Fibbing and Santa

[Sammy]

My friends daughter kept getting notifications from her daughters school that she owed her lunch money account more money. She sent in a check to cover the months meals and still got notified the account was in arrears. Trip school uncovered the reason the account was still in the red. Turns out that not only was her daughter eating lunch, but she was also eating breakfast.

Mom sat down with her daughter and asked her if she was eating a breakfast meal (she never went to school without breakfast). Nope came the reply so mom explained that honesty was better than fibbing and that mommy and daddy always told the truth and she should too. Eventually she owned up to eating the two meals.

After an added lecture and encouraging honesty she asked her daughter is she had any questions. He he, she asked if there really is a Santa.

LOL, guess she got the last word in.

[kittensaver]

That's not fibbing! There really is a Santa Claus! So There!

[Sum Dum Gai]

LOL! Smart kid.

[Deleted]

Yes, smart kid lol!

One of my old bosses said she never understood why parents won't let kids lie, yet they lie to their kids about Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all the time.

So, she sat her 3YO down and explained that Santa didn't exist. Ouch! At three, I'm guessing she was VERY proactive!

I remember DS1 asking me how the Tooth Fairy got her money. I said, you stupid child, just like everybody else, she goes to the bank.

I STILL feel guilty about that, and DS1 is 26 now! LOL!

On the other hand, DS3 (now 14) kept asking if Santa was real or not, with pleading eyes like Puss in Boots's in the Disney films. So we told him, "Santa is real as long as you believe". When he was 12 he finally fessed up that he thought he'd break our hearts if he told us that he first heard that Santa didn't really exist when he was 6, spent another two years wondering / humoring us, and the last four hoping we could all finally do away with that charade.

[kittensaver]

As a kid I was told that when you stopped believing in Santa Claus, he stopped bringing you presents. So I've never stopped believing.

[Deleted]

I've said that to my kids too, but nobody believes me.

[Sum Dum Gai]

I keep asking mine if they're old enough that I can skip the tree, stockings, decorating, wrapping, and all the other stuff and just hand them cash on Christmas morning to spend on what they really want. So far no takers. Sigh... maybe one day.

[Sammy]

LOL, Dark. My friend when asked the question said no there is no Santa, but ..... there is an Easter Bunny.

[justme]

My mom worked with a group that did Santa pictures for charity at the city's Christmas celebration. Every year it was the same guy playing Santa, and of course since my mom was working it I was always there and spent time with Santa when there was down time. On top of that the same guy played Santa in the city's Christmas parade. Really screws with a kid's head! I forget how old I was, but I was starting to not believe yet I got a call from Santa one year and I swore it was really my dad so I ran outside with the portable phone and see my dad chopping wood - damn I was foiled! For years I thought it was the guy that played Santa. Last year my mom tells me after I asked her about it that the local newspaper was doing a thing where you paid money (I hope for charity!) and someone would call your kid pretending to be Santa. My parents weave tangled webs....and then wonder where I got my skills.

[sheilaincali]

DS explained to me when he was 5 that there couldn't possibly be a Santa. He had several valid reasons for his opinion and wanted confirmation from me that he was right and there was no Santa. I hated doing it but we always said we'd never lie to the Kid. I told him he was right and went into some story about the magic of the holidays and all that jazz. I asked if he was disappointed to know the truth and he said he wasn't. He liked knowing a secret that the other kids didn't know. I did tell him under strict orders that he was not allowed to share the secret with any other kids. If other kids asked him, he was told to tell them to ask their parents.

I don't know if it was the right thing to do or not. He was very proud of himself and his well thought out reasons as to how there couldn't be a Santa. I figured he'd be more disappointed to think his reasoning was wrong than he would be to find out Santa really wasn't real.

[sheilaincali]

Now I have never, to the best of my knowledge, "lied" to the Boy. However, I used to steal from him. When he was little he was on asthma medication that he had to take every day. I promised to give him a dollar every time he took it. Well I did the laundry too and if he'd forget to take the dollar out of him pocket and put it in his piggy bank I'd give him that same dollar again the next day. I think a Year's worth of him taking his meds cost my like $57.

I did fess up to him a few years ago that I had done that. He laughed and said it was his own fault for not keeping up with his money. He did suggest if I was feeling guilty I could just go on and give him the $308 I had shorted him.

[Deleted]

sorry, I don't equate Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy in the same category as lying about taking something or saying you did or didn't do something. I also think the kids who get mad at their parents for 'lying' to them about those things, have serious issues.

Even as an adult, my parents signed the gift tags with Santa.

[thyme4change]

So, she sat her 3YO down and explained that Santa didn't exist. Ouch! At three, I'm guessing she was VERY proactive!

We never told our kids that Santa was real. We told them it was a really fun story, and to enjoy Santa, and pretend he brings presents, and Christmas is great.

I was never going to hold Santa over my kids' heads and make their presents conditional on them being good and all that crap anyway. They need to be well behaved because that is expected. They will get presents because it is fun. We don't need to confuse the issue with a creepy fat guy.

[mollyanna58]

As a kid I was told that when you stopped believing in Santa Claus, he stopped bringing you presents

I saw a sign in a Christmas store that said "When you stop believing in Santa, he starts putting underwear in your stocking."

