Santa!?!?! I hate the lie!

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  • FindingMyPerfection
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    I am, actually. We have bonfires, and I spin poi, everyone gets sloshed, and no one talks about Santa. :laugh:

    what about when your kids blow out the candles on their birthday cakes? do you tell them, "try to blow out all of your candles in one breath, but nothing will happen."?

    Blowing out candles is a game (as in, see if you can get them in one breath!!! Yay, you did it!). We don't really talk about making wishes, because they can't conceptualize how a wish could be made true. We talk about things we want, or want to do, and we talk about making plans to make those things happen... but we don't sit around and wish for things.

    What about children with imaginary friends? Are they told to stop the shenanigans?

    If it were mine, I would make sure they knew it was imaginary. If they want to pretend, what do I care? We pretend the tooth fairy is real, but I am sure that she knows it is just pretend and she knows that I am the one pretending to be the tooth fairy. I'm not against imagination, I have a very active imagination myself; but I'm not going to tell them that a myth is real and get them to believe it, and then do things to reinforce the belief that it is a real thing (letters, gifts signed from Santa, milk and cookies, carrots for the reindeer).

    Oh - it's pretending if you do it, and lying if anyone else does it?

    It's all clear to me now. Thanks!
    It's pretending if you are playing a game, it's lying if you are passing it off as truth when it isn't.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    You've got some stuff to work through.

    The vast majority of children aren't going to be that traumatized by finding out about Santa. And out of the ones who are, I would imagine that the vast majority have way bigger issues that need to be addressed so that they don't go into their adult lives with strange misconceptions about lasting effects of being lied to about Santa.:frown:

    I've already worked through all my past junk, thank you for your concern.

    My opinion on the santa myth are not strange misconceptions; they are my perceptions of my reality. As a part of that, I prefer to keep reality apart from mythology. Many people do; they are atheists, and some agnostics.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    Of course she does because she gets things and they're milestones.

    But not allowing her to have something fantastic in her life is limiting. It's sad. She's missing so much and she doesn't even know it and probably never will.

    I don't see how explaining the difference between mythology and reality are depriving her of fantastic things.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I am, actually. We have bonfires, and I spin poi, everyone gets sloshed, and no one talks about Santa. :laugh:

    what about when your kids blow out the candles on their birthday cakes? do you tell them, "try to blow out all of your candles in one breath, but nothing will happen."?

    Blowing out candles is a game (as in, see if you can get them in one breath!!! Yay, you did it!). We don't really talk about making wishes, because they can't conceptualize how a wish could be made true. We talk about things we want, or want to do, and we talk about making plans to make those things happen... but we don't sit around and wish for things.

    What about children with imaginary friends? Are they told to stop the shenanigans?

    If it were mine, I would make sure they knew it was imaginary. If they want to pretend, what do I care? We pretend the tooth fairy is real, but I am sure that she knows it is just pretend and she knows that I am the one pretending to be the tooth fairy. I'm not against imagination, I have a very active imagination myself; but I'm not going to tell them that a myth is real and get them to believe it, and then do things to reinforce the belief that it is a real thing (letters, gifts signed from Santa, milk and cookies, carrots for the reindeer).

    Oh - it's pretending if you do it, and lying if anyone else does it?

    It's all clear to me now. Thanks!
    It's pretending if you are playing a game, it's lying if you are passing it off as truth when it isn't.

    She says she is 'sure' her child knows they are pretending. That doesn't sound exactly like they are clear on the subject of whether the Tooth Fairy is real or not.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    If it were mine, I would make sure they knew it was imaginary. If they want to pretend, what do I care? We pretend the tooth fairy is real, but I am sure that she knows it is just pretend and she knows that I am the one pretending to be the tooth fairy. I'm not against imagination, I have a very active imagination myself; but I'm not going to tell them that a myth is real and get them to believe it, and then do things to reinforce the belief that it is a real thing (letters, gifts signed from Santa, milk and cookies, carrots for the reindeer).

    Oh - it's pretending if you do it, and lying if anyone else does it?

    It's all clear to me now. Thanks!

    No, it's pretending when everyone knows that it is pretending. It is a lie when you present it as the truth and do things to reinforce the lie as truth.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    She says she is 'sure' her child knows they are pretending. That doesn't sound exactly like they are clear on the subject of whether the Tooth Fairy is real or not.

    Oh, I can clear that one up. I said "The tooth fairy is not real". She said "am I still going to get money for my tooth". I said "Yes, I am going to pretend to be the tooth fairy, get up while you are asleep, try to get your tooth without waking you up, and I'm going to leave some money in a pretty little pouch". She said ok.

