Have we ever discussed telling your children about Santa Claus?
Ellie is, for the first time, old enough to recognize Santa, and while she seems to like him, I'm certain she doesn't know, yet, about the presents.
I never believed in Santa. I don't think Joe did either. For my parents, it was sort of a religious thing, but mostly because my dad hates lying in any form. He's really big on that. Anyway, I'm not exactly opposed to Santa, but I don't really want to lie to Ellie and tell her that Santa exists. On Bones last week,
there was this ongoing discussion about lying to children and when it might be okay. But that was about being in jail,
whereas this is something totally made up.
So what do you all think?
Unless I had a partner with strong feelings about it, I don't think I'd do the Santa thing with a child. For one thing, I don't really know how, and for another I don't really feel like I suffered from the lack.
G'ronklies, ev'one.
Hugs and hairpats to all who need 'em
Congrats to all who deserve them.
I need some tea.
Santa exists in Laura's house. We have discussed this before! There will be no dissing of the Santa! The boys in my house know that they dare not speak of the possibility of Santa being anything but real. Santa exists. They will mess with me occasionally to get the Evil Mom Glare. But being fans of finding presents under the tree they always confess their true belief.
Yes. This. In my house, you don't believe in Santa (or at least the spirit behind the man), you don't get a stocking filled with goodies. No bad mouthing the fat man.
Not really sure where CJ is on the belief bit. Even with the above, we have always treated it with a wink, wink and K-Bug has taken on the role of making sure MY stocking doesn't go empty (as it used to).
Jessica, health~ma to your grandfather.
So what do you all think?
I think I'd present it as a story and play it like a game.
I'm not sure just
how
I'd go about that, mind you.
And I'm pretty sure I'd act like Laura.
Yeah, it'll be tricky.
Kristin, tell me that eventually you have enough assignments written up to reuse them. I'm so tired of creating assignment sheets from scratch, figuring out what information should be included, how to grade it, how to communicate it... blah.
Yes! Not to say that you never make up newer, better assignments, but you definitely will have a foundation to draw on after a year or two.
Stephanie, I used to think that I wouldn't do the Santa thing because I didn't want my children to think I would ever intentionally lie to them, but seeing friends and family raise their children has changed my mind. I like the idea of preserving the magic of Santa and treating the revelation that Santa isn't real as an initiation into the adult side of maintaining the magic for the children. I don't know if I'll ever be lucky enough to have a child, but I think I'll be telling him or her about Santa if I do.
I'm with Laura and Suzi on the Santa issue. Growing up, we were exactly as Laura's family and still are. We still get Santa gifts, we still put out cookies. I'll bring Em and any others that come our way up the same.
See, if I had kids of my own I'd be tempted to come up with a totally new tradition. Like how every year, Acting Secretary of Agriculture Charles F. Conner stocks his briefcase with presents that he brings to all the good children of North America....
