How to tell the truth about Santa?
To tell the truth about Santa to their children can be heartbreaking for parents and also for the children when they finally learn that Santa is not real. It is a situation that needs to be handled with great care and sensitivity. Most times the children arrive at the answer themselves and feel cheated and lost. Others are confused by what their friends and school mates tell them and want reassurance, to keep believing in the magic. All this makes it even more difficult for you the parent to tell the child the truth in a manner that allows him/ her to accept it and not be disconsolate. Here are some simple pointers to guide you.
Way to the truth
- Expect this question to pop up anytime after your child has reached the grand old age of six. Some children don’t learn the truth till 11 or 12 while others want it to be revealed to them as early as 7.
- Take your child to a quiet place, either on the backyard swing or in the kitchen where both of you can make a cup of cocoa together. Ask the child what they themselves think is the truth.
- If the child says that he/ she believes Santa is real, tell them that he is real because Santa is real if you believe.
- If they say that they think he is not real then tell them that from that day onwards they have become Santa’s helpers who are needed to help in filling stockings.
- Let them also know that you, as a parent, were bound to a vow of secrecy till the question was asked by the child himself/ herself.
Do’s
- Maintain constant eye contact with the child throughout the discussion or the child will feel cheated and wonder if you are telling new lies to cover up old ones.
- Reassure the child about the spirit of Santa that endures just like he lived on earth ages ago.
Don’ts
- Don’t expect the child to understand and be prepared to expect a ‘denial of truth’ behavior.
- Don’t lose patience with the child.