    The next morning, "See my money from the tooth fairy?" Whispers to me "you really put it there, but we're pretending the tooth fairy did".
  • calibriintx
    calibriintx Posts: 1,741 Member
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    I am, actually. We have bonfires, and I spin poi, everyone gets sloshed, and no one talks about Santa. :laugh:

    what about when your kids blow out the candles on their birthday cakes? do you tell them, "try to blow out all of your candles in one breath, but nothing will happen."?

    Blowing out candles is a game (as in, see if you can get them in one breath!!! Yay, you did it!). We don't really talk about making wishes, because they can't conceptualize how a wish could be made true. We talk about things we want, or want to do, and we talk about making plans to make those things happen... but we don't sit around and wish for things.

    What about children with imaginary friends? Are they told to stop the shenanigans?

    If it were mine, I would make sure they knew it was imaginary. If they want to pretend, what do I care? We pretend the tooth fairy is real, but I am sure that she knows it is just pretend and she knows that I am the one pretending to be the tooth fairy. I'm not against imagination, I have a very active imagination myself; but I'm not going to tell them that a myth is real and get them to believe it, and then do things to reinforce the belief that it is a real thing (letters, gifts signed from Santa, milk and cookies, carrots for the reindeer).

    I REALLY hope that you never have a child with an imaginary friend, or if you do, I hope you'll consult their pediatrician before telling the child that their friend isn't real.:noway: Young children don't always understand the difference between visible, real or pretend. You want to talk about traumatizing a kid by telling them something they believe in isn't real? Tell them that the imaginary friend that they created in their own mind, isn't real. That's a pretty young age to start gaslighting.:ohwell: Besides, most kids with IFs know that they made them up - which is why they're so attached to them. They make them into exactly what they want and need.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I am, actually. We have bonfires, and I spin poi, everyone gets sloshed, and no one talks about Santa. :laugh:

    what about when your kids blow out the candles on their birthday cakes? do you tell them, "try to blow out all of your candles in one breath, but nothing will happen."?

    Blowing out candles is a game (as in, see if you can get them in one breath!!! Yay, you did it!). We don't really talk about making wishes, because they can't conceptualize how a wish could be made true. We talk about things we want, or want to do, and we talk about making plans to make those things happen... but we don't sit around and wish for things.

    What about children with imaginary friends? Are they told to stop the shenanigans?

    If it were mine, I would make sure they knew it was imaginary. If they want to pretend, what do I care? We pretend the tooth fairy is real, but I am sure that she knows it is just pretend and she knows that I am the one pretending to be the tooth fairy. I'm not against imagination, I have a very active imagination myself; but I'm not going to tell them that a myth is real and get them to believe it, and then do things to reinforce the belief that it is a real thing (letters, gifts signed from Santa, milk and cookies, carrots for the reindeer).
    While I don't think this necessarily makes you a bad parent or that your children are abused in any way. I still feel terribly, terribly sorry for them.

    Why?
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Okay now that the thread has rolled I feel safe in asking...Can you bring the extra presents that appear under your tree on Dec 25th to my house so they don't ruin the illusion for your child of truth? That's the only reason I'm asking. For the sake of your child. The only reason.

    Extra presents? What are those? We used to have those back in the 80s, but not since the economy tanked.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
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    I was angry with my parents when I found out Santa was not real. Because I had been teased mercilessly in school about it, and my mother kept telling me he was real when I asked her. I feel I am a reasonably well adjusted adult now and don't still harbor active anger over the whole issue. Not like some other people I could name...

    I resemble that remark, so I'd like to point out that I am not harboring anger over it, and have come to terms with all the crapiness that was my life back then.


    My choice to not perpetuate the myth is based on my own experiences, but I don't walk around angry about it.

    You WHAT the remark?

    I can't even...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    So when your kids play pretend, do you shout at them, "STOP LYING YOU LITTLE LIARS!"

    Dafuq? :laugh:


    LMFAO :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


    Wondering how she feels about Disney World??? It's no deferent than Santa!!!

    Well, to be honest, the difference is that when kids ask their parents if Ariel (or mermaids) are real, the parents generally don't lie and say, "Yes, sweetie, if not for Disney, there would be no happiness." :laugh: :laugh: (Thus causing embarrassment at school when this is repeated to classmates)
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,375 Member
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    I think parents like these are the coolest. They foster their kids imagination instead of squashing it:

    http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vpa2h

    I love that!
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    I REALLY hope that you never have a child with an imaginary friend, or if you do, I hope you'll consult their pediatrician before telling the child that their friend isn't real.:noway: Young children don't always understand the difference between visible, real or pretend. You want to talk about traumatizing a kid by telling them something they believe in isn't real? Tell them that the imaginary friend that they created in their own mind, isn't real. That's a pretty young age to start gaslighting.:ohwell: Besides, most kids with IFs know that they made them up - which is why they're so attached to them. They make them into exactly what they want and need.

