you haven't broken her heart. She's 9. She probably knows already on some level, and even if she doesn't it wouldn't be long before she finds out Santa is fictional.

I suspected when I was about 8. All the gifts were under the stairs in our back hall, and at Christmas, they'd appear in the lounge, with a few more. Obviously Santa!

At around 8 I got a bit suspicious and got up at 6am and moved ALL the gifts from the lounge to the back of the dining room under the dining table. My dad got up around 9am, and I heard him say to my mom 'where's all the gifts gone, they were here last night when I went to bed ...' SO my fears were confirmed. I was disappointed but I got over it by the end of Christmas morning, as I was so chuffed with my gifts!

[PurpleButterflyWings]

@Minesril

A couple of years ago DS saw a giant lego set hidden in a cupboard. We said 'oh no you've found our present from us...but wasn't that on your Santa list? We'll send ours back and perhaps he'll bring it instead.' Christmas morning came around, opened the giant set from Santa!

Brilliant!

[RogueV]

Wow dramatic or what.

9? 😂🤦‍♀️

[AlphaAlpha]

@RogueV Mind you don't trip when running straight to the comments....

🤣

[Jolie12345]

A lot of these stories involve the kids pretending they didn’t see anything. My theory (and memory) of this, is that kids stop believing younger than adults think. But they don’t want to upset the adults so keep going along with it! I am sure at 9 kids at school would be talking about the reality, don’t worry x

[M340]

Broken her heart, bereft and crestfallen 😂

Slightly dramatic. She's 9.

If you want to keep going with the Santa narrative, there are ways around it.
Wrap it in different paper.
Say Santa dropped them off early because of the strikes. (PP suggested this)
That specific present is from you and the rest Santa etc.

[NotAHouse]

Given the amount of 'broken hearts' when the truth is revealed, it's almost like a long-standing global lie to vulnerable young people isn't a great idea...

But of course I'm a spoilsport for not wanting to lie to my children and let a fat middle-aged white man take the credit for gifting on a stolen pagan holiday that's inexplicably linked to the birth of a made-up religious deity.

Before I'm accused of being a Scrooge, I have played along with the lie so my child isn't ostracised. And no, I'm definitely not fun at parties, and I'm only occasionally lovely. HTH.

[Dagnabit]

@AlphaAlpha

@RogueV Mind you don't trip when running straight to the comments....

🤣

😂😂 Think they did themselves an injury, rushing to add that comment!

[AllOfThemWitches]

Does it even matter if a 9yo doesn't believe in Santa!?

[Sellorkeep]

Even if she doesn’t believe surely it’s part of the game to keep up the act at this age?
In your shoes I’d try to style it through with some of the ideas already suggested here.
Here either DSD or a mouse has found one of her Santa gifts. (We don’t have any mice)
So we’re going to make it our present to her (it would have to be the plastic shite present) and we’re going to ham it up. Even if she doesn’t believe, she thinks we don’t know she doesn’t believe. It’s fun all round.
If you find a way to play it out, then in years to come it’ll be a Christmas memory to laugh at.

[Choconut]

She's claiming she didn't see anything because she wants to keep the pretence going even though deep down she knows, I wouldn't say anything say about it and pretend it never happened.
I wouldn't do notes from Santa or elaborate lies at this age, you could rewrap but it's probably more that she saw you putting presents in the stocking. I'd just carry on like it never happened.

[CaptainMyCaptain]

@PlaitBilledDuckyPuss

Your DC probably knows anyway, aged 9. It will have been discussed in the school playground. They are probably keeping it going to avoid hurting your feelings (and, if applicable, to avoid spoiling things for any younger children in the family). That's what I was doing by the age of 9.

Definitely. Nothing has been ruined and you haven't broken her heart.

[DifferentlyMaybe]

The amount of people thinking 9 is too old to believe on this thread is horrifying.
My oldest is 9, they cried real tears the other day when the dog got hold of her elf and chewed it’s head. She cried for around half an hour and is still a bit upset today.
Since when has childhood magic ended at 9?

[PlaitBilledDuckyPuss]

@DifferentlyMaybe

The amount of people thinking 9 is too old to believe on this thread is horrifying.
My oldest is 9, they cried real tears the other day when the dog got hold of her elf and chewed it’s head. She cried for around half an hour and is still a bit upset today.
Since when has childhood magic ended at 9?

I don't think it's 'too old' just that, in the scheme of things, many children probably do know by the age of 9, and it's not a huge issue if they find out at that age.

Re. the elf - I'm nearly 50 and I'd be upset if something I valued got spoiled like that, it doesn't necessarily mean you endow the thing with sentience.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

My dd was 10 and in year 6 when she asked me if Santa was real and was adamant she wanted the truth. I told her he wasn’t. This was shortly before Christmas. A week or so later she started talking as though Santa was real. I took the cue from her and we had one last magical Christmas.

It is absolutely possible for children to believe when they’re older just because they want to…

[dottiedodah]

I think most DC have an inkling .At 9 they are obv still children ,but becoming inquisitive about life in general .I was really interested in Space ,Dinosaurs and weirdly Road Maps /Atlases! (Still thought maybe FC existed .)They wont be "heartbroken" and will enjoy all their gifts!

[ReneBumsWombats]

@DifferentlyMaybe

The amount of people thinking 9 is too old to believe on this thread is horrifying.
My oldest is 9, they cried real tears the other day when the dog got hold of her elf and chewed it’s head. She cried for around half an hour and is still a bit upset today.
Since when has childhood magic ended at 9?

You are very easily horrified.

Of course she was upset to have her soft toy chewed up, she has a connection with it even if she knows it isn't really alive (and she does). It's not the same thing at all as actually believing in Santa and everything he does.

[LondonLovie]

My 8 year old caught me stuffing the stocking at the end of his bed last year. Bit awks, I just sort of said I was seeing is Santa has been or not, but he told me the next day he saw me.
I just said, you have to believe in the magic for the magic to happen.. no point extending what is already a big fat lie... least you wants caught on actual Xmas eve!

[AllOfThemWitches]

'Childhood magic' is just lying to your kids?

[Ponderingwindow]

My dd just wanted reassurance that the presents wouldn’t stop once she admitted she knew the truth. The excitement and anticipation is really more related to age than to believing in Santa. We never even really hyped the big guy at our house and Christmas morning was still magical. Your daughter is still going to have a wonderful day.