Do you teach your kids Santa is real?

[UdoKier]

Poll question: Do you teach your kids Santa is real?

I teach my 4 and 6 year-old that the Easter Bunny, Santa, Tooth Fairy, etc. are all wonderful stories that we all like to play pretend with. How about you?

[UdoKier]

1. I dunno why...

...but I can NOT bring myself to lie to my kids, even about this. I don't object to others doing it, I just.. can't.

[JVS]

2. They think that Santa will whip them and take them prisoners if they...

are bad.

Told them that santa's elves are really just imprisoned bad kids

[Rowdyboy]

3. My parents let me find out for myself, at an appropriate age and I'm glad

they did. I was innocent and naive and, as a child, I was allowed to enjoy believing. My parents let me grow gradually into knowing the difference in fantasy and reality, without having to apply critical standards as a child.

They let me be a child and absorb the hatefullness of reality slowly, on my own terms. It was the kindest thing they did for me.

on edit: I'm sorry that you feel that its lying. I assure you, most 6 year olds wouldn't hold small lies against you. Its such a small lie, and innocence is so brief. Encourage it. They have far too many years ahead when they can be blase and cynical.

[UdoKier]

5. Honestly, even as a kid, I can't remember ever believing in Santa.

My parents went through the whole charade, but I never believed it. Maybe because I recognized their handwriting on the boxes... I t never bothered me - I played along. My mom insisted on doing it until I was like 15 and my brother 12...


I don't sugarcoat the world for my kids too much. They live in San Francisco, in the USA. If they can't handle the fact that yes, there are indeed homeless people on the streets and senseless wars...well, there are millions of kids crawling with flies, starving who would LOVE to trade places with them. They seem very happy and well-adjusted - having a good balance of play, fun, study, and reality.

edit - I forgot to say - TONS of affection.

[Rowdyboy]

7. Serious, I'm sure you're a wonderful parent and I'm equally sure

I would be a terrible one. As a child in the 1950's/1960's, I had no idea of the nightmares occurring in the world all around me and I really think I'm better off for not spending my childhood dwelling on the grim realities of life. I loved fairy tales and fiction and fantasy, but thats just my personality. You know your children, just as my mother knew her children. Point is, no one approach is correct. You treat each child individually, according to his or her needs and personalities.

Thanks for helping bringing up the next generation. My dog is about as much commitment as I'm willing to make.

[jpgray]

4. Santa outsources to elf slave labor using unregulated North Pole factories

:P

I say if you enjoyed the Santa myth and believing in it, pass it on to yer kid.

[UdoKier]

6. I enjoyed it and loved Christmas, still do.

In spite of being an agnostic, I still go all out with the lights, tree, carols, etc. I LOVE Christmas and Santa. I just never bought the story that there was really this guy at the North Pole who could make and deliver toys for EVERY KID ON EARTH.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. I sort of believe in Santa myself

but my daughter was always too much of the scientist mind to ever go for that stuff. All of it....Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, she just never got real psyched about it.

Then when she figured out Santa, she cried and wanted to know why we LIED to her.

Sheesh. Talk about guilt. She is so literal and I was more of a romantic kid so I didn't take it as a lie when I found out.

What I'm saying is, it really depends on the kid. Mine knows they are all fake, but nowdays we enjoy "pretending."

If I had to do it over again, I honestly don't think I would perpetuate it with her. We'd still enjoy the holidays and such (Christmas is my FAVORITE!!!).

[JohnKleeb]

9. wow I remember santa being the one I had the hardest time believing

as a lie, my grandfather hinted at it and I was like what lol. Santa though could be a great metaphor for all the great people out there though.

[Fleshdancer]

10. What do you mean Santa isn't real?

:cry: