The existence of Santa Claus is a tradition for many families, while others do not see the need to tell the myth to their children so that they believe that that “nice fat man, dressed in red and letting out the famous ‘ho ho ho’” is the one who Place the gifts under the Christmas tree. Although it is a belief that can “decorate” the childhood of many children, filling it with hope and excitement while waiting for gifts, not everyone sees it from the same perspective..
According to the Instagram account Transforming Toddlerhoodwhich handles this type of family themes, there are mentions about Santa Claus that could be avoided and others that would perhaps be more appropriate to try.
For example, That anecdote about him living in the North Pole and making toys with elves might not be so appropriate.. But telling the story of a man named Saint Nicholas, known for his generosity, compassion toward those in need, and his love for children has led people to give him a tribute space and pretend that he exists.
What experts do consider is that Never tell children that their good or bad behavior is being watched by Santa and that he may not give them gifts.. To do this, it is preferable to affirm that Christmas is one of the many times of the year in which they express their love as parents above all things.
At what age to tell a child that Santa does not exist
Having clarified the previous points, if the tradition was fulfilled in your home and every Christmas Eve your child puts out cookies with milk and expects gifts from Santa, there is a stage of his childhood in which this belief must fall.
According to Baby and Morepsychologists point out that The ideal age to confess the truth is between 7 and 11 years old, since they have a greater capacity for understanding. and it is an age where sooner or later they will discover that Santa is just an illusion of Christmas.
Remember that between your intuition and curiosity you could discover the hidden gifts, notice some suspicious behavior such as being taken out of the house so that someone can leave the gifts, and you could even find out from other children’s comments.
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4 tips so you don’t take it the wrong way
Someday your child might come to you with the right question, perhaps because he heard or discovered something. In this scenario, he takes advantage and tells him the truth, because if you lie to him you could make him angry later.
Ask him what he believes or what he heard, this way you will know the extent of his suspicions and you can address the topic.
Once he says, “Santa doesn’t exist, I know that,” give him a hug and congratulate him for being a smart, intuitive child who has discovered the truth. And then Explain to him what the Christmas tradition is regarding the character, which is used to provide more fun for children and who will continue to be a symbolic image of the festivities..
Although he does not exist physically, Santa Claus is an illusion that captivates children and adults.
Maybe he still believes in Santa, but he finds magic, elves and flying reindeer impossible to digest. In this case You could prepare the ground and tell him that parents are Santa’s helpers to achieve the goal of all children receiving their gifts.
Be patient, accept his opinion and feelings, but please don’t lie to him. Let him ask questions and express himself, because an illusion that is part of the childhood process of many children has just collapsed, or at least in the homes where the tradition of Santa Claus was formed.
Tell him that it is all a game and a custom that parents have with children so that they see Christmas as a time of love, fun and happiness.