CDZ Having a hard time teaching my children about the Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy etc.

[Vastator]

No one said it ends at the tooth fairy or Santa. They are just common expressions by parents, intended to foster a child's burgeoning, limitless imagination.

 

[AntiParty]

An interesting note about Santa, life and truth... My grandson asked me if Santa was real. He's nine years old, in the fourth grade. Thought it was time he knew, someone was going to make fun of him for believing. I told him Santa will always be there in your heart. He said "I knew it! He isn't real!" And laughed.

THen came Halloween and his brother was dressing as a pimp but no one would tell him what a pimp was. So he came to me and asked me what a pimp was. I told him it was a man who got paid for arranging dates for men. "Ha, he said! Now I know what a pimp is. Grandma always tells me the truth. When I grow up I think I'll be a pimp. I know a lot of people!"

^Your post was weird but dogs are cute...

 

[AntiParty]

It's all about having some fun with your kids, don't take it so serious.

They will realize Santa ain't real when they grow up, untill then don't be a buzz kill.

My parents were the buzz kill when they informed me they had been lying to me about Santa. That is the topic.

Your approach seems to be "Just lie to your kids and accept the stage when you have to tell them the truth"

 

[AntiParty]

Sounds like you're trying to lure religious types into an ambush...

If I wanted to lure "religious types" into an ambush I'd quote the Bible. This post is about the OP.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Part of being a good parent involves growing up to the point where you put their needs above your own.

Taking away their sense of magic and wonderment at an early age just to fill your own ego needs does not do that. It is simply selfish and petty, and as far as "controlling" children is concerned, does so much more in that regards than indulging in harmless fun.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I have a hard time teaching my children to believe in mythical figures. Am I the only one? If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.

. Why do we seek a supernatural mythical being to control our children's behaviors?

Why do we give Santa so much credit for the things we buy? Why don't we simply tell the kid that "We know when you've been bad or good so be good for parents sake"

Why do we tell kids rabbits lay eggs?

Why do we tell kids a mythical fairy will put money under a pillow if they lose a tooth? Why don't we just tell them we as parents will give them $ if they tough it out?

I want to tell my kids Santa isn't real and I can't get over it.

I think a child's childhood filled with magic and the supernatural is fine. Giving kids mythicalb eings to believe in when young isn't so bad. Enables them to consider possibilities a more grounded in reality upbringing doesn't. Leap beyond logic as it were.

I was raised with those beliefs, and while an secularist now there doesn't necessarily have to be a correlation.

 

[Valerie]

No one in your community cares whether you believe in Santa.

^That wasn't the topic, it was whether or not I gold my kids Santa isn't real. But I know you aren't good at "topics".

If I tell my kids "Santa isn't real" and they will probably tell other kids.

Not sure if you were confused about the topic or if you still think Santa is real

"If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target."

 

[ricechickie]

Kids don't need to be lied to in order to feel wonder. I remember my parents continuing the Santa charade well past my age of belief. I felt like I had to believe in Santa in order to make them happy. Very uncomfortable.

My kids, on the other hand, were told that Santa Claus was a fun pretend game, that he represented generosity, and that some people take it very literally, so it's not fair to spoil it for others by pointing out that the guy in the beard and red suit isn't really Santa.

To my knowledge, they never let the secret out to any other kids, unless they were sure that the other kids knew the truth, too.

 

[jasonnfree]

Sounds like you're trying to lure religious types into an ambush...

If I wanted to lure "religious types" into an ambush I'd quote the Bible. This post is about the OP.

You need to get over the idea that you, like most other right wingers here, are not a Christian. If you were, you wouldn't be so judgemental. I can be, not being a Christian.

 

[WinterBorn]

I have a hard time teaching my children to believe in mythical figures. Am I the only one? If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.

. Why do we seek a supernatural mythical being to control our children's behaviors?

Why do we give Santa so much credit for the things we buy? Why don't we simply tell the kid that "We know when you've been bad or good so be good for parents sake"

Why do we tell kids rabbits lay eggs?

Why do we tell kids a mythical fairy will put money under a pillow if they lose a tooth? Why don't we just tell them we as parents will give them $ if they tough it out?

I want to tell my kids Santa isn't real and I can't get over it.

Tell them about Santa when they are older. Let them believe in magic for a few years. Let their imaginations grow and expand.

Is it lying? In the strictest definition, yes it is. But it is also about love. It teaches them about working hard for someone else's joy and happiness. It teaches them that giving is important.

My parents told me there was a Santa, and an Easter Bunny and a toothfairy. They also told me our dog went to live on a farm.

Yes, they lied to me. But why they did it is more important. They did it to share joy and spare me pain. They did it because they loved me. No shame or sin in that.


Let me ask you this. If you came up on an accident and someone was badly hurt, would you tell them "Its going to be ok, just hold on"? Or would you tell them, "You are gravely injured and will probably die"?

 

[Judicial review]

Clean debate my ass.

 

[ricechickie]

I have a hard time teaching my children to believe in mythical figures. Am I the only one? If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.

. Why do we seek a supernatural mythical being to control our children's behaviors?

Why do we give Santa so much credit for the things we buy? Why don't we simply tell the kid that "We know when you've been bad or good so be good for parents sake"

Why do we tell kids rabbits lay eggs?

Why do we tell kids a mythical fairy will put money under a pillow if they lose a tooth? Why don't we just tell them we as parents will give them $ if they tough it out?

I want to tell my kids Santa isn't real and I can't get over it.

Tell them about Santa when they are older. Let them believe in magic for a few years. Let their imaginations grow and expand.

Is it lying? In the strictest definition, yes it is. But it is also about love. It teaches them about working hard for someone else's joy and happiness. It teaches them that giving is important.

My parents told me there was a Santa, and an Easter Bunny and a toothfairy. They also told me our dog went to live on a farm.

Yes, they lied to me. But why they did it is more important. They did it to share joy and spare me pain. They did it because they loved me. No shame or sin in that.


Let me ask you this. If you came up on an accident and someone was badly hurt, would you tell them "Its going to be ok, just hold on"? Or would you tell them, "You are gravely injured and will probably die"?

Not to get too far off the topic, but I also have heard of parents who told their kids that the dog went to live on a farm, or worse, that the dog ran away.

I don't understand that. Even in the classroom, when a class pet died (happens pretty often when you keep hamsters), I let the children know what happened, I even put the body on display. They have questions, and I think it's better for the child to experience the facts of death with a pet well before they experience a loved human dying.

I would have been devastated to be told, as a child, that my cat ran away or went to live with someone else, and I couldn't have said goodbye.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Sounds like you're trying to lure religious types into an ambush...

I also saw the relationship between fictional Santa, fictional god, fictional easter bunny, fictional Tinkerbell and someone mentioned Dr Seuss.

I don't see the problem.

Learning to tell the difference between real and imaginary is part of growing up. Some people believe that some imaginary creatures are real and some do not. Why not just teach them that?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Kids don't need to be lied to in order to feel wonder. I remember my parents continuing the Santa charade well past my age of belief. I felt like I had to believe in Santa in order to make them happy. Very uncomfortable.

My kids, on the other hand, were told that Santa Claus was a fun pretend game, that he represented generosity, and that some people take it very literally, so it's not fair to spoil it for others by pointing out that the guy in the beard and red suit isn't really Santa.

To my knowledge, they never let the secret out to any other kids, unless they were sure that the other kids knew the truth, too.

I agree that kids don't need to be lied to in order to feel wonder.

What's more fun to play with a child than "let's pretend"?

Santa is based on an actual person but the other imaginary creatures we tell kids about are not. Easter bunny, various "gods", Tinkerbell, tooth fairy - none are based on anything but myths and legends.

Kids aren't stupid. They know the couch cushions and bed blankets aren't really a fort and they know all those creatures aren't real. Knowing that does not take away any of the magic or the imagination.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

I have a hard time teaching my children to believe in mythical figures. Am I the only one? If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.

. Why do we seek a supernatural mythical being to control our children's behaviors?

Why do we give Santa so much credit for the things we buy? Why don't we simply tell the kid that "We know when you've been bad or good so be good for parents sake"

Why do we tell kids rabbits lay eggs?

Why do we tell kids a mythical fairy will put money under a pillow if they lose a tooth? Why don't we just tell them we as parents will give them $ if they tough it out?