[thyme4change]

"When you stop believing in Santa, he starts putting underwear in your stocking."

Last night I watched an hour of television and saw 800 Victoria's Secret commercials. I guess my husband is suppose to buy me underpants for Christmas. Somehow I feel that VS should co-op your sign and make it a marketing effort.

[kgb18]

One of my old bosses said she never understood why parents won't let kids lie, yet they lie to their kids about Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all the time.

It's up to each parent to decide how to handle that. I want my kids to believe. I have such wonderful memories from when I was a kid. I remember the excitement, the mystery, the anticipation. I figured it out on my own, and I wasn't upset in the least when I put the pieces together. It was time.

Now I get to relive some of that magic and excitement through my kids.

Last night DD said to me, "Mommy, can you pretend to be Santa Claus and bring me presents while I sleep?" I said, "I think I can do that."

[zibazinski]

I always loved being Santa and I'm glad that even though the kids are older and so-called adults, I still enjoy it.

[taz157]

Dec 12, 2012 10:01:00 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Now I have never, to the best of my knowledge, "lied" to the Boy. However, I used to steal from him. When he was little he was on asthma medication that he had to take every day. I promised to give him a dollar every time he took it. Well I did the laundry too and if he'd forget to take the dollar out of him pocket and put it in his piggy bank I'd give him that same dollar again the next day. I think a Year's worth of him taking his meds cost my like $57.

I did fess up to him a few years ago that I had done that. He laughed and said it was his own fault for not keeping up with his money. He did suggest if I was feeling guilty I could just go on and give him the $308 I had shorted him.

[sheilaincali]

Taz- that damn kid will still bring that up from time to time. If he doesn't have enough allowance to buy some video game he'll get all wistful and say "if only my mom hadn't stolen from me when I was a kid I'd be able to afford that game" The kid is a Grade A Smart Ass. ;D

[thyme4change]

We have a hard and fast rule in our house - if it is in your pocket when it gets to the laundry room, it becomes mine. That includes change, paper money, love notes, small toys, candy - anything. So far, I've collected mostly trash. Although, I made a fortune off my husband the first couple of years we were married.

[lynnerself]

Dec 12, 2012 9:57:58 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

DS explained to me when he was 5 that there couldn't possibly be a Santa. He had several valid reasons for his opinion and wanted confirmation from me that he was right and there was no Santa. I hated doing it but we always said we'd never lie to the Kid. I told him he was right and went into some story about the magic of the holidays and all that jazz. I asked if he was disappointed to know the truth and he said he wasn't. He liked knowing a secret that the other kids didn't know. I did tell him under strict orders that he was not allowed to share the secret with any other kids. If other kids asked him, he was told to tell them to ask their parents.

I don't know if it was the right thing to do or not. He was very proud of himself and his well thought out reasons as to how there couldn't be a Santa. I figured he'd be more disappointed to think his reasoning was wrong than he would be to find out Santa really wasn't real.

My story is similar. My eldest, DS, was the quiet kind who would go on pretending he believed forever just to not rock the boat. DD however is no nonsense, and at 5 asked if Santa was real. She was just too bright to believe all the stuff he did could be real.
So I essentially agreed with her, but said she was "too young to stop believing in Santa" and we went on with the pretense for a few more years.

[Deleted]

We have the same system, thyme, and DH makes money off of me when he does laundry. Small price to pay to get someone else to do it...

<--- Evil Genius

[taz157]

Dec 12, 2012 11:25:37 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Taz- that damn kid will still bring that up from time to time. If he doesn't have enough allowance to buy some video game he'll get all wistful and say "if only my mom hadn't stolen from me when I was a kid I'd be able to afford that game" The kid is a Grade A Smart Ass. ;D

;D

[Deleted]

Dec 12, 2012 9:57:58 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

DS explained to me when he was 5 that there couldn't possibly be a Santa. He had several valid reasons for his opinion and wanted confirmation from me that he was right and there was no Santa.

Dec 12, 2012 10:01:00 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

I did fess up to him a few years ago that I had done that. He laughed and said it was his own fault for not keeping up with his money. He did suggest if I was feeling guilty I could just go on and give him the $308 I had shorted him.

LOL - your DS is quite logical and quick on his feet...

[sheilaincali]

Baking Dad- you don't know the half of it. I swear that kid is responsible for all of the grey hairs I'll eventually get. He is my favorite person in the entire world but such a smart ass.

[Chocolate Lover]

Dec 12, 2012 12:44:45 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Baking Dad- you don't know the half of it. I swear that kid is responsible for all of the grey hairs I'll eventually get. He is my favorite person in the entire world but such a smart ass.

You taught him well

[Chocolate Lover]

Dec 12, 2012 12:44:45 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Baking Dad- you don't know the half of it. I swear that kid is responsible for all of the grey hairs I'll eventually get. He is my favorite person in the entire world but such a smart ass.

You taught him well

[Chocolate Lover]

Dec 12, 2012 12:44:45 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

Baking Dad- you don't know the half of it. I swear that kid is responsible for all of the grey hairs I'll eventually get. He is my favorite person in the entire world but such a smart ass.

You taught him well