Santa

yes~ children also have good dream . so let us give some good dream to them~

Many children are much more perceptive and intelligent than some adults imagine. For this reason alone, children should not be told the Santa Claus lie. Many children do question other things their parents tell them because of the Santa Clause lie. I agree that some children start to not trust what their parents tell them about other things because of the Santa Claus lie. The Santa Clause lie teaches children that their parents will lie to them when the parents deem it for the children's own good. The children conclude the parents have no trust in their ability to evaluate information. This can be perceived as a lack of respect. This lack of respect becomes a 2 way street. It can set a pattern that lasts a life time. So, you think no child ever has thoughts like these? I assure you that you are wrong. It is for those of you that think a child can not have such thoughts that I wrote, "Many children are much more perceptive and intelligent than some adults imagine.".

Hi! Well, I don't want to tell my daughter about santa because I agree, it is a lie and she could be very angry later when she gets older and finds that out. Santa scared me when I was a kid. I can't imagine that being fun for little kids. I think kids are better off without that lie. I hope I can keep my daughter from it.

If you tell your children that Santa helps you get them gifts, or maybe that you help Santa give them gifts it wouldn't be such a big shock later for them to find out that Santa is mythical.

if u really believe the Scriptures then u would expose the lies. santa is a hoax. teach ur children the Scriptures and not the lies. have a nice day!!!

I think it's good to encourage children to believe in magic and that anything is possible. I can see what your saying but could you imagine not having santa when you were little? Now when they get to the point and ask straight up then I think you tell them that's hes not real. I still pretend to believe in santa and I'm 26 - because it's fun!

all of you who don't know should look up Kriss Kringle in the encyclopedia. christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it's not you or your childrens birthday. so why is everyone or anyone getting gifts on Jesus's birthday? does everyone get a gift when it is someone elses birhday? Kriss Kringle was a real man who gave to small children of poor familys so they wouldn't feel left out and he cared about them, he was a saint for all children. so if you don't want to lie to your children, then don't. find a book telling about the man Kriss Kringle and tell them the truth and be very sure you teach them that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ.

I never really wanted my son to believe in Santa Clause for the same reasons that you have mentioned, and I did not want my son to grow up thinking that I lied to him about everything, but with being around other kids, tv, and seeing santas in the malls he has come to think that there is santa clause but he knows that we buy him stuff for Christmas and just brushes off the idea of santa clause bringing kids presents. I am pretty much allowing him, now, to believe in what he wants to believe, and if he choses to believe in Santa Clause that is his own choice, but I will never force any beliefs on him or any of my other children, the same as I will never tell him that Santa isn't real, he will eventually realize this without my intervention as he already knows that we buy his Christmas presents. Just like Easter, he has no clue about the Easter bunny, ect, all he knows about Easter is that we get him an Easter basket with candy and toys, he dyes eggs, and hides/hunts them at my mil house with all the other kids, its another holiday filled with family dinners, fun, and love. Once he is older ill explain the reasons for all the holidays.

I think each family should just make their own decision. However, if they choose to tell their kids Santa is not real they should also instruct them not to go spreading that around to the other kids at school and upsetting them. I really don't think it is that big a deal in the long run. What is really important is that they be taught the TRUE reason for Christmas. The birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

We also told our children the story of St. Nicholas and the joy of celebrating Christmas. We told our children that Santa Claus was a spirit and all the Santas they saw in the mall were real people acting for Santa and the spirit of Christmas. I am sure they did not fully understand what we said but there was never any shock when they were old enough to comprehend.

yes u should so as to make the child more imaginative and which inturn helps in better mental growth

OHhhhhh, Santa's not real :o( (just jocking ;o) ) MMM, I consider it's not lies, it belongs to all the fairytales, and fairytales are usefull to develop imagination. If you're scared about Santa, what's up with the little red riding hood, or fairies, or dwarfes or whatever belonging to fairytales. No, I don't think it's a lie... Now, Saint Nicholas became Santa KLAUS (Klaus meaning Nicholas) when "emigrating" to US, and what would avoid to tell about both? I'm from a region in France, where we do celebrate both (as well as Jesus birth oviously!) Anyway, I'm sure that fairytales are really important concerning Child developement, and Santa Klaus belongs to these fairytales .