I want to tell my kids Santa isn't real and I can't get over it.

Tell them about Santa when they are older. Let them believe in magic for a few years. Let their imaginations grow and expand.

Is it lying? In the strictest definition, yes it is. But it is also about love. It teaches them about working hard for someone else's joy and happiness. It teaches them that giving is important.

My parents told me there was a Santa, and an Easter Bunny and a toothfairy. They also told me our dog went to live on a farm.

Yes, they lied to me. But why they did it is more important. They did it to share joy and spare me pain. They did it because they loved me. No shame or sin in that.


Let me ask you this. If you came up on an accident and someone was badly hurt, would you tell them "Its going to be ok, just hold on"? Or would you tell them, "You are gravely injured and will probably die"?

Not to get too far off the topic, but I also have heard of parents who told their kids that the dog went to live on a farm, or worse, that the dog ran away.

I don't understand that. Even in the classroom, when a class pet died (happens pretty often when you keep hamsters), I let the children know what happened, I even put the body on display. They have questions, and I think it's better for the child to experience the facts of death with a pet well before they experience a loved human dying.

I would have been devastated to be told, as a child, that my cat ran away or went to live with someone else, and I couldn't have said goodbye.

Anyway, that's my two cents.

I agree with you that kids should be told the (age appropriate) truth.

But a lot of adults are afraid of the truth. That's why they tell their kids lies about dead animals, imaginary gods and why they can't bring themselves to tell their kids the real names of their body parts.

 

[Conservative65]

No one in your community cares whether you believe in Santa.

^That wasn't the topic, it was whether or not I gold my kids Santa isn't real. But I know you aren't good at "topics".

If I tell my kids "Santa isn't real" and they will probably tell other kids.

Not sure if you were confused about the topic or if you still think Santa is real

No I am not confused at all. You said 'If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.'

It is clear you are not really concerned about your kids, rather the delusional idea that you are important enough that anyone in the 'community' knows or cares who you are. I simply pointed out that you aren't.

Isn't it funny how those like him think more highly of themselves or that others actually know who they are?

 

[Conservative65]

Kids don't need to be lied to in order to feel wonder. I remember my parents continuing the Santa charade well past my age of belief. I felt like I had to believe in Santa in order to make them happy. Very uncomfortable.

My kids, on the other hand, were told that Santa Claus was a fun pretend game, that he represented generosity, and that some people take it very literally, so it's not fair to spoil it for others by pointing out that the guy in the beard and red suit isn't really Santa.

To my knowledge, they never let the secret out to any other kids, unless they were sure that the other kids knew the truth, too.

I agree that kids don't need to be lied to in order to feel wonder.

What's more fun to play with a child than "let's pretend"?

Santa is based on an actual person but the other imaginary creatures we tell kids about are not. Easter bunny, various "gods", Tinkerbell, tooth fairy - none are based on anything but myths and legends.

Kids aren't stupid. They know the couch cushions and bed blankets aren't really a fort and they know all those creatures aren't real. Knowing that does not take away any of the magic or the imagination.

Do people tell your kids that you're real? They lied.

 

[Ellipsis]

I have a hard time teaching my children to believe in mythical figures. Am I the only one? If I'm the only person in the community that teaches my children these lies don't exist, I will become a target.

. Why do we seek a supernatural mythical being to control our children's behaviors?

Why do we give Santa so much credit for the things we buy? Why don't we simply tell the kid that "We know when you've been bad or good so be good for parents sake"

Why do we tell kids rabbits lay eggs?

Why do we tell kids a mythical fairy will put money under a pillow if they lose a tooth? Why don't we just tell them we as parents will give them $ if they tough it out?

I want to tell my kids Santa isn't real and I can't get over it.

I would say to my kids something like "the Santa game is fun". Then they would say "but grandma said Santa is real". And I would respond "as real as Mario, yes. Don't you like playing Mario games, too?"

They got the idea.

I like to think I maintained the holiday spirit while not lying to my kids.

 

[PredFan]

We never did any if that except for Santa. We didn't make it a point to NOT talk about it we just didn't push it.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Afaik, no one ever became an atheist, or super religious because they were raised with Santa, the Easter Bunny, etc.