When do you break the news to your kids? (Spoiler alert)

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  • chris23tine
    chris23tine Posts: 13 Member
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    I don't remember how old they were but when they really started questioning and I knew that they really knew the truth (in there heart) I told them. But what I told them was that even though what they believed wasn't true, Everyone has a Santa, easter bunny ...etc. and I was just lucky enough to be theirs. I also told them that someday they would be able to do it for someone else. It actually turned out to be a great memory for us. :smile:
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    M mom never told me. Eventually your kids reach an age when they realize that it it physically impossible for a man to fly in a sleigh and go to every single house in the world in six hours.
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 562 Member
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    WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO EASTER BUNNY OR SANTA CLAUS

    Edit: I found out when I was quite young -- I thought it strange that "Santa" and my mother had the same handwriting. I wasn't too upset, actually; I don't think I ever really believed it. My parents never even bothered to try to convince me that the Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy were real. I was a cynical little kid.
  • kb455
    kb455 Posts: 679 Member
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    I haven't yet!! My kids' ages range from 1 to 7. I'm not ready for them to know yet, even my oldest. I actually remember finding out about Santa and I was devastated. I'm hoping to keep my kids believing for as long as possible.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,691 Member
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    When do you break the news to your kids that there is no Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, or Easter Bunny? (And don't even get me started about Christopher Columbus, and the true story of Thanksgiving (US) and the Pilgrims)

    I've got a toddler, and these things cross my mind.
    Just dress up as all them each year. They'll figure it out without you having to tell them.


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  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    right from the start. We don't want our kids to lie to us and we want to trust them. Same here. So I set the example I don't lie to them so they shouldn't lie to me
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    My daughter started high school in September and still believed in all 3....11 years old and still believed?..Yes it's sweet but not good!
    I'm no longer with my kids mother but she decided I had to be the 'breaker of bad news'....

    Strangely though it was me tha ended up in tears while my daughter just said "oh..ok"


    She probably knew but was just milking it......we all did that in my family LOL
  • liftandcycle
    liftandcycle Posts: 209
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    dont tell them.. I believed in santa clause till I was 12... and I found out on my own... I had the greatest childhood ever... I was sooooo curious and intriged with santa clause.. dont ruin it for them.. their own classmates and TV and the internet will tell them... Idk thats how it happened with me and I wouldnt have it any other way..
  • arleylange
    arleylange Posts: 24
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    you could be like my sister and just crush their imagination from day 1. She never let them believe in santa clause or tooth fairy or easter bunny or anything else like that.....and she wonders why they have no imagination.


    Seriously don't worry about it, kids figure it out on their own in due time. Just let them be kids.


    I told my children from day one that those things aren't real and they have wonderful imaginations. Of course, we don't have cable or any of those game station things and we read all the time so they don't have to worry about all the other stuff that actually DOES kill imagination.
  • princesspeach577
    princesspeach577 Posts: 56 Member
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    I never taught my son to believe in those things, so I never had to "break the news" to him - I told him they were all fun things that were done for different holidays/events, but that they weren't real and not to ruin it for any other kids.

    This is how my husband's parents handled holiday characters. It didn't seem to do him any harm.

    I think that your kids will find out through their friends or just start figuring it out for themselves.
  • LRuland
    LRuland Posts: 12 Member
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    I have a 10 yr old & a 7 yr old and they still believe in Santa Claus. I am just going to let them figure it out on there own. Why ruin it? When they question it, I answer, "do YOU still believe?" They say "yes" & I say "then there's the answer".
  • StartingAnewDay
    StartingAnewDay Posts: 319 Member
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    Actually, I was never told and I never told my kids.. LOL!! They usually reach an age where they come to you and say... Mom... I know you and dad put the stuff under the tree :laugh: I'm of the opinion, let it ride out till they bring it up..

    Now if your baby is 15 and says mom, I wanna mail Santa a letter... Then you may just wanna make a Dr. appt for them :noway:
  • cariandy
    cariandy Posts: 175 Member
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    I don't. They usually figure it out on their own. My 11 year old hasn't told me yet that she knows better, so we just keep pretending. Its fun :)

    YES! Even when they ask, a lot of times they don't really want to know! TRUST ME!! :sad:
  • liftandcycle
    liftandcycle Posts: 209
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    right from the start. We don't want our kids to lie to us and we want to trust them. Same here. So I set the example I don't lie to them so they shouldn't lie to me

    thats not lying.. my parents use to do all these crazy things so I would believe in Santa Clause and I thank them so much.. childhood is when all fairy tales are real and santa clause leaves you presents... its the only time in your life when life is supposed be good... once you become a teenager problems begin.. and dont get me started with adulthood... thats my point of view, my kids are going to believe in santa clause :)
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    You just keep it going forever. My mom gave me presents from Santa Clause right up until last year.

    But, they figure it out by themselves around age 9 or 10.
  • AReasor
    AReasor Posts: 355 Member
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    I dodge and weave until they ask directly, then you gotta spill.
  • run4yourlife
    run4yourlife Posts: 379 Member
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    I don't. They usually figure it out on their own. My 11 year old hasn't told me yet that she knows better, so we just keep pretending. Its fun :)

    YES! Even when they ask, a lot of times they don't really want to know! TRUST ME!! :sad:

    ^^^This. My kids figured it out by the age of 6! Talk about ruining all the fun for me.:laugh: But we all still just play along.
  • puppywalker
    puppywalker Posts: 109 Member
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    When they figure it out on their own. When my daughter asked (at about 6) if Santa was real, I asked her what she thought. She said she thought he was real, so I said "there's your answer." When she asked a year later and I asked her what she thought, she said he was not real. I said "well it was fun to believe, wasn't it?"

    But I never "tricked" her into believing either. Like how some parents wrap "Santa's" gifts in different paper and sign the card with different hand-writing. That's trying to trick them, and I didn't do that. I think it's cruel to trick a child into believing until they are way past the age they should now. In my opinion, children should know by age 8 that Santa, tooth fairy, etc., are not real. Otherwise they look like idiots to their friends that figured it out years ago. Having your friends tease you for being a "baby" is more devastating than finding out Santa's isn't real.
  • JaySpice
    JaySpice Posts: 326 Member
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    I've never told her these thing exists. But I did teach her other children believe and it's not fair to spoil their....um....whatever it is.
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
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    My parents had to break the news to me when I was old enough to build traps and swing a baseball bat. Santa was a pervert and I wanted him captured and jailed, the Easter bunny needed to be dinner.

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