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

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  • HorrorChix89
    HorrorChix89 Posts: 1,229 Member
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    My mother always told me "When you stop believing, you stop receiving". Me and my brother found out about Santa when we noticed our bikes had dirt on the tires. Either way my 14 year old sister still believes only cause she knows if she questions it she'll get nothing from "Santa"
  • momof8munchkins
    momof8munchkins Posts: 1,167 Member
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    Easy.
    Tell them the truth from day one... My kids have never ever believed in santa, the easter bunny, tooth fairy.. and they are happy kids
  • StephanieDJL
    StephanieDJL Posts: 130 Member
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    Why tell them? Children will eventually find out for themselves, the magic is in the imagination. I have three siblings, (14, 12 & 6) aside from the youngest we all figured it out at various ages but kept it a secret so as not to spoil the fun. I've known there's no Santa for over a decade yet after helping my mum with everyone else's presents, I still go to bed before mine are put out!

    In this situation, what is anyone gaining from the truth?
  • cheeksv
    cheeksv Posts: 521 Member
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    I don't see the point in lying to them. Why make them idolize fake people ( or bunnies) when they should look up to real people who do good things, not just give them stuff for nothing. I feel like more and more kids are focusing on the getting stuff and not being taught what these holidays are actually about.
  • nomoreplaying
    nomoreplaying Posts: 36
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    My brother and I were young enough to still get gifts from santa, but each year we would go on a "hunt" for our toys and play with them, close them up again, till the next day. mom never used wrapping paper. we'd act surprised on Xmas day, and we never told mom. I never told my daughter those things existed, and she knew all along I was giving her gifts at those times, but I told her for certain at 6 or 7 that santa didnt exist in that way. i think she told her children at around 5 or 6. they said they didnt think it was real anyway.
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
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    When they ask you a direct question give them an honest answer..... and explain that the "story" of Santa, tooth fairy are just that... a story ..... I explained where the story of Santa came from...... that he was real..... and that when he died the legend had grown from that.......... that way we kept it part of the holiday and my kids still got to "keep" santa

    my kids started asking questions shortly after they started school......I just didn't want to have to lose their respect or explain to them why I had lied earlier when they finally figured out that he wasn't real......
  • teripendleton
    teripendleton Posts: 26
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    I agree, let them figure it out on their own. Children are growing up way too fast these days, let their little worlds be magical as long as you can. I have a daycare so I made my children still talk about Santa long after they "knew" so as to not spoil it for a younger child. I still put from Santa on some of the gifts under the tree and make them a stocking. That's for me because I think it's fun.
  • chatipati1
    chatipati1 Posts: 211 Member
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    I remember when we told our 2nd kid tht there was no Santa etc...she was super ticked that we made fool out of her lol
  • Baurus
    Baurus Posts: 27
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    I got it on my own :D
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    A way around the handwriting thing? Our gifts from Santa were stockings that were stuffed (some stuff wrapped, some not) and one big present that was unwrapped sitting next to our stockings (a big toy, like I remember a Cabbage Patch Kid, a bike, an Attari), no cards on any of them. Everything else was from family. It was great fun to wake up and run out to see what would be sitting next to our stocking from Santa, it didn't take anything away from the fun just because it wasn't wrapped.
  • brianyeager
    brianyeager Posts: 44
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    We never lied to our children about these or other things.
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    I found that they gradually worked it out for themselves, but didn't want to let on that they knew in case the fun (and gifts) stopped. I think it's worth having a word with older kids so they don't spoil it for younger ones, but if they don't have a good relationship it's a way for the older ones to upset the younger ones.
  • Helenatrandom
    Helenatrandom Posts: 1,166 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.

    What do you mean there is no Easter Bunny or Santa Claus? :cry:
  • akgrown4
    akgrown4 Posts: 28 Member
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    Personally I never told my kids, for the sole purpose of never lying to my children. If they question you're honesty on one thing like that, there's no turning back and I figured I would rather have them being the kid at school telling other kids there is no santa versus them coming home in tears because someone told them that.
  • MarySunshine70
    MarySunshine70 Posts: 118
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    We tell them the truth - its FUN to pretend. We have "battles" for who's the coolest Santa (Dad) or Tooth Fairy (Me) - That makes it so fun for our teenagers!
    i also teach them the correct names for their private parts - how long is "tee-tee" going to work?
    Not interested in lying to my kids... unless its funny - like Calvin's (&Hobbs) Dad
  • angelaclassact
    angelaclassact Posts: 66 Member
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    I don't encourage the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Santa, etc. I don't discourage it. So, if he chooses to believe its real, then I guess, that's fine. I'm not really worried about letting him in on the secret.
  • knowkeys
    knowkeys Posts: 28 Member
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    WHAT???????!!!!!!!WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUSE???!!!!! NO EASTER BUNNY????!!!!!! NO TOOTH FAIRY?????!!!!! You must have had a moment of temporary insanity.......I forgive you LOL

    I couldn't agree more - what's are these lies? I am away outside to look for BIGFOOT riding on the LOCH NESS MONSTER.
    Thanks goodness. LOL
  • LaehJ
    LaehJ Posts: 2
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    If they haven't figured it out by then, I'd say 10 is a good age. After a certain age, you don't want them to feel like a fool for being the last to know. I was a year younger than everyone in my class, and I remember being hurt that I went to the mat arguing about it. I also used it against my parents for a while reminding them that they lied to me for so many years ha ha!

    But, seriously. The way I found out is that I knew someone who didn't get anything for Easter due to financial reasons. Mom turned it around and let me participate in helping to make someone else feel special by playing Easter bunny that year and making a basket for her.
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 756 Member
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    My suggestion is don't teach it to them.. I know this is difficult because they will find out about it anyway, but when they do become aware just explain to them it’s all a commercial facade for you to spend tons of money on unnecessary crap.
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
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    I think growing up and going to school, their friends will probably tell them and they can figure it out on their own. My parents never had 'the talk' with me about fictional holiday characters not being real.

    That's how it was with me. By the time I was out of elementary school, classmates and friends alike had informed me there wasn't a Santa or Easter Bunny or even a Tooth Fairy, plus a lot of the cartoons and movies I watched tended to debunk the fantasy in the process of making fun of it. I still got excited for easter egg hunts and what I would find under the tree each Christmas, but I knew the truth. Didn't mean I didn't enjoy myself.

    I don't know, it seems kind of stupid to fret over when you have to tell your kids that fictional characters aren't real and happily ever afters don't occur in the world because unless your kid's messed up and clings to those fantasies like a life line, chances are they won't really care. And why? Because they still get the same rewards regardless of where it comes from. Presents are still there under the tree, baskets of candy are always waiting, and money will be had for every tooth. Kids aren't dumb, as long as their benefits are still there it might be a few sniffles, a whine, and then lalala what's for dinner.

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