How do you tell your child that Santa isn't real?
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Yeah, had that conversation with my 10 year old and I think I cried more than she did over the idea that she wasn't a little girl anymore...I'm a sap, I know.
I took the approach of explaining that there really was a Santa (St. Nicholas) a long time ago and that the "idea" of Santa is still very real (people being generous and giving gifts, etc.). I also explained that parents did that for their kids because they love them. It's hard to get around the fact that we've been telling them about a person who doesn't exist anymore...basically we are lying to them but she seemed to understand what I was saying. Specifically that the idea of Santa is still real. I also included her on the stocking stuffing, etc. for her younger sister so she was thrilled that she got to be part of the "magic." Not sure how the younger sib will take it when it's time for her to hear the truth...not sure how I will take it either for that matter!
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Tell him the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy got drunk one night, stole a car and killed Santa in a hit and run. They got caught, put in Jail, so they'll be no chocolate or money under the pillow this year either...
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
My mom still likes to act like Santa is real - I am 34 years old and I am the youngest.
What is the need in telling him?
We didn't always get the name brands or exactly what we wanted and no one cared and was thankful for what we did get. My parents made sure of that by having us take a Christmas dinner and presents to a less fortunate family.
Don't take the magic away from Christmas! Doesn't matter if Santa is real or not...there is a more important reason we celebrate Christmas after all.0 -
I personally don't see why you NEED to tell him. Unless he comes to you about it and asks, eventually he may do that. But if you feel you must, I would ask him if he believes in the true meaning of christmas first. You may find out he may only still believe because he thinks he won't get presents otherwise.0
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11 years old?? He MUST know!! He probably just meant it tongue-in-cheek to make sure you get him what he wants!!! Or u will have to break it to him gently that you have been lying to him for years and there is no santa!!! (I really think he knows by now though)
My mum NEVER lied to me- I always knew that santa, the tooth fairy (and all other ridiculous ideologies) didn't exist- HOWEVER I didnt enjoy chiristmas any less!! I always got money when I lost a tooth etc etc.
I loved the excitement that came with opening christmas presents, xmas dinner, all of the family coming together... I still get excited now and I'm 26!!
So if he really doesnt know, he will still enjoy it because xmas is much more than a fake fat man coming down your chimney!!!!0 -
When he's ready to believe Santa isn't real, he'll tell YOU. I know.. I tried for two years to tell my daughter Santa wasn't real and she called me a liar!! She refused to believe it. Chances are he knows and doesn't want the magic to end. If he asks whether Santa is real, ask him what HE thinks... if he still believes, he'll find a way to rationalize the fact that there are price tags on his toys. lol.0
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Tell him the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy got drunk one night, stole a car and killed Santa in a hit and run. They got caught, put in Jail, so they'll be no chocolate or money under the pillow this year either...
love this !!!0 -
I went through the same thing last yr. Well actually the last few yrs. Since my daughter was 8, every yr she would ask if Santa was real. My response was always"what do you believe" every yr she said that she believed he was real. Last yr she asked the same thing, I responded the same way, she answered, No I don't believe he exists. Asked and answered. That way she was the one telling me she was old enough. I don't feel like I took anything away from her. Granted I will still put presents under the tree from "Santa".. Hope that helps.0
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I just went through this with my 10 year old. He asked me and I told him that if he believes then Santa still brings presents *wink* and if he doesn't believe then Santa won't come. Another wink. He has a younger brother and I basically pulled him in on the Santa "fun" to help with his little brother. It's basically what my mom did with me (as I was the older kid). I still had fun and their was still something magical about even though I really knew. I also like the whole Polar Express story.0
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Awwww...that 's rough. Not to sound totally credulous, but my mother thought she should mention it when I was in 7th grade. Yes 7th GRADE! Now by that time, deep inside, I knew, but somehow having her confirm in took the magic out of Christmas for me that year. When she said it.."You know there's no Santa Claus right?' I said, "Well of course." But it snuffed out a bit of joy for me. It left such an impression that when my husband and I adopted two kids we never went the Santa route. I say this, not to make you feel horrible, but to say, don't just blurt it out. Think about it for a while. You know your kid best and will figure out the best way to break it to him.0
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I was never told there was no santa but I figured it out on my own. it was fun to believe and it was fun for my parents. So why bust his bubble if he ask right out one day then you can choose to tell him there no santa or you can say santa is just a fun part of the holidays. I have kids and I love see their faces on christmas when they think santa came to our house.0
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I tell my kids the same thing my parents told me. "When you no longer believe in Santa, he no longer comes to visit on Christmas". I still believe and I'm 40 - if only I could wake up at my parents house Christmas morning so I could get more presents :] lol0
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My mom still likes to act like Santa is real - I am 34 years old and I am the youngest.
What is the need in telling him?
We didn't always get the name brands or exactly what we wanted and no one cared and was thankful for what we did get. My parents made sure of that by having us take a Christmas dinner and presents to a less fortunate family.
Don't take the magic away from Christmas! Doesn't matter if Santa is real or not...there is a more important reason we celebrate Christmas after all.
I can't believe that the magic of xmas will be lost because the man in the suit is a lie??? I still find xmas magical and i was never lied to!!!
y lie to your children???0 -
Tell him the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy got drunk one night, stole a car and killed Santa in a hit and run. They got caught, put in Jail, so they'll be no chocolate or money under the pillow this year either...
