Should parents stop pretending that Santa is real?

xzanti

Ah the miserable bastards thread.

You're right on schedule.

Fluffy Cat 88

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Ever year this thread.


Leave kids be kids.

No harm or foul with Santa. Lovely time of year.

Last year's thread was my fault. I've spawned a monster

I think telling the children mammy and daddy pays santa for the gifts is a brilliant idea though.

LordSutch

DredFX wrote: »

Should parents stop pretending that Santa is real?

NO.

DredFX

LordSutch wrote: »

NO.

/thread.

LordSutch

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=101768211&postcount=151

bobomollard

Do Atheists tell their children that Santa isn't real right away as soon as they can talk?

They make such a fuss on the forum about making fun of people following someone that doesn't exist baptism, , getting their children out of religion in school, AA been religious along with hundreds of other areas

DredFX

bobomollard wrote: »

Do Atheists tell their children that Santa isn't real right away as soon as they can talk?

They make such a fuss on the forum about making fun of people following someone that doesn't exist baptism, , getting their children out of religion in school, AA been religious along with hundreds of other areas

One can partake in holidays/events with religious origins without being a proponent of the religion.

Baptism and religious education aren't comparable to such an event because the former is a Christian rite and the latter is designed to teach children about a subject matter that the parents object to.

You'd be surprised by the amount of people who gather round the tree and eat their turkey without paying a moment of attention to the Christian side.

nice_guy80

It also prepares them for the fact religions are a sham

DredFX

nice_guy80 wrote: »

It also prepares them for the fact religions are a sham

Bit behind schedule, bud. Already seen that line like forty times in this thread.

HS3

Absolutely not. But I think the annual 'Santa tracker ' and videos from the north pole are a stretch too far. It's not about factual proof, it's about magic! It's about using your imagination.

gctest50

DredFX wrote: »

.

You'd be surprised by the amount of people who gather round the tree and eat their turkey without paying a moment of attention to the Christian side.

And how about the Pagan side ? "stolen" from them anyway - as in the new Christian shower had their celebration at the same time of year

DredFX

gctest50 wrote: »

And how about the Pagan side ? "stolen" from them anyway - as in the new Christian shower had their celebration at the same time of year

Well, child sacrifices have been on the rise...

_Brian

_Brian wrote: »

This **** comes up year after year.

Kids are only kids for a very short time, where's the harm in a bit of make believe that reaches into their home and makes them happy.

I'm overwhelmingly greatful to my parents for all the fun Christmases we had as a family, proper magic times to look back on.

I'm on a position where my eldest is just a few years out of santa but my younger is a believer. My eldest was also greatful for the Christmas gifts she godly and enjoys being part of the magic helping he sister get ready for santa coming.

Far as I can see is only miserable pricks want to destroy the whole santa magic for young kids and I think they should be ashamed.

Brilliant post. I look back at the Santy days as the only christmasses i really really enjoyed and as a mature adult today im able to appreciate and accept they had to end at some stage. im certainly not traumatised or damaged from the experience as the 'research' seems to find.

Thinking about it, the opening of presents on Christmas morning with the belief that they were delivered by some magical means was probably the closest thing to the good endorphin's for a child that only sex or drugs could deliver in later years. Its a shock to the system when you first find out the truth and i admittedly cried. i found out at 10.

There are more traumatic things that happen to children in life and yet 'experts' trivialise the one good positive thing. Incompetent teachers or parents probably have a bigger impact on Childrens mental well being

mickoneill31

bobomollard wrote: »

Do Atheists tell their children that Santa isn't real right away as soon as they can talk?

They make such a fuss on the forum about making fun of people following someone that doesn't exist baptism, , getting their children out of religion in school, AA been religious along with hundreds of other areas

Atheist means you don't believe in a deity. I don't think there's a rule saying you can't tell kids fairy stories. You should have been able to figure that out for yourself.

gctest50

DredFX wrote: »

Well, child sacrifices have been on the rise...

