What age did your children stop believing?

[bumblebee1987]

I was just wondering what the average is? I've just had someone upset me because I was involved in a light-hearted discussion about Santa, and I mentioned that my 10 (almost 11) year old still believes, but that I'm sure it will be the last year for him. (For context, he is autistic, and has other neurodiversities, currently isn't at school and I had no intention of allowing him to start secondary school still believing.) I didn't share this additional info at the time, but I'm just a bit upset that someone could be so cruel, I appreciate that almost 11 is likely at the upper end of the age bracket, but he's having a really tough time at the moment and I didn't see any harm in allowing him one more year?

What is the average? Maybe I'm being cruel. He's not at school right now so I wasn't worried about bullying or anything. He doesn't really have any friends or go anywhere, so I didn't think it was causing any harm.

My DD is 10 - starting seniors in September, no ND issues.
She still believes (I think!) and has breakfast with Santa next week. She’s also written as list etc.

she has been brought up to know that I buy her presents and Santa and the elves wrap and deliver them as I’ve been on my own with her since she was 1 so I’ve never wanted her to think that she doesn’t get everything on her list because she’s been ‘naughty’ it’s just that I haven’t been able to afford everything she wants

Elder was 6, younger I haven't been able to convince in the first place and he's 4. He says everyone is just being silly and Father Christmas is pretend like the Gruffalo.

I was scared of a man breaking into our house when I was a child, I didn't care how jolly he was. I was relieved when my mother explained the history of Nicolas Klaus, it didn't take the fun away for me, it just made more sense and less creepy. So I told my kids from the beginning about the history and importance of keeping the spirit going. It's just weird to lie about it. But I'm likely ASD myself and I take things literally so I don't think I'm "right" or anyone else is wrong, I just like facts. On the other hand my 13 DD believes in fairies and I hope she never stops, especially since her dear departed hamster has gone to live with them in the spirit world and that's the only thing that consoled her. I might be a hypocrite 🙈 We went on an amazing train ride last year with Santa and the same DD loved it the same as if she believed, so I think it doesn't matter much!

I realised when I was about 6! This includes then toothfairy.

It's was mixed from my older siblings telling me and school children making fun if you said you believed at that age (especially older children in year 4)

I have told my little one that we respect people having different beliefs and ways they celebrate. It's fine to say you don't believe but he's not to tell other children it's silly if they do.

Mine were all about 8, but some had doubts from 7. None of them told their younger siblings.

When they straight out asked me if he was real I told them the truth. They had already learned about St Nicholas, so it was an extension of that; Santa Claus was real in the person of St Nicholas, then parents took over the buying of gifts kind of thing. They then were in on the secret and felt very important helping to keep it secret from those who didn’t know yet.

My grandchildren seem to have known from around the same age, although my grandson who has autism was a little earlier.

I went to school in the 1960s and me and my peers knew from 7/8 too, with the occasional outlier. I do remember being in P7, aged 11, and one girl still believed.