Parents with younguns: Do They Believe in Santa?

[stopbush]

My 7-yr-old girl still does, but I think this is her last year. She keeps hearing at school that the parents get the gifts. My 11 yr-old son hasn't believed in Santa since he was 8.

[rhino47]

1. My 7 year still believes

However I think this is her last year also.
One thing that I always disliked about the whole santa deal is good vs bad kids.I always stressed to her that mommy and daddy pays santa.So she would see there are some kids that get nothing not due to misbehavior but merely to poverty.Also so that she may feel compassion and be motivated toward kindness for those who have less.
There is also an insidious message in that.If you are poor you are bad.I think thats a terrible seed to plant in a childs mind.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. When my oldest was 12, he said,

"Be straight with me, Mom...you and Dad are Santa Claus, aren't you."
To which I replied, "Yes, but now that you've figured this out, you get to be Santa too." and I let him fill his little brother's stocking.

He's 17 now, and his 6 year old brother still believes.

[Sannum]

3. I quit believing when I was 6...

but I kept saying I believed for a few more years just so I could be sure that I got what I wanted. I had to come clean at 11.

[Maat]

4. My eight-year-old still does, I think, or else she's going along ..

with it. She really seems to enjoy the whole thing.

[Chalco]

5. The kids next door tried to convince my kid that Santa didn't

exist and that we were Santa. She was 7 and convinced them they were wrong since she had seen Santa in the sky (or so she thought or dreamt). Christmas is a lot more fun with Santa and the illusion. It makes it so much more exciting. She's now 12 and I assume she knows the score but we have an unspoken agreement not to discuss it.

[HEAVYHEART]

6. Kind of...

My 9 yr old isn't sure. She told me that she had heard from other kids that Santa is not real and that parents are the ones who REALLy get the santa gifts. I told her that it doesn't matter what others believe and that it's all about what's in her heart, and how she feels about that belief. And that if she wants to believe in Santa, then good for her. And if she doesn't, that's fine too. Last night she told me, "mommy, I think I still believe in Santa, but don't tell anybody ok?" hehe..

My 11 yr old of course won't stop about going on and on about how Santa isn't real. I told her the same thing that I told my 9yr old. And of course she's like, "mommy you can tell me the truth". And I told her that it's all up to her what she wants to believe. There's no right or wrong about believing in Santa, and it's all about what she feels in her heart.

Anyway, as with every year, each of them get one present from Santa, and I've decided that I will continue doing this until they're 80! hehe..

[Az]

7. Santa is the skeptics starter kit

After they figure out Santa they are ready for more advanced ideas like those found in old school Scooby Doo.

[CRK7376]

8. Absolutely!

6yo, she is totally stoked for Santa's visit.
10yo is starting to question and this will probably be the last year he believes..
15yo leaves us wondering...sometimes he believes, other times he's gone commercial...

Still we will read the Polar Express and hide the bell again this year. We've been doing the PE for about 12 years now...as we put the kids to bed.

[outraged2]

9. no

I asked my 7 yo what he thinks about Santa the other day.... he said "duh! YOU'RE Santa". He then informed me that the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are frauds too. But really, did anybody ever believe in the Easter Bunny? :)

We never made a big deal about Santa. I am glad that we are done with it and that he worked it out on his own.