800 to the sewer god in tuam : Christian nuns

doolox

Santa and the whole Christmas commercial theme is a ploy to get people to spend more than they can really afford. The ideal response would be to keep a very close eye on spending at this time of year to avoid debt and extending credit card bills but most people will give into their children and buy overpriced rubbish and be stretched in the new year.

Most people are only one, or at most two pay cheques away from homelessness.

In todays uncertain world, with the bosses unable or unwilling to lend certainty to the modern job, it is very unwise to spend recklessly and leave oneself vulnerable to bankruptcy, insolvency or homelessness.

So all ordinary people should extend a big middle finger to the over commercialisation of Christmas.....remember that he is the prophet who went mad with money changers in the temple......

Happy Christmas.

2forjoy

please think of the children

DredFX

doolox wrote: »

Santa and the whole Christmas commercial theme is a ploy to get people to spend more than they can really afford.

Jesus, you'd swear corporations had mind-control technology or something, the way these anti-commercial loonies are behaving.

Eimee90

newacc2015 wrote:

I don't think it is harmless fun though. There is plenty of studies that find children develop their spending habits at a very young age. I dont think it is particularly helpful for someone to be telling their 10/11 year old that a non-existent man brings them whatever they want rather than their parents hard work. How is a child supposed to be conservative around money when they dont know where it is being spent?

newacc2015 wrote:

It is important to keep Christmas magical etc. But it is more important that your children learns from a young age how to manage money. Christmas is a few days a year, bad spending habits **** you up for life.

Dear god, I'm lost for words.

BorneTobyWilde

Chris Mrs is aye bout Bibi G'sUs ,knot aye bout San Tee claws.

_Jamie_

ScumLord wrote: »

The people who thought they could vote for Brexit then change their mind afterwards?

Millennials voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU.

FortySeven

I wish people would stop using santy and mammy. Such infantile use of language makes me cringe.

D0NNELLY

GLaDOS wrote: »

I've never heard of anyone resenting their parents over Santa......

.......until boards.....

D0NNELLY

gctest50 wrote: »

And how about the Pagan side ? "stolen" from them anyway - as in the new Christian shower had their celebration at the same time of year

Pagans stole it from the Egyptians.. watyagonnado eh?

HellSquirrel

I don't have any problem with parents playing Santa with their kids. From the pov of a total dreamer of a child who really wanted the fairies at the bottom of the garden to be real and had all sorts of imaginary worlds to play in, I figured it out and there was no trauma to it. Let kids be kids and don't worry too much if they stay kids a bit longer than eight or nine. Children mature at different ages (and while on average they mature mentally/emotionally and physically more or less together, some of them don't. For me, I matured in the order of mind - body - emotional intelligence was later; I was mentally younger than my age).

Sure, for their own sanity in school, you might have to gently nudge them to accept that either a) certain things aren't real or b) it's okay to hang onto them a bit longer, just be cautious about talking about it too much. They do have to share the world with other people and it's kinder to help them fit into their community rather than be isolated.

Don't actually remember when "Santa" finished when I was growing up. Maybe nine-ten? I hung on to the fairies for another few years though and I don't regret it!

Chocolate fiend

I don't mind the whole Santa lie, I can get behind it but, it's not a huge deal for us because my kids go to a school where 75% of their classmates don't speak English as a first language and where at least that percentage don't have Santa in their lives. We do Santa because my husband and I enjoy doing it for the kids but, we don't go to any unusual lengths, there are no videos of him in our living room, there are no footprints or reindeer droppings in the garden.

Our children are 8, 7 and 4. The 8 year old doesn't believe, never really did, he is a dreamer in his own way, but, this one was never really for him. The 7 year old is totally invested in the whole thing, and the 4 year old can hardly sleep and it is still a month until Christmas day.

What I cannot get on board with is the stupid nonsense that is "Elf on the shelf" that is something that really gets on my nerves and just seems to add another layer to the already overhyped time around Christmas. An Elf watching to see if you are "good" and who does all sorts of naughty things while you are asleep? Oh and you can't touch him or the magic goes??? such absolute codswallop.

_Jamie_

FortySeven wrote: »

I wish people would stop using santy and mammy. Such infantile use of language makes me cringe.

