![]() ![]() I am an exception to this, as I have never focused on telling my kids that Santa is real. ![]() Whether it is out of our own desperate desire to return to the fantastical innocence of childhood or out of our love for our kids and wanting them to experience the magic of Christmas, the tendency is to err on the side of convincing our children to believe in Santa. We get wrapped up in the emotion behind such movies as The Polar Express and Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, and many of us earnestly want our kids to believe in Santa for as long as possible. What’s the Answer to the Santa Claus Debate? They will potentially become reliant on these external motivators, and discipline will be replaced with bribery. If children become accustomed to only exhibiting good behavior when or because there is a reward, then the habit of behaving because it’s simply the right thing to do can become increasingly less instinctive for some children. Justin Coulson states, “Research shows that kids who are lied to by their parents are more likely to lie themselves.” In the minds of children, they begin questioning any truths told by their parents as clinical psychologist Kathy McKay warns, “If parents can lie so convincingly and over such a long time, what else can they lie about?”Īdditionally, the extrinsic behavior motivation that comes from avoiding Santa’s naughty list at Christmas can create a discipline nightmare for parents. They believe that the distrust that is built within kids upon discovering their parents lied to them causes much more harm than any good the initial lie may have provided. However, many experts state that in fact it’s not worth it. The Potential Harm in Having Kids Believe in Santa Moyer with the University of New England asks, “Might it be the case that the harshness of real life requires the creation of something better, something to believe in, something to hope for in the future?” If believing that someone cares enough to take note of them and their good behavior and then flies around the earth to arrive at their home to give them a gift makes even just one child smile at Christmas, then maybe it’s all worth it. In a world where kids are facing countless stressors, hectic schedules, and traumatizing events, having something good for them to focus on around the holidays can provide a glimmer of joy in a perhaps otherwise dismal environment. Although, it can be argued that imagination and creativity are more effectively applied when the object is known to be pretend or fictional rather than understood and believed as real. Parenting columnist Melinda Wenner Moyer encourages belief by saying, “Fantasy play forces kids to think through hypothetical or counterfactual scenarios, which bolsters their reasoning skills.” As kids rationalize Santa in their minds, they’re engaging in and sharpening their critical thinking. Looking beyond the fun aspects of having a jolly old giver of presents, Santa can provide for children an avenue for fantastical imagination. Why It’s Good for Kids to Believe in Santa With that being a significant portion of us, every parent is left facing the dilemma of whether and/or when to tell their children the truth about Santa. Clearly, this is not a conversation that should have occurred in a classroom, but there are many questions in parenting and psychologist circles about the harm or benefit to kids of believing in Santa Claus.Īccording to an AP poll, 84 percent of people surveyed believed in Santa Claus as a child. Recently, this discussion made news when a substitute teacher told a classroom of first graders that Santa isn’t real-and neither are the Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny. There are varying ends of the spectrum of this debate, but whether or not parents should encourage their children to believe in Santa has been long deliberated. For most, Santa Claus plays a significant role in these memories-that is, until the day we remember finding out… the truth. All the lights, decorations, presents, delicious food, and time with family paint a picture of enchanted celebrations that we cherish long into our adult lives. So much of what we love about this time of year is the child-like magical nature of Christmastime and the winter holidays. ![]()
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