I've been doing a bit of research into this, and I thought perhaps if I brought this topic up in a forum that I might get some good feedback.
In the course of my reading, I've come to my own conclusion that telling Children that Santa Claus is real has more potential to harm them than to tell them that Ol' Saint Nick is just as make-believe as Harry Potter. I understand that telling children that Santa is real has become a pasttime in many cultures, and is a Christmas tradition.
The fact that I found startling, is that telling them he's real is just as much a lie as anything. Statistics suggest that most kids turn out okay when they find out their parents were pulling a fast one on them, about 62%, if I recall correctly. The problem is, that 38% still have negative aftereffects of the lie, and mistrust of their parental units begins.
In my house, with my daughter, Santa is still a part of the Holiday Season, but we say that he's just pretend. This, I believe, will continue to stimulate her imagination and help her to grow up in a trusting, fun atmosphere.
Let's hear what some of you have to say on this, and I fully expect some disagreements (my wife actually disagreed with me on this at first, but we've had some good discussion on it and have come to an equitable solution).
In the course of my reading, I've come to my own conclusion that telling Children that Santa Claus is real has more potential to harm them than to tell them that Ol' Saint Nick is just as make-believe as Harry Potter. I understand that telling children that Santa is real has become a pasttime in many cultures, and is a Christmas tradition.
The fact that I found startling, is that telling them he's real is just as much a lie as anything. Statistics suggest that most kids turn out okay when they find out their parents were pulling a fast one on them, about 62%, if I recall correctly. The problem is, that 38% still have negative aftereffects of the lie, and mistrust of their parental units begins.
In my house, with my daughter, Santa is still a part of the Holiday Season, but we say that he's just pretend. This, I believe, will continue to stimulate her imagination and help her to grow up in a trusting, fun atmosphere.
Let's hear what some of you have to say on this, and I fully expect some disagreements (my wife actually disagreed with me on this at first, but we've had some good discussion on it and have come to an equitable solution).