The childhood is known & remembered as those days when we used to hear stories & fairytales.I guess the serious talk could come in the later parts of life when they see the harsh realties of life.For the children let them have thier share of Fantasy world & enjoy life to the fullest

Hello, I really dont believe in lying to children, they are not stupid and will find out, if we lie to them we are teaching them that it is ok to lie!

I think having children believe in Santa Claus is a good idea. I think it teaches a child about giving without getting the recognition for it. Because if a parent does it right. They can have their children help them be a secret Santa to someone who needs it..to help spread the joy.

What a load of bullocks... Sorry but this is my opinion. Everyone has the right to tell their children what they believe is right, but do you add on to your child that there are some children out there that do believe in a santa???? Are they the little ones in the schools who tell all the other kids in the class that thier parents are lying to them? Do what you want with your own kid, but be aware when it starts spilling out to other children around you and other parents get mad at you... hmmmm what happens when in the class room they have activities involving santa, do you allow that? or do you chastise the teachers for "lying" to your child. Please, the sprit of chistmas has become far too damn political, let kids be kids. BTW, I dont believe you dont lie to your children. NO PARENT doesnt lie to thier child at least once.

SANTA IS REAL!!!! lol ...well, i believe that letting children dream and have an imagination is very important. i also believe in the 'spirit' of santa, meaning what he means to everyone else...giving and kindness, being unselfish and helping those in need...i want my children to still have those values once the realize santa isn't real...but then santa will still be alive in our hearts everytime the holidays come around, and maybe beyond that. even now as a grown up, the thought of santa clause can make anyone happy. children at a young age (like my children are 3 & 4) need the image to help them understand whats going on, it's not lying.

I don't like telling lies either. You can tell them about Santa, who in the past really existed (not as some type of magical fairy though), in the Netherlands. That's how my grandparents explained Santa to us. But my parents lied about it and made him seem like magic. We always wondered why Santa bought rich kids better presents. I think it made it easier for us to figure it out very quickly. Especially when you get a hand-me-down in your stocking! It's pretty hard to lie your way out of that! As soon as I calculated out that Santa could have no way done all that flying and gift giving in one night, I knew the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy also were not real. And then I thought about God and the miracles and all that stuff, and knew it was just like Santa. I won't be telling my children any of those things as truths. I'll just tell them the stories and tell them that's what they are, stories.

When I found out that Santa Claus wasn't real, and I knew that night that my mother was lying to me and trying to hide what I'd found out, I didn't really feel hurt or anything like that. It was OK, I just understood, because I'd grown enough for the fairy tale to be over. There are hundreds of things that children like to believe as they grow up, and it's just a matter of time as to when they grow out of them. Not just Santa, or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy. There are other, more subtle things, too. For example, a child hides under a blanket and the mother says "Oh no, I don't see Jimmy anymore! Where did he go?" and this does not harm the child, it inspires play. But no one will complain about that little lie. Santa Claus was fun, and I'm glad my family let me play that game as I grew, it's a right of passage that many children go through.

I was thinking the same thing last night. This will be my son't first Christmas. I was talking to my husband about telling our son about Santa and how it really is kinda strange to have this tradition. I asked him what he thought of letting our son know from the start that Santa wasn't real. He thought that was a bad idea, that our son would go around telling all the other kids that he wasn't real, and it would ruin Christmas's for him for years to come. I guess I agree. It is so much fun to think of Santa. I remember loving it as a child. I think it's more of a fairytale than an outright lie though. I mean most kids will get over it when they figure it out. Of course the ones that find out before "their time" that Santa isn't real might have a harder time.