https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:47:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-28838 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:14:08 +0000 Rescuemom10 28838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That is a FANTASTIC letter. Very cool!<br /> I know I beleived as a child and when I found out I was not upset. Not to mention that that "Santa" still comes. My mom now mails "santa's" gifts. LOL </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-28159 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:56:04 +0000 sbjmorgan 28159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I saw MamaMoose's letter posted on a different board and I'm definitely using it. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-28151 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:44:54 +0000 HabesBabe 28151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember reading something about how one mom told her kids she still believes in Santa, and that as long as you believe in the spirit of Santa, the gifts keep coming :) With my husband's family, they still get gifts "from Santa" and they're all in their 30s. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-28133 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:27:49 +0000 Crisark 28133@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My oldest daughter found out about Santa and the tooth fairy from a teenage brat that lives next door to her father. I would have told her probably this year or next but she found out last year at 8years old and it made me so mad.<br /> It's something I feel is wonderful for them to believe in and I for sure wanted that for my children. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27851 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:53:25 +0000 heffalump 27851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's not going to be as big of a deal for us as we're Jewish. We're going to tell her there's a Santa just so she doesn't ruin the fun for the other kids, I'd hate it to be my fault that all the kids in her class found out Santa wasn't real! Santa will give her a gift on Christmas (like he did for me also so I wouldn't break the news to my friends) because she's a good girl, but when she realizes he's not real I don't think it'll make much of a difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27845 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:45:10 +0000 junebugmama 27845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found out about Santa on my own (discovered tooth fairy and it all went down hill) I was very angry with my parents. I remember yelling at my Mother about how she was liar and she told me not to lie yada yada. It was really bad for me. I remember sobbing about it. I was 6 or so. Obviously, I wasn't traumatized by this for life or anything, but my Mom thought that she had a couple more years and was surprised that I figured it out. I think it's better to tell your children if you can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27844 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:44:52 +0000 Wondermommy 27844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ecogirl: Lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27843 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:44:06 +0000 Wondermommy 27843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I'm seriously considering using that letter! I'm grappling with how to tell our oldest.</p> <p>So, I was a slow learner, lol, and didn't really 'stop believing' until I was about 11. Yeah, I was skeptical up until then, but more than anything, I WANTED to believe, so I kind of kept it up for a little while once I started to suspect. (9-ish?)</p> <p>Apparently, my oldest takes after me, because he's 11, and I do believe I'm going to have to feed him a dose of reality. He's questioned it before, but I think it's time. Although, we do have a 3 y/o, so we'll need to keep up appearances for traditions' sake a few more years. It's fun. I like it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27840 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:41:11 +0000 ecogirl 27840@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Santa isn't real?!? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27816 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:20:24 +0000 Mrs. D 27816@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We will definitely have our kids believe in Santa. I don't know how we'll answer the inevitable question, but I know I was told not to tell so as not ruin the surprise for the other kids in the family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27811 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:14:39 +0000 daniellemybelle 27811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have kids, so I can just share my story. I think my mom handled it really well. I was a pretty inquisitive, skeptical kid from a very young age, and when I was 3 after we went to see "Santa" at the mall, I said to my mom in the car - "I want you to tell the truth. Is Santa real?" And she just asked me, "What do you think?" And I said, "I think he's pretend and its really mommies and daddies doing the presents." And she said, "Well, you're a very smart little girl! But just like all pretend things, other kids like to act like he's real so we can't spoil the fun for all of them."</p> <p>I don't have any memory of this, or of believing in Santa really, but I have great childhood memories of the magic of Christmas. My opinion is, don't directly lie to your kids, and if they want to know, they will. But let them enjoy the magic of it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27809 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:12:46 +0000 mrstilly 27809@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That is a great letter. I really like the part "Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too."<br /> Thanks for posting that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27802 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:03:02 +0000 MamaMoose 27802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Found it!</p> <p><a href="http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/truth-about-santa" rel="nofollow">http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/truth-about-santa</a></p> <p>Here is the text:</p> <p>Dear Lucy,</p> <p>Thank you for your letter. You asked a very good question: “Are you Santa?”</p> <p>I know you’ve wanted the answer to this question for a long time, and I’ve had to give it careful thought to know just what to say.</p> <p>The answer is no. I am not Santa. There is no one Santa.</p> <p>I am the person who fills your stockings with presents, though. I also choose and wrap the presents under the tree, the same way my mom did for me, and the same way her mom did for her. (And yes, Daddy helps, too.)</p> <p>I imagine you will someday do this for your children, and I know you will love seeing them run down the stairs on Christmas morning. You will love seeing them sit under the tree, their small faces lit with Christmas lights.</p> <p>This won’t make you Santa, though.</p> <p>Santa is bigger than any person, and his work has gone on longer than any of us have lived. What he does is simple, but it is powerful. He teaches children how to have belief in something they can’t see or touch.</p> <p>It’s a big job, and it’s an important one. Throughout your life, you will need this capacity to believe: in yourself, in your friends, in your talents and in your family. You’ll also need to believe in things you can’t measure or even hold in your hand. Here, I am talking about love, that great power that will light your life from the inside out, even during its darkest, coldest moments.</p> <p>Santa is a teacher, and I have been his student, and now you know the secret of how he gets down all those chimneys on Christmas Eve: he has help from all the people whose hearts he’s filled with joy.</p> <p>With full hearts, people like Daddy and me take our turns helping Santa do a job that would otherwise be impossible.</p> <p>So, no. I am not Santa. Santa is love and magic and hope and happiness. I’m on his team, and now you are, too.</p> <p>I love you and I always will.</p> <p>Mama </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27795 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:54:17 +0000 MamaMoose 27795@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will definitely allow my kids to believe in Santa for as long as possible. I think there is so little magic left in our lives that I don't want my kids to miss out on that. I was absolutely not mad at my parents when I found out Santa wasn't real. There was a great letter I found on pinterest about answering your kids once they start asking questions and figuring it out. Let me see if I can find it... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/spinoff-how-do-you-respond-when-your-kid-learns-that-santa-is-not-real#post-27788 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:45:18 +0000 mrstilly 27788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've been on the fence about having DS believe in Santa. I still have another year or two to really decide. I don't recall being upset with my parents when I learned that Santa was not real, but our babysitter didn't tell her kids Santa was real and put presents out early, so we figured it out pretty quick. </p> <p>Anyone pick an age to break the news, rather than having their kids figure it out on their own and be mad? Is there a good response if they are really upset about it? </p>