What age would you tell your kids about Santa?

fatherted1969

As the title suggests what age do you think you should tell your kids about santa. Mine are 11 and 12 and i'm just back upstairs and i get the impression that they still believe. Kinda surprised if i'm honest.

amacachi

If they're 11 and 12 I would hope that they've made sure there's presents there for their parents from Santa.

Patri

Roll with it, christmas is way more fun when Santa is in the house!

a-k-47

believing in Santa going into secondary school could have disasterous consequences!

Micky Dolenz

Just like the wife, they are faking it. Presents are crappier when not from Santa.

Jesus Wept

a-k-47 wrote: »

believing in Santa going into secondary school could have disasterous consequences!

There are people in Secondary school and beyond who believe in far crazier things.

amacachi

The-Rigger wrote: »

There are people in Secondary school and beyond who believe in far crazier things.

If I serve the Flying Spaghetti Monster to you on a plate will you then believe!?

Doesn't matter, that would be sacrilegious so I wouldn't do it, you'll just have to take my word for now.

Hobbes

I could care less about Santa. While it is a handy threatening device ("Clean your room or Santa won't come"), it doesn't really add anything.

Some stranger broke into my house to leave a present because I followed some arbitrary rules throughout the year, and why did Sean down the road get an XBox and an iPad and a bike when I only got a board game? Does Santa hate poor people?

But what pisses me off is the "Must have Santa" mentality. For example, my mother got into an argument with me because I marked the cheapest present from Santa and only one present for my son from him. If it was up to her he would 2-3 from Santa and one ****ty present from me and the wife.

Your kids are probably faking it because they know they will get less presents.

amacachi

Hobbes wrote: »

I could care less about Santa.

Well it's good to know that you care at least a nominal amount about him.

Hobbes

amacachi wrote: »

Well it's good to know that you care at least a nominal amount about him.

I'd still rank him above prescriptive grammar nazis though.

stoneill

A couple of years ago the bedroom door burst open on Christmas Morning at half past four, SANTA'S BEEN! - about two hours after going to bed from a night quietly hammering and bolting some devious Santa designed doo-dah.
We wearily peered over the duvet - for feck sake son, go back to bed, your 16.

amacachi

Hobbes wrote: »

I'd still rank him above prescriptive grammar nazis though.

I wouldn't, last thing you'd want is him bringing your 8 year old daughter a Dildo album.

later12

Hobbes wrote: »

But what pisses me off is the "Must have Santa" mentality. For example, my mother got into an argument with me because I marked the cheapest present from Santa and only one present for my son from him. If it was up to her he would 2-3 from Santa and one ****ty present from me and the wife.

Whilst it's not the place of any of us to dictate a parenting style to you, I can see your Mum's point.

Christmas isn't its best when it's a mere tribute to your kindness as a father.

I worry sometimes that all of this preoccupation with being doggedly honest with young children is depriving them of innocent reverie, a wonderful, day long daydream about flying sleds and talking reindeer.

And as far as I can see, the greatest thing about Christmas is not only engaging the young child's imagination, but in teaching him a lesson about selfless acts of kindness between total strangers.

You have 364 days per year to show your kid what a great Dad you are.

Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to fuel a child's imagination and to introduce him to the better nature of mankind.

James T Kirk

I'm sharing a bottle of whiskey with Santa right now. He landed on my roof about two hours ago.

He's starting to piss me off at this stage. Getting a bit "lairy". Like a fat, beardy Liam Gallagher.

I WILL punch him shortly. :mad:

Hobbes

later10 wrote: »

And as far as I can see, the greatest thing about Christmas is not only engaging the young child's imagination, but in teaching him a lesson about selfless acts of kindness between total strangers.

You can engage a childs imagination without making them believe something fictional is true.

And Christmas has nothing to do with kindness between total strangers, it is about selling end of year stock at a marked up price. It is just a commercialized holiday and has been for as long as I can remember.

If it was what you say it is, then there should be no issue telling your child that Santa is coming January because it is cheaper to do so.

Hobbes

amacachi wrote: »

I wouldn't, last thing you'd want is him bringing your 8 year old daughter a Dildo album.

I said Grammar nazi. Not spell checker.

Ronin247

Hobbes wrote: »

You can engage a childs imagination without making them believe something fictional is true.

And Christmas has nothing to do with kindness between total strangers, it is about selling end of year stock at a marked up price. It is just a commercialized holiday and has been for as long as I can remember.

