At a young age, children have a hard time telling the difference between reality and fantasy. I don't want to set a precedent with them that the things I tell them about, the things that make them excited, the things they really do look forward to... aren't real. At that age they can't tell the difference between the wonderful feelings of Santa or finding money under their pillows and the real rewards of service and accomplishment. We all have to have something to dream about and work to achieve and it's good to keep hope alive and even learn about traditions and myths. Telling the difference is certainly something that can and must be taught, but why make it harder at first? And why set them up for the disappointment of that first time they learn that Santa isn't real? The whole point of hoping and believing and having faith is that we hold on the truth and the things that matter most and are absolutely real: love, honor, integrity. It doesn't seem like a huge deal to some, but to others it can really have an impact on whether they believe their parents for a few years. I don't know how my kids are going to react, so we just don't do it. That trust is too important to me to blow it on a ghost.
And that's just my opinion. :)
Gosh, I sound like a total snob. Oh, well. Some thing about one of the ladies I work with that I really like is that she's spent so long in a career that she just doesn't care if people like her or her opinions anymore. She's nice, respectful, and kind but doesn't bend over backward just to get people to like her.
So... there's my snobby opinion. lol
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2 comments:
Why is that snobbish? It's a rational position not to lie to your children!
We don't do Santa or the tooth fairy or any of that either. We've explained that they are make-pretend. We've talked about what Santa represents.
So...our kids ask to play the Santa game at Christmastime. We have fun doing generous things anonymously.
I think there's an attitude out there that you're somehow a party pooper if you don't participate in the hype...definitely not true.
You are not a snob! I think every parent has to decide what is the best way to raise their children and standing by your opinion isn't being snobbish, it's just standing by what you believe.
I like your friend Kelly's idea about playing the "Santa game"--that seems like a good compromise.
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