The Lies Need To Stop

The Lies Need to Stop.

            The mind of a child is malleable. I think a child, much like a pet, is trained in the first few years. Trained how to think, what to say, what to do, and how to react. You can tell a child almost anything with little to no proof and they will believe it. That's why they are so susceptible to believing in these made-up characters. So why do parents 

try to feed their children’s minds with the mystery of a man who can visit billions of kids in one night, or a tiny woman who gives away money for teeth, or a bunny who…what does the bunny even do? These fictional childhood characters are all lies and an inconvenience if I do say so myself. I can’t count how many times I’ve had to be careful not to reveal the secret around young, impressionable children who truly believe in these characters. 

I’m not trying to be the person who opened up a can of worms and led a child into frenzy because I revealed that Santa Claus does not exist. But in not doing so, I’ve also become a part of this master lie that started as a small white lie made by parents. I remember watching Grown Ups, and there was a scene where one of the moms accidentally let loose that the tooth fairy didn’t exist. That was the perfect time to just let her child know that all of it was fake. But no, she decides to lie and say that she works with the tooth fairy. Let’s be real for a second, parents need to be frank with their children. Instead of allowing them to idolize an old man who finds it relaxing to live in the coldest part of the earth, or a tiny woman who obviously has an obsession with teeth, or a bunny who I’m still trying to find the significance of, parents need to teach their children morals and manners. And I do not think lying to a child for the majority of their childhood sets a good example. Can I also throw in the fact that Santa Claus is a heartbreaker and dream crusher. 

What does a parent that has no money do with a child that has a long list for Santa Claus? When Santa Claus doesn’t follow through then what? Will that be the time to unravel the lies? Because Santa Claus has now also become an inconvenience to the parent? None of these characters would ever be an inconvenience if parents never introduced them into the lives of their children. All in all, I am completely against the use of these characters. If parents were honest with their children from the jump, there wouldn’t be any need for saving face during the holidays or every time a child lost their tooth. It’s time to get real. The lies need to stop.