If it was what you say it is, then there should be no issue telling your child that Santa is coming January because it is cheaper to do so.

You sir are a bundle of laughs.Who p*ssed on your cornflakes this morning.

.

amacachi

Hobbes wrote: »

I said Grammar nazi. Not spell checker.

*Czecher.

Buceph

I agree with hobbes on certain things.

My parents told me that the presents from Santa had to be paid for (from the age of about six or seven.)

And why should some mythical being get the credit for doing something nice for your child? Because everyone else perpetuates the sham?

I think Santa is a cool dude. And has a place in our lives. I just think that letting kids know that their family is important (and I would only imagine loving parents would do so) is important too.

There comes a point, and I think it's fairly early in a childs life, where the need to know that Santa can't make everything true for everyone. They're are a lot of children who don't get much, if anything for Christmas. And it's far easier to let your children know that that's because someone had to provide, rather than because some fantasy they believe in is actually going to let them down. Imagine a child talking about the wonders of Santa, only to hear from another child that Santa was a geebag who left him a clementine and last year's damaged action man. That's an awful lot of philosophical torment to put on either child. The lucky one whose dreams are fulfilled and can understand why such a lovely Santa would hurt his friend (or worse: thinks his friend was bad throughout the year) and the unfortunate one who ends up jealous or angry.

Like I said, my parents told me that Santa had to be paid for his presents, because he had to pay for the Elfs work (and later my aul fella started going on about unionised elfs when I was in on the joke.) And some people can't afford to pay Santa that much for presents. This lead to a lot of juvenile philosophical thoughts about how life was unfair, and how things shouldn't be that way. But I would prefer my own juvenile dilemma to making another child feel miserable during a time which should be of whatever little joy can be scraped together.



Also, Merry Christmas folks. I've been up drinking all night and had some family issues otherwise I wouldn't be this much of a downer. Christmas is about love, and if you can manage that I'm sure that's anyone will ever care about.

Joe10000

Hobbes wrote: »

I could care less about Santa. While it is a handy threatening device ("Clean your room or Santa won't come"), it doesn't really add anything.
But what pisses me off is the "Must have Santa" mentality. For example, my mother got into an argument with me because I marked the cheapest present from Santa and only one present for my son from him. If it was up to her he would 2-3 from Santa and one ****ty present from me and the wife.

Your kids are probably faking it because they know they will get less presents.

Wow you're full of Christmas cheer.

robinph

It was never suggested to us that Santa was real. They did continue to push their version of the spaghetti monster on us for a while though.

slarkin123

I wouldn't tell them outright. They tend to find these things out themselves. My 10 year old announced last week that there was no such thing as Santa and we buy her presents. She's not devastated about the news so we're all happy.

Diabhal Beag

If they don't figure it out by 10 I'd worry for them

later12

Hobbes wrote: »

You can engage a childs imagination without making them believe something fictional is true.

Of course.

But you have already decided to make your son believe that something fictional is true anyway.

And since you have chosen to go down the Santa route at all, why not use it for some positive effect - fodder for the imagination, being one.

If it was what you say it is, then there should be no issue telling your child that Santa is coming January because it is cheaper to do so.

Not exactly; Christmas day is a unique window of opportunity when human interaction (in our society, at least) is mainly concerned with goodwill. As such, one might argue that children - and indeed adults too - are more receptive to lessons in kindness on this particular day.

If it were my child, I should think that dismissing Santa Claus and goodwill to one's fellow man as some sort of afterthought would be a sadly missed opportunity in teaching my son about some of the most gentle and benevolent traits that can, and ought to, characterise our society.

Dionysus

fatherted1969 wrote: »

As the title suggests what age do you think you should tell your kids about santa. Mine are 11 and 12 and i'm just back upstairs and i get the impression that they still believe. Kinda surprised if i'm honest.

I'd never allow them to believe any of this superstitious nonsense about a superhuman being flying in the sky with reindeers every Christmas. It would be unfair to let them believe in it, and then tell them it's silly to believe in a God.

Let's have consistency in atheist land, everybody!

MungBean

I wouldnt have them believing bullshít to begin with.

Joe10000

Dionysus wrote: »

I'd never allow them to believe any of this superstitious nonsense about a superhuman being flying in the sky with reindeers every Christmas. It would be unfair to let them believe in it, and then tell them it's silly to believe in a God.

Let's have consistency in atheist land, everybody!