LMAO - gotta remember that one!0 -
I can give you details on an elaborate scheme we used to tell my nephew. It involved some photoshop-ing, a picture of a creepy pedophile-looking guy in a santa suit, and a screen shot of our states sex offender registry. He is (rightfully) terrified of people dressed as Santa now that he knows what 'chimney' Santa really comes down when he creeps into childrens' houses at night.
This:
Done.0 -
It also occurs to me that finding out he isnt real/just a ploy used by pedophiles, is probably the third most traumatic thing a child experiences pyschologically - other than confusion over breastfeeding till age 8 and being born.
and if you are a female, why the hell you bleed every month!0 -
Tell him the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy got drunk one night, stole a car and killed Santa in a hit and run. They got caught, put in Jail, so they'll be no chocolate or money under the pillow this year either...
Too good, lmao
As long as you are not worried that defending Santa might get him beat up in school. Just play it down, don't push him to write Santa letters, etc. If you don't make a big deal about it he won't either. If he ask you point blank, tell the truth, if his doesn't let the subject alone.0 -
they already know. mine is 10. she knows but she doesnt want to give it up so why not let her live a little? (mine i mean)0
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Wait.. Santa is not real?! Well now I know why Christmas morning sucks at my house. My kids thought they were just THAT bad.0
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Well my son is 9. I think he knows the truth but he asked last year if Santa was "really" real. And I told him the same thing my mom told us. If you don't believe in Santa then you don't get anything from Santa. In my house Santa always brought the coolest stuff like the swing set or the bike. Mom and dad usually put their name on the smaller gifts and took credit for the stocking once we were older.
But I do like the idea of one of the posters. Why not tell him the story of Saint Nicholas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas).
I agree that it does suck to be the one to break the news though. It's like you take another piece of your little kid away and they get one step closer to grown. Ugh!0 -
My mom still likes to act like Santa is real - I am 34 years old and I am the youngest.
What is the need in telling him?
We didn't always get the name brands or exactly what we wanted and no one cared and was thankful for what we did get. My parents made sure of that by having us take a Christmas dinner and presents to a less fortunate family.
Don't take the magic away from Christmas! Doesn't matter if Santa is real or not...there is a more important reason we celebrate Christmas after all.
I can't believe that the magic of xmas will be lost because the man in the suit is a lie??? I still find xmas magical and i was never lied to!!!
y lie to your children???
people like you get on my nerves. that is all.0 -
Find a homeless person that looks like Santa and have them tell your child that Santa (the person) lost his job due to the bad economy.0
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Find a homeless person that looks like Santa and have them tell your child that Santa (the person) lost his job due to the bad economy.
The way things are over here, I think he'd fall for it!0 -
Rant: My ex-mother-in-law told her children (my ex-husband) when he was four. FOUR. WTF. She tries to do that with my child and she'll be kicked square in the shins. And it'll hurt!!0
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My mom still likes to act like Santa is real - I am 34 years old and I am the youngest.
What is the need in telling him?
We didn't always get the name brands or exactly what we wanted and no one cared and was thankful for what we did get. My parents made sure of that by having us take a Christmas dinner and presents to a less fortunate family.
Don't take the magic away from Christmas! Doesn't matter if Santa is real or not...there is a more important reason we celebrate Christmas after all.
I can't believe that the magic of xmas will be lost because the man in the suit is a lie??? I still find xmas magical and i was never lied to!!!
y lie to your children???
You... should also be kicked square in the shins.0 -
Rant: My ex-mother-in-law told her children (my ex-husband) when he was four. FOUR. WTF. She tries to do that with my child and she'll be kicked square in the shins. And it'll hurt!!
I'll volunteer to sit on your jury. :bigsmile:
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I'm 27 years old. The day that I tell my mother "I don't believe in Santa" is the day I stop getting a stocking full of goodies at her house.
I knew that Santa wasn't real when I was around his age. My parents could tell that I was starting to figure it all out. So they played a huge trick on me. They put bits of red and white cloth in the door like Santa's suit got snagged on the door frame. There were other things kinda in the yard. Even though I KNEW it wasn't real, it really made me stop and go "What the .... How did ... But I thought ... HUH?!"
Let him keep his magic. Chances are good that he's not going to go around school and be all like "AMG guys I can't wait for Santa!!!"
Christmas is about magic and mystery. Let him keep that spark for as long as he can.0 -
Rant: My ex-mother-in-law told her children (my ex-husband) when he was four. FOUR. WTF. She tries to do that with my child and she'll be kicked square in the shins. And it'll hurt!!
I'll volunteer to sit on your jury. :bigsmile:
Thank you dear
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My mom still likes to act like Santa is real - I am 34 years old and I am the youngest.
What is the need in telling him?
We didn't always get the name brands or exactly what we wanted and no one cared and was thankful for what we did get. My parents made sure of that by having us take a Christmas dinner and presents to a less fortunate family.
Don't take the magic away from Christmas! Doesn't matter if Santa is real or not...there is a more important reason we celebrate Christmas after all.
I can't believe that the magic of xmas will be lost because the man in the suit is a lie??? I still find xmas magical and i was never lied to!!!
y lie to your children???
You... should also be kicked square in the shins.
lol apparently i get on peoples nerves and should be kicked in the shins!!! very funny but not very nice!!! lying to your children is not nice!!!!!! Christmas is amazing WITHOUT the lies!!!!!!!! go kick yourself in the shins for lying!!!!!! haahahahahahahahahahaha
seriously tho, xmas is still my favourite time of yr. I think people r annoyed and put nasty comments because i hit a nerve...... noone wants to believe they r lying to their kids. lmfao0
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