Santa, The Tooth Fairy and the Fantabulous Fabularium of Innocent Myths

[Ace Otana]

So was just talking to aleia about Santa, and whether or not it's a good thing for kids etc., and I wanted to get some thoughts on whether letting kids believe in stuff like Santa is any different to religion, if we should be teaching them to think critically about this kind of stuff, whether there is a risk of harm with such things and so on.

Well I don't see any real harm. It's a fantasy but one to excite kids. It causes excitement and encourages imagination. Healthy in my opinion, of course when the age of reason kicks in, this is where they should be encouraged to think critically. For them to be deceived in the belief of Santa, it could provide a necessary wake up call when they reach a point in their life when things aren't so bright and wonderful as they perceive them to be, when that day comes that there is no Santa. That fantasies are not hard to spot and with critical thought, you'll see through them. To show them a fantasy world and then show them the real world, you could help them tell what's real and what's not.

I was once a fool, I believed in fantasies. But one day, reality came a knocking and I started to see what was real, the world as it is. For a while it was scary and wonderful. And it was for me, more impressive than any fantasy I ever believed in. Fantasies always have a happy ending, and there is always fairness and justice. Reality is hard, unfair but has far more in it. It is far more incredible. A child should see both sides I think. To see a fantasy world and the real thing. So they can better distinguish what is real and what is not. I believe there are benefits in fantasies for kids.