Are your kids allowed to watch the superman movies or do you protect them from that silly nonsense too ?

endacl

I'd definitely wait till I was well into me 30's.

fungun

id tell them going into secondary school to prevent them being laughed at i reckon. Up to that would be great if we could make it.

If it was up to her he would 2-3 from Santa and one ****ty present from me and the wife.

This is exactly what we do, we buy a boardgame for the family and for now everything else is a santa present....much more magical that way.
I cant believe that you would prefer your kids to know the present comes from you (for what, thanks???) rather than have your kids get that amazing smile that santa not only got what they wanted, but a little extra something too. Magical!


oh and...

If it was what you say it is, then there should be no issue telling your child that Santa is coming January because it is cheaper to do so.

i think you would find that if christmas moved to jan, the sales would move to feb!!!

robinph

fungun wrote: »

I cant believe that you would prefer your kids to know the present comes from you (for what, thanks???) rather than have your kids get that amazing smile that santa not only got what they wanted, but a little extra something too. Magical!

I can't believe that you would prefer your kids to think the present comes from santa (for what, them to get upset when they learn the truth???) rather than have your kids give you that amazing smile that you got what they wanted. Magical!

Mike 1972

About tree fiddy ?

cynder

I think most kids have it sussed by 1st year, some play alone just to make the parents happy.

My lady questioned santa at 8 in 2nd class, it was forced on her till 4th class (age 10) when we told her the truth, she knew anyway...

She was told not to tell any other kids but most kids had copped it by 6th class. Some still pretend to their parents that they believe though. Just to keep their parents happy...

LordSutch

fatherted1969 wrote: »

what age would you tell your kids about santa

Nine, ten, eleven (at a push)?

amacca

I for one believe this thread would have received more interesting and varied responses if it had been titled

what age would you tell your kids about stalin

ScumLord

later10 wrote: »

I worry sometimes that all of this preoccupation with being doggedly honest with young children is depriving them of innocent reverie, a wonderful, day long daydream about flying sleds and talking reindeer.

But it's nonsense, I don't see the point in filling kids heads with useless nonsense, if only we where so enthusiastic about proper education, but no we'd rather live in a fantasy land.

I wouldn't be telling my children about santa in the first place, they#d come home from school one winter saying all the kids in school believe some sort of craziness about a fat man.

I used to always look forward to the present that my father got me on Christmas. It was always some big cool technic lego set that me and him used to spend the day putting together. That's more of a meaning of Christmas to me than any fictional character pushed out by a corporation. Family over fiction.

.

hondasam

I would never promote the idea of santa in the first place, I would let them have their little dream but would not encourage it past the age of 6/7yrs.

Pretty Polly

If they were starting secondary school and they still believed then i think it would be ok to make them aware. Sure most children would know by 10 wouldn't they?

wandatowell

Pretty Polly wrote: »

If they were starting secondary school

In fairness, if kids still believed in Santa when starting secondary school then id have serious reservations regarding their ability to look at the world around them and use logic

Mark200

a-k-47 wrote: »

believing in Santa going into secondary school could have disasterous consequences!

I agree. When I was in secondary school one of our teachers told us about a time that he was talking about the story of Santa and one of the kids in the class started to cry....

You'd wanna make sure you tell them before secondary school.

Dudess

The second they're born - and repeatedly until they have no hope left.

Plug

Dudess wrote: »

The second they're born - and repeatedly until they have no hope left.

I wouldn't leave it go into secondary school. It is always the hardy lads of primary school who tell them first anyway:rolleyes:

Dudess

I'd rather a kid have a bit of supernatural magic to their Christmas than to be ultra cynical for the sake of it, so I'd let them find out for themselves.
There's more to Christmas than crazy commercialism too. Your own Christmas doesn't have to be. Strikes me as unfair to force an ideal on a young child - just to be contrarian.

later12

ScumLord wrote: »

But it's nonsense, I don't see the point in filling kids heads with useless nonsense, if only we where so enthusiastic about proper education, but no we'd rather live in a fantasy land.
.

Do you see no benefit in developing their imagination? In being able to imagine something from what is not apparent? What about reading to your children story-books like Tom Thumb, or Aesop's Fables?

Imagination is one of the most wonderful gifts of childhood, and it is something that can leave an indelible mark on an individual's creativity later in life.

