General Discussion

Squinch

(59,714 posts)

54. If I were someone who thought the experience of Santa was essential to a happy childhood -

Reply to obamanut2012 (Reply #44)

Tue Dec 11, 2012, 10:20 PM

Dec 2012

(of course I don't, but there are those out there who do) - and your child asked me, and I went against your wishes and said, "yes, I absolutely believe in Santa" would that be acceptable?

I don't think it's responsible for a professional working with kids to be addressing this question at all. It is up to the parents how they handle this. To some families it is very important that their children have the experience.

I understand from your comments that you think it is not a good thing to do to children, and I know that there are many who think the way you do. But that is not the point. There are many who agree with you and many who disagree with you. It is not appropriate for any school professional to override the wishes of families on either side of this discussion.

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Texas teacher tells kindergartners Santa isn�t real - all hell breaks loose [View all] Liberal_in_LA Dec 2012 OP

wait til she tells the kids that jesus isnt real. then the merde will hit the ventilateur nt msongs Dec 2012 #1

i'm going to go out on a limb here... Mel Content Dec 2012 #4

Ah a fellow Texas hater AldoLeopold Dec 2012 #16

I'm guessing Mrs. Fuller won't be gainfully employed long enough whathehell Dec 2012 #31

According to the article, liberalhistorian Dec 2012 #39

Which is exactly why she told a room full of Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #38

It's a Waldorf School cali Dec 2012 #82

The child had attended a Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #99

Well you can add a bunch of posters in this thread to that list. Union Scribe Dec 2012 #83

Yep Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #100

My nephew who was about 9 at the time............ mrmpa Dec 2012 #109

And cross off Buddha, Mohammad and the Easter Bunny marshall Dec 2012 #57

Mohammad most certainly is real. white_wolf Dec 2012 #64

The historical man is much different than the myth marshall Dec 2012 #77

Just like the Founding Fathers Warren Religion Dec 2012 #85

True, people seem to have a need to create mythical heroes marshall Dec 2012 #98

Yes, I believe it's deeply engrained in human psychology deutsey Dec 2012 #101

I believe Buddha was real too. CBGLuthier Dec 2012 #110

They're all real in some sense--that's the point marshall Dec 2012 #113

First reply. Huge surprise, Union Scribe Dec 2012 #84

"One of the great joys of childhood" = "being lied to by adults" jberryhill Dec 2012 #2

A debilitating lie The2ndWheel Dec 2012 #9

I don't know jberryhill Dec 2012 #15

Lost the ability to trust adults and others because of Santa? The2ndWheel Dec 2012 #24

Are you interested in the opinion of a qualified professional? jberryhill Dec 2012 #26

Oh. Good. Grief. d_r Dec 2012 #30

But the teacher telling the kids that their parents weren't telling the truth to them pnwmom Dec 2012 #70

Agreed--I felt sick to my stomach when I came across evidence that my parents had lied to me. snot Dec 2012 #79

+10 whathehell Dec 2012 #32

I have never in my entire life known anyone liberalhistorian Dec 2012 #40

That may be true, but why add another brick to the baggage they're already carrying around? raccoon Dec 2012 #102

If that is what you have chosen for your children, I respect that and would never dream of Squinch Dec 2012 #112

Yeah, I figured it out when in was in 2nd grade deutsey Dec 2012 #103

Same here. I loved believing in Santa Claus and gradually I found out that he didn't exist. smirkymonkey Dec 2012 #115

My parenting style was just the opposite of this father chelsea0011 Dec 2012 #3

my feeling is as long as they don't ruin it for the younger ones.... ejpoeta Dec 2012 #63

This is about the teacher, not the parent. The teacher brought up the subject pnwmom Dec 2012 #67

It wouldn't have made me mad if this happened to my child in K school. chelsea0011 Dec 2012 #114

I always told mine this, "If you don't believe, no more presents from Santa." juajen Dec 2012 #81

Our Santa died behind the wheel last month. DollarBillHines Dec 2012 #5

Concert, proclamation honor David �Lumpy� Williams Downwinder Dec 2012 #19

There was not a dry eye in the house DollarBillHines Dec 2012 #49

here ya go... DollarBillHines Dec 2012 #55

sorry to hear that. Liberal_in_LA Dec 2012 #111

"pressing her beliefs on students...." mike_c Dec 2012 #6

Yeah, that isn't "pressing beliefs" obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #13

You must be fun to date Confusious Dec 2012 #52

pffft.... mike_c Dec 2012 #61

I told my kids...no Santa onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #88

Nah. Santa is fun, and it isn't the teacher's place to be disabusing kids of the notion of Santa. Squinch Dec 2012 #7

It's not like a teacher witnessing their religious beliefs obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #14

