Many people have talked about whether or not parents should tell their children that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy do not exist. Should parents tell their children and if so, how do they do it and when do they tell them?? These are all questions that surround these imaginary characters and the effect they can have on children. Parents just want to keep their children happy but they always fear the effects of their children finding out the truth. After all those years of believing that Santa Claus was real, some children have a hard time because they think that they were lied to, especially by people who are so close to them. Once a child gets to the certain age, especially between ages 6-10, they start questioning the existence of the tooth fairy and other characters that their parents told them about when they were younger. These questions brought up by the children soon lead to parents questioning themselves and what they have done and if it's finally time from them to tell the truth.
When I was younger, I remember always leaving out cookies and milk for Santa Claus near the fireplace and waking up in the morning to find the cookies eaten and an empty glass. All I could think about that early Christmas morning was 'What did Santa bring me?' and did my dad catch him on tape sneaking into our fireplace? (P.S. As a child, I told my dad to leave out a video camera to record Santa sneaking in and leaving our presents). However, after all of the excitement of opening our presents, I went to my parents room to get something and I opened one of their drawers and saw the cookies I made wrapped in a napkin. I couldn't believe my eyes and yet I couldn't undo what I saw. All of this because my parents kept encouraging me to believe in Santa Claus and I didn't know how to feel. Well, I know I would've felt better if I didn't find out like that...but life goes on!
I wasn't sure why my parents lied to me at that time but I know it wasn't to trick me...it was to help me progress in life and show me that it's okay to create a sense of hope because I was so young and helpless. And as I got older, I understood that this lie would never hurt me; it is said that little lies like these can actually enhance imagination as a kid. Do you remember the phrase "Be good or Santa won't bring you anything for Christmas"? Well, this phrase has actually been beneficial in psychological studies because it can help form a child's behavior and for the better. I was never mad at my parents, only confused. And in the future, I will teach my kids to believe in Santa Claus but only up to a certain age because I want them to have an imaginative childhood as well as stability in their life.
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