[NothingIsTrue]

Should you tell your children about the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, etc. as if they're real entities or as if they're just stories? If you do indicate they are not real, is there a risk of your kid being the one that ruins the delusion of all of the other children?

[Tall Mike 2145]

As an extreme case, I know of someone who lost respect and trust in their parents when he found out they'd represented Santa, etc., as being real. From his point of view -- and as I recall this was when he was still a kid -- they lied to him, and were no longer worthy of his trust. (If they would lie about something as minor as this, what else might they also be willing to lie about?)

I don't have kids, and to be honest I really have no idea how I would handle this. It's definitely on my list of things to discuss with my significant other / wife, once I have one and before we make the decision to have children.

[paul-c]

I would go with saying it's all real. They'll find out eventually that's not true, but they wouldn't hear it from me.

Sent from my Motorola RAZR i

[NothingIsTrue]

My oldest daughter is only 3 and she hasn't cared about either at all so far. I'm inclined just not to say anything until she asks...

[Mooncatt]

I think that's our plan too. Only we have 3 kids, so once the oldest finds out, won't be long until the others do too. If they're smart (and I think they already are to smart for their own good), they will keep it hush hush from us so they can milk "Santa" for all he's worth. XD

[jdbii]

My goodness, what kind of insane crazy whackos are all of you? You must all be communists

Of course you let children believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny!!! Next you'll be taking away Fairy Tales, Bedtime Stories, and Teddy Bears.

[Tall Mike 2145]

jdbii, do you believe in bacon?

(Just askin'...)

[jdbii]

Should you tell your children about the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, etc. as if they're real entities or as if they're just stories? If you do indicate they are not real, is there a risk of your kid being the one that ruins the delusion of all of the other children?

I think if they are old enough to ask if they are "real entities," whatever age that may be, well then they've kind of figured it out. But if they are like 3 and they are cornering you with endless questions, I think it is okay to stonewall and brush it off. Let the child hold onto for a few more years. I don't think there is any harm in kids finding out from other kids on the playground. That just comes with the territory of being a kid, and so much hinges on whether they are the oldest or the youngest, or if they have older cousins or whatever. I don't think a parent needs to be the one to give that info up.

Full disclosure. I don't have kids. I ran my poor mother to the ground for like an 18 hour interrogation on how in heck Santa Claus could do what he did when I was like 3. At the end of the day, my mother had gone bonkers. I just remember this tired lady looking at me completely exhausted and saying "YOU"RE RIGHT THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUS." I was completely and totally crushed. If you do give it up, be gentle. Kids want to believe.

[jdbii]

jdbii, do you believe in bacon?

(Just askin'...)

i am not smart enough to get this, but i've seen lots of your posts throughout the forum for the past month, and i figure coming from you it must be funny and witty, whatever the point, so i 'liked' it. if i shouldn't like it, or if i was the **** of a joke and didn't get it, don't tell me. let me think it is just funny kind of like, let me believe in Santa Claus.

[Tall Mike 2145]

Yes, for the record, I was attempting to engage in a humorous tangent to the discussion on this thread. I revel in merriment and laughter.

You may laugh, now.

Uh, Captain, he isn't laughing.



Oh my...

[apalm8]

Tell them that they are real and just let them figure it out on their own. That's what my parents did.

[geekymcfly]

Should you tell your children about the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, etc. as if they're real entities or as if they're just stories? If you do indicate they are not real, is there a risk of your kid being the one that ruins the delusion of all of the other children?

Im sorry but i cant lie to my children and allow them to believe in these things. I also teach them to allow people to be who they want to be and don't degrade anyone for unjust reasons.

Hear no Napoleon, Hear No Snowball. Just hear yelling, over the old ravens whispers

[kilofoxtrot]

You can always go the Rush Limbaugh route and tell them that Obama is going to outlaw the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Heck, many conservative adults will believe it too.

Nice two-for-one... agreed?

[NothingIsTrue]

We decided to go to a birthday party instead of doing traditional Easter stuff. My daughters are both really too young to really care about the historical context of holidays and I really don't like the idea of lying to them, but I want them to have fun with holidays as well.

[Fairclough]

Everyone finds out but it makes it fun. Like we set up camera's trying to find santa... dad found the camera pretending to be santa and revealed his id with "F*** off its Malcom" when our dog went skitts at him.... all recorded. It made more humour since we had already found out santa was fake.

[boovish]

It will ruin the joy

[llamabreath]

Tell them they're genuine fakes.

[SpiralBorg]

Make them find out themselves.
When Christmas comes, just write all the presents came from you.

The childhood trauma..
I just wanted a gameboy , Santa!

Sent from my XOOM.

[gollum18]

Think of it this way.
If you ever scold your children for lying to you.
Remember you lied to them first.

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[SpiralBorg]

Think of it this way.
If you ever scold your children for lying to you.
Remember you lied to them first.

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Never though of that.
Going to my parents house, immediately!

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[llamabreath]

lol

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