6 year old dd just told me she doesnt believe in Father Christmas....

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

We were talking about her birthday (shes 6 in Nov) and what she wants and I pointed out that as she is having a party she wont get a large present off mummy and daddy but she will get presents off her friends and then more toys for Christmas.

She then rather matter of factly said that there is no Father Christmas as you drink the milk and daddy eats the carrot and you buy all the toys form toys r us!!

I asked her to tell me who told her that as they wont be getting anything this year and I said that Father Christmas is listening and would be upset. dh then ramg the home phone and I pretemded to talk to him. She was quiet and sulky for a while then I found her crying and she said nobody told her she thought it herself .She was upset as she is worried she will get nothing now so I said he will ring this weekend and you can talk to him

dh is getting a friend to call from work

i am a bit shocked really as I was about 9-10 before I knew and Christmas was always so magical to me. We are really careful too so how she come to the conclusion i will never know

Christmas is magical but I think some of the sparkle dims when they don't believe in Santa anymore

I'm not sure which is the way to go tho, tbh. Is she def saying she doesn't believe, or was it more by way of a question?

St Nicholas is a nice compromise

My DS2 is 6 in November also, and he still believes. He's not shown any sign of not believing but I guess its time to start making the most of it, incase its the last

I won't miss the mushy mess of reindeer dust in the front lawn, when he stops tho!!!!

Of course she's thought of it herself, she does get basic physics and geography lessons at school, you know.She's probably got a good idea about how fast reindeer can go, whether they can fly, whether huge fat men can fit down the chimney and how someone can eat hundred and hundred of mince pies in one night!

Look, don't be pissed off because she's clearly a bit brighter than you were at six!

My DD worked it out years ago, kept up a pretence for her sister for a couple more years and we still put out the sherry, mince pie and carrot on Christmas Eve now that the younger one's ceased to believe.

I can't see that being intelligent is going to make her grow up too soon - children enjoy fantasies as fantasies.

I never believed in Father Christmas. My parents said they tried to convince me when I was 2/3 and I just laughed and said not to be so silly. They had to ask me very nicely not to tell my big brother.

Can I reassure you that I adored and adore Christmas. I also had and still have a very good, creative imagination and can appreciate the 'magic' of something in a way that doesn't rely upon believing a tale.

A healthy appreciation of fantasy and make believe isn't reliant upon actual belief in what are wonderful stories.

Thanks everyone.Feel better about it now.If she has any doubts in the future I wont push it next time

Nice post Chocolate Peanut, I have done the whole Santa thing but when she asks or says she doesn't believe, I will come clean. It's a fine line between fantasy and deceit for me.

Although we will continue to honour the legend with stockings etc even when she knows it's me

My favourite quote is from Douglas Adams and he says "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"

He is specifically refering to religion but I think it applies nicely to the OP. Your DD can enjoy christmas because it's a lovely day in itself, not because of Santa. It's not Santa that makes it great IYSWIM.

Choc, my bright DD figured out FC when she was 6 and at 10 she's still more childlike (in good ways) than many of her peer group.
Having an open, inquiring mind is a delightful characteristic of a child, it certainly doesn't mean unchildlike cynicism will follow.