I'm 32 and my mother is Mammy to me. Anything else sounds contrived. My mother called her mother Mammy even when her 'Mammy' was 79. There is no age to stop using the term, much like any term for mother.

Irish Guitarist

Or alternatively you could respect your parents for all the years of spending a fortune on presents and not taking any credit for it.

_Jamie_

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

Or alternatively you could respect your parents for all the years of spending a fortune on presents and not taking any credit for it.

Well, my parents used to make sure they got some credit, they used to tell us that they had a chat with Santa over the phone about our presents.

nozzferrahhtoo

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

What I like to do is go down to Smyths and when I see kids in the aisles at least ten feet from their parents, I kneel down beside them as if I'm tying my laces and tell them there is no Santa and that their parents are just liars. Once their bottom lip starts quivering, I'm outta there.

Actually what I do enjoy doing around Christmas is going into stores and making some passing comment about the Christmas Music to the staff there.

See the reaction to Christmas Music for most people working in such stores is they hate it more and more and more until their brain finally tunes it out. They simply stop hearing it. That is until some malicious git comes along and reminds them it is there, which resets their filters for awhile.

One of those little joys in life that makes Christmas shopping bearable.

JeffKenna wrote: »

Just because all of you are miserable bas*ards that's no excuse to destroy children's childhood.

Who is doing that, and how exactly?

Deleted User wrote: »

This is the part that gets me. Surely it's only special and magical because it's not true.

Not sure I understand that sentence to be honest. Probably my failing. But are you saying that the only things that can be special and magical.... are things that are not true?

I can only offer my genuine sympathy if that is indeed your view of this world and universe of wonder and awe that we live in.

DredFX wrote: »

Yes, for the months of November and December, because hey they're kids omg they're so excited but they're on their best behaviour because no gifts if they're bold.

And I am sure that is great and nothing particularly wrong with that. I just know I prefer to implement discipline methods that A) work all year around rather than just in the winter months and have my children behave and act morally and ethically for the sake of acting morally and ethically, not for the sake of maximizing their monetary and material gains.

Perhaps THAT approach is not for everyone, but I certainly see no fault in it at this time.

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Leave kids be kids.

Who is NOT doing that exactly, and how? This sounds a little assumptive as if "If you do not do childhood the way I do, then you must not be doing childhood". Exactly how, regale us on this, is someone not doing the santa narrative failing to "let kids be kids"?

DoozerT6 wrote: »

Is it any worse than scaring a child having a tantrum that 'The Man' will come and throw them out of the place if they don't stop screaming?

Actually I think that is ALSO a bad idea. It is ceding authority and is not a good move if you want your children to respect your authority and the discipline you lay down. Anyone taking that approach is risking undermining their own authority and effectiveness. It is similar to what many people call the "Just wait until daddy gets home" syndrome.

bobomollard wrote: »

Do Atheists tell their children that Santa isn't real right away as soon as they can talk?

I do not call myself, or identify myself, by the term "Atheist" but it is a term OTHER people strongly identify with. And to answer your question from my perspective.... because I certainly do not talk for all atheists, and many atheists DO do the Santa thing...... I did not so much tell them there is a Santa..... as I simply never told them, or implemented any pretense, that there was one.

bobomollard wrote: »

They make such a fuss on the forum about making fun of people following someone that doesn't exist baptism, , getting their children out of religion in school, AA been religious along with hundreds of other areas

Well in fairness baptism and religion in school and so forth are things that affect our children FOR LIFE. Whereas the Santa thing, whether you do it or not, is merely a game played at home for a short period of time. So the "fuss" is hardly comparable really.

HS3 wrote: »

Absolutely not. But I think the annual 'Santa tracker ' and videos from the north pole are a stretch too far. It's not about factual proof, it's about magic! It's about using your imagination.

It is, but the great thing about children is they are VERY much capable of using their imagination.... often much more than we adults can..... without them ever having to believe the thing they are imagining is actually true/real.

And I think this subtle fact is one that many people miss when they rail judgemental derision on the parents who simply choose to not do the santa thing.