I think we're dealing with a sort of rationality paranoia here, a sort of dull puritanism by people who are afraid that entertaining children with fanciful, absurd, and funny stories is going to 'pollute them'. Do as you wish with your children, but personally I think it's a little short sighted.

robinph

later10 wrote: »

Do you see no benefit in developing their imagination? In being able to imagine something from what is not apparent? What about reading to your children story-books like Tom Thumb, or Aesop's Fables?

Imagination is one of the most wonderful gifts of childhood, and it is something that can leave an indelible mark on an individual's creativity later in life.

I think we're dealing with a sort of rationality paranoia here, a sort of dull puritanism by people who are afraid that entertaining children with fanciful, absurd, and funny stories is going to 'pollute them'. Do as you wish with your children, but personally I think it's a little short sighted.

There is nothing in the idea of not using Santa as the present giver that goes against them "believing" in other stories that you may read to them, or the characters that they see in cartoons on telly, or in mickey mouse and his Disney friends. They will quite happily "believe" in those other characters, but the Santa myth is portrayed as a different level of mystical being when he starts putting presents beneath the tree at Christmas and adult try and make out that he really is real.

Kid are quite capable of distinguishing between real and fake in other things they encounter, but adult ever tried to tell them that the Telly Tubbies were actually real. They will happily imagine stories about those characters though.

Dudess

later10 wrote: »

ScumLord wrote: »

But it's nonsense, I don't see the point in filling kids heads with useless nonsense, if only we where so enthusiastic about proper education, but no we'd rather live in a fantasy land.
.

Do you see no benefit in developing their imagination? In being able to imagine something from what is not apparent? What about reading to your children story-books like Tom Thumb, or Aesop's Fables?

Imagination is one of the most wonderful gifts of childhood, and it is something that can leave an indelible mark on an individual's creativity later in life.

I think we're dealing with a sort of rationality paranoia here, a sort of dull puritanism by people who are afraid that entertaining children with fanciful, absurd, and funny stories is going to 'pollute them'. Do as you wish with your children, but personally I think it's a little short sighted.

If I've kids I'll be in close proximity to BBC News 24 throughout my entire pregnancy, and from the moment they're born, they'll watch/listen to nothing else. :-/
Teaching them to read? Well it wouldn't be fair to expect them to start with The Economist, but they'll look at the pictures in-depth so they will!

nlgbbbblth

Tell them when they ask "is Santa real?"

Worked for me and my Dad.

Capt'n Midnight

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Tell them when they ask "is Santa real?"

Worked for me and my Dad.

You were around when your dad asked :eek:

later12

robinph wrote: »

They will quite happily "believe" in those other characters, but the Santa myth is portrayed as a different level of mystical being when he starts putting presents beneath the tree at Christmas

Why the separation? Why the sudden line in the sand there?

Lots of children believe in myths like Cu Chulainn, and Oisin and Tir na n-Og, I know I certainly did, and if anything it made me more curious about the world around me and what *might* lie beyond our comprehension; and definitely fired my imagination. Creative inspiration such as this is important, as it has always been.

I don't see why stories of Santa Clause must be any less inspiring, and certainly not more dangerous or harmful to a child than many other children's stories out there which children perceive to be real.

Noo

Do people not remember what it was like believing in Santa or something? It was the most amazing thing as a child. Those magical memories of getting excited and seeing that Santa had been still makes me happy. I'll never take that experience away from any child for my own cynical reasons.

robinph

later10 wrote: »

robinph wrote: »

They will quite happily "believe" in those other characters, but the Santa myth is portrayed as a different level of mystical being when he starts putting presents beneath the tree at Christmas

Why the separation? Why the sudden line in the sand there?

Lots of children believe in myths like Cu Chulainn, and Oisin and Tir na n-Og, I know I certainly did, and if anything it made me more curious about the world around me and what *might* lie beyond our comprehension; and definitely fired my imagination. Creative inspiration such as this is important, as it has always been.

I don't see why stories of Santa Clause must be any less inspiring, and certainly not more dangerous or harmful to a child than many other children's stories out there which children perceive to be real.

But if you had ever asked if those things were real then you would have been told that it was a legend / myth /story. Why not say the same about Santa?

later12

robinph wrote: »

But if you had ever asked if those things were real then you would have been told that it was a legend / myth /story. Why not say the same about Santa?

Not really as a matter of fact. We were taught Cu Chulainn as though it were ancient history, but that's irrelevant.

Santa is nothing more than a fun myth which can engage a child's imagination; why don't you just list your problems with it because I'm not sure what we're supposed to be defending here?