It's a teacher interfering in a place that is none of her business. If the family wants to have Squinch Dec 2012 #17

The story doesn't provide the complete context jberryhill Dec 2012 #18

I work with kids. That's one of the times I would say, "ask your mother." Squinch Dec 2012 #20

And if the kid asks you "But what do YOU believe?" jberryhill Dec 2012 #23

I'd say, "I believe you should ask your mother." Seriously. No way I'm answering that question Squinch Dec 2012 #25

I don't agree obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #44

Agreed. nt avebury Dec 2012 #50

If I were someone who thought the experience of Santa was essential to a happy childhood - Squinch Dec 2012 #54

Actually, it is. And she's also telling these kids pnwmom Dec 2012 #68

Agreed. n/t whathehell Dec 2012 #34

Now, that I do agree with. liberalhistorian Dec 2012 #41

True. Squinch Dec 2012 #48

She was reprimanded for NOT LYING to kids? dballance Dec 2012 #8

It's kindergarten Confusious Dec 2012 #53

I'm certainly glad I didn't encounter any of these oh-so-solemn-must-tell-the-truth Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #65

She wouldn't be lying if she told the kids that their parents will die sometime in the future. Kaleva Dec 2012 #58

??? onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #89

I think you misunderstood the previous post. pnwmom Dec 2012 #95

She was reprimanded for bringing up the subject and taking it upon herself pnwmom Dec 2012 #69

You're Serious? dballance Dec 2012 #80

Doubtful onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #90

Okay, I'll Concede "Your Parents are Lying to You About Santa" dballance Dec 2012 #92

I'm absolutely serious. No teacher of 5 year olds should say pnwmom Dec 2012 #94

What exactly is ... surrealAmerican Dec 2012 #10

That's exactly the point I was making elsewhere in this thread. liberalhistorian Dec 2012 #42

Here comes Fail Clause.... Initech Dec 2012 #11

Every year this happens, and I say "meh" obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #12

Easy "meh" for you. You were a year older and whathehell Dec 2012 #35

The teacher volunteered the info that their parents had been lying to them. pnwmom Dec 2012 #73

What a dumbass grinch of a teacher to spoil the kids' fun. Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #21

This isn't about "truth"; it's about USURPING parental rights. WinkyDink Dec 2012 #22

I believe there are many sarisataka Dec 2012 #27

Thank you. n/t whathehell Dec 2012 #36

Except those are beliefs, not facts obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #45

Santa Claus is a legend based on a real person duffyduff Dec 2012 #66

My five year old son told his classmates the same thing couple years ago nt abelenkpe Dec 2012 #28

was he fired from his job as child in kindergarten lol nt msongs Dec 2012 #29

Luckily for the children of the avebury Dec 2012 #51

The meaning of Christmas? Flying Goat Dec 2012 #78

That's completely different, pnwmom Dec 2012 #75

I proved for myself that Santa's not real lbrtbell Dec 2012 #33

Figured that out myself at age 5. nt MineralMan Dec 2012 #37

aww njcamden_25884 Dec 2012 #43

I would tell a child the truth about Santa if asked obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #46

That's OK, for *your* kids. But I hope you wouldn't for someone else's kids. Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #47

And if they are your kids that's fine. kiva Dec 2012 #72

The teacher wasn't asked; she volunteered the info, pnwmom Dec 2012 #76

an important part of the Santa myth is having the parents tell the child about it 0rganism Dec 2012 #56

Yes, the older kids delight in keeping the secret and playing along for the younger ones. Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #59

Yes, that's basically how it works. I was the oldest and when I found out pnwmom Dec 2012 #71

beautiful explanation Tumbulu Dec 2012 #86

There were different legends Tsiyu Dec 2012 #96

That's how I've heard many people approach it deutsey Dec 2012 #104

Why are you calling this teacher a *babysitter*?? gollygee Dec 2012 #105

People so overthink some things gollygee Dec 2012 #60

As a child Mrs. Fuller was on the naughty list and her parents had to buy the Santa... yawnmaster Dec 2012 #62

Real bright... RegieRocker Dec 2012 #74

I guess next teach will be pressing believes nadinbrzezinski Dec 2012 #87

Good idea, we need to make sure that kids know Rex Dec 2012 #91

Santa isn't real? Dang, there goes my iPad!!! mfcorey1 Dec 2012 #93

K & R Tsiyu Dec 2012 #97

lol. n/t Liberal_in_LA Dec 2012 #108

Honestly a sign of poor judgement by the teacher there are bound to be more examples. gordianot Dec 2012 #106

I had to have seven years of intensive therapy after I found out Santa wasn't "real" NiteOwll Dec 2012 #107