    I wouldn't talk to a pediatrician, I would talk to a specialist if I was concerned about it. Most children know that their imaginary friends are not real, so I would ask, and only if she persisted that it were real, would I consult a psychologist.

    Gaslighting is not telling a kid something they believe is not real... Gaslighting is trying to convince someone that reality is not real, ie, trying to make someone think they are crazy.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Of course she does because she gets things and they're milestones.

    But not allowing her to have something fantastic in her life is limiting. It's sad. She's missing so much and she doesn't even know it and probably never will.

    I don't see how explaining the difference between mythology and reality are depriving her of fantastic things.
    The lesson is that the world is limited and limiting. She can pretend all she wants, but she can never really have it.

    So very sad.

    And you are so caught up in denying those things, you don't even comprehend the meaning of the word "fantastic."
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    She says she is 'sure' her child knows they are pretending. That doesn't sound exactly like they are clear on the subject of whether the Tooth Fairy is real or not.

    Oh, I can clear that one up. I said "The tooth fairy is not real". She said "am I still going to get money for my tooth". I said "Yes, I am going to pretend to be the tooth fairy, get up while you are asleep, try to get your tooth without waking you up, and I'm going to leave some money in a pretty little pouch". She said ok.

    The next morning, "See my money from the tooth fairy?" Whispers to me "you really put it there, but we're pretending the tooth fairy did".

    OK. Then I'm not sure why you stated 'I'm sure she knows we are pretending.' But I'll let it go. But I do wonder why even bother with the tooth fairy at all? I find your exchange with your daughter to be quite sad really. But maybe that is just me.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
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    I was angry with my parents when I found out Santa was not real. Because I had been teased mercilessly in school about it, and my mother kept telling me he was real when I asked her. I feel I am a reasonably well adjusted adult now and don't still harbor active anger over the whole issue. Not like some other people I could name...

    I resemble that remark, so I'd like to point out that I am not harboring anger over it, and have come to terms with all the crapiness that was my life back then.


    My choice to not perpetuate the myth is based on my own experiences, but I don't walk around angry about it.

    You WHAT the remark?

    I can't even...

    I resemble that remark... meaning, I felt that the comment was directed at me, but that it may not have been as the poster did not name anyone. Therefore, I felt my posts could resemble the person she was talking about, and answered it for myself.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    While I don't think this necessarily makes you a bad parent or that your children are abused in any way. I still feel terribly, terribly sorry for them.

    Well, I'm confused as to why... She gets terribly excited for lost teeth, and she gets excited that I get to pretend to be the tooth fairy... She gets excited when we play dress-up and wear tiaras and she gets to be the princess, and sometimes I'm the queen and sometimes I'm her forest creature friend... We just have a very clear line between reality and make believe. There's nothing to feel sorry for...
    Of course she does because she gets things and they're milestones.

    But not allowing her to have something fantastic in her life is limiting. It's sad. She's missing so much and she doesn't even know it and probably never will.

    To me, that sounds like a religious person "feeling sorry" for a child who isn't forced to go to Sunday School and learn Bible stories.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,375 Member
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    I was angry with my parents when I found out Santa was not real. Because I had been teased mercilessly in school about it, and my mother kept telling me he was real when I asked her. I feel I am a reasonably well adjusted adult now and don't still harbor active anger over the whole issue. Not like some other people I could name...

    I resemble that remark, so I'd like to point out that I am not harboring anger over it, and have come to terms with all the crapiness that was my life back then.


    My choice to not perpetuate the myth is based on my own experiences, but I don't walk around angry about it.

    You WHAT the remark?

    I can't even...

    Groucho Marx said it, among others.
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    Options

    Of course she does because she gets things and they're milestones.

    But not allowing her to have something fantastic in her life is limiting. It's sad. She's missing so much and she doesn't even know it and probably never will.

    I don't see how explaining the difference between mythology and reality are depriving her of fantastic things.
    The lesson is that the world is limited and limiting. She can pretend all she wants, but she can never really have it.

    So very sad.

    I still don't see what is sad. The world is an amazing and magnificent place, without some fat dude in a sleigh.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Options


    I was angry with my parents when I found out Santa was not real. Because I had been teased mercilessly in school about it, and my mother kept telling me he was real when I asked her. I feel I am a reasonably well adjusted adult now and don't still harbor active anger over the whole issue. Not like some other people I could name...

    I resemble that remark, so I'd like to point out that I am not harboring anger over it, and have come to terms with all the crapiness that was my life back then.


    My choice to not perpetuate the myth is based on my own experiences, but I don't walk around angry about it.

    You WHAT the remark?

    I can't even...

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I+Resemble+That+Remark