Should I tell my daughter Santa isn't real?

Adults should not lie to children about Santa. When a child asks the question as to whether Santa is real or not, they're already at a developmental stage to distinguish between reality and fictional characters.

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What age do you tell your child Santa isn't real?

She explains: When they are 6 or 7, whenever you see that dawning suspicion that Santa may not be a material being, that means the child is ready.

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Should I tell my 12 year old Santa isn't real?

"It's not an overnight shift in thinking," says Laura Lamminen, Ph. D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health℠, "and there's no set age where children should know the truth about Santa Claus." Dr. Lamminen says each family and each child within that family will be ready to talk about Santa at different ages.

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How do you explain Santa to a child that isn't real?

Say something like this, “The Santa that you see in books, movies, and in stores is a person in a costume. People dress up in Santa costumes to remind us… …of someone who lived a long, long time ago called St. Nicholas who secretly gave money to people who needed it.”

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How do I deal with my child not believing in Santa?

What to do when kids ask “Is Santa real?”
  1. Ask why they're asking. ...
  2. Ask what it would mean to them if he were real or not. ...
  3. Let the child lead. ...
  4. Talk about the spirit of Santa. ...
  5. Advise them to be kind to other believers. ...
  6. Lie to prevent tears. ...
  7. Lie again to avoid feeling like a liar. ...
  8. Give kids too much information.

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Parents Explain to Their Kids Santa Isn't Real | Cut

34 related questions found

At what age do kids stop believing in Santa?

Most Americans (67%) stopped expecting Santa to shimmy down their chimney by the time they entered seventh grade. Half (49%) of Americans say they stopped believing in Santa before the age of 10 – with a quarter (23%) reporting that they lost sight of him between the ages of seven (10%) and eight (13%).

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Is it wrong to let your kids believe in Santa?

While there are many benefits to protecting children's belief in Santa, it's not OK to lie to children about his existence. Most children have a positive reaction to their Santa discovery. Discovering the truth about Santa is part of growing up and a sign that the child is developing critical thinking skills.

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How do kids react when they find out Santa isn't real?

While children experience distressful reactions such as sadness, disappointment and anger, the degree of such reactions are generally minimal and short-lived.” In fact, they were so unperturbed that 58 percent said they pretended to believe in Santa after realizing the truth—so as not to disappoint their parents.

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How do you prove Santa is real to kids?

Proof Santa is Real: 5 Ideas to Prove Santa Was Here
  1. Santa Footprints by the Fireplace or in the Snow.
  2. Prove Santa is real by making gifts stand out.
  3. Milk & Cookies and Something Left Behind by Santa.
  4. Reindeer Evidence as Proof of Santa.
  5. A Note from Santa Himself.

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Does Santa exist or is it your parents?

Santa is real in the sense that he was an actual person. Otherwise known as Saint Nicholas, his story goes all the way back to the 3rd century. He was a monk who was born in 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey. As an only child, he was given great affection by his parents.

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Is 11 too old to believe in Santa?

"There is no such thing as being too old to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy," Kelman tells Yahoo Life. "Letting kids figure it out on their own is preferable to parents breaking the news to them.

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Is it normal for a 9 year old to ask if Santa is real?

Some tweens hold onto their childhood beliefs for as long as they possibly can. The truth is that if your children are asking questions like "Is Santa real?", they probably already know the truth or have an idea about the reality of the tradition. They may just be looking for validation from you.

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How do I tell my 10 year old that Santa isn't real?

Be Honest
  1. Simply explain to your child that the gifts are purchased and wrapped by mom and dad, and that you share in the magic of Christmas as a family by spreading joy.
  2. Let them know that the Santa they see in the store is someone paid to sit and give children the joy of believing in something magical.

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What percentage of parents tell their kids Santa is real?

With 1,200 responses from around the world, his survey aimed to look at how many children believed in Santa, and the impact the well-known figure has on children. The survey found that 72 percent of parents will tell their children about Santa, while the rest choose not to—much like the Reddit user.

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Why parents tell kids that Santa is real?

Telling kids lies–about Santa or anything else–doesn't help build a trusting relationship with them. Kids trust us fully and need us to help them make sense of the world. They rely on us to be truthful. They rely on us for security and safety.

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What is the average age kids find out about Santa?

“Children's belief in Santa starts when they're between 3 and 4 years old. It's very strong when they're between about 4 and 8,” she said. “Then, at 8 years old is when we start to see the drop-off in belief, when children start to understand the reality of Santa Claus.”

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What to say when child asks if Santa is real?

  1. “Do you think Santa is real?” Answer the question with another question. ...
  2. “Christmas Magic is really about this.” Explain to your child what Christmas magic really is. ...
  3. “Let's read a book about it.” ...
  4. “Here's how I discovered that Santa was not real.” ...
  5. “Christmastime will still be special.”

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Is it normal for an 8 year old to believe in Santa?

But, according to VERY IMPORTANT CHRISTMAS RESEARCH, my Santa revelation was right on par with other kids. A study from 1978 found that about 85 percent of young American kids believe in Santa, and researchers today confirm those numbers still hold true, with many kids believing until about age eight.

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How do you tell your 9 year old there is no Santa?

10 Ways To Tell Your Child The Truth About Santa
  1. 1 Take Them Somewhere to Celebrate the Milestone.
  2. 2 Wait Until They Come To You. ...
  3. 3 Make Sure They Don't Tell Younger Siblings. ...
  4. 4 Write Down a List of Reasons Why Kids Believe in Santa. ...
  5. 5 Find a Book or Movie First. ...
  6. 6 Have Older Kids in the Family Talk With Them After. ...

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Is it normal for my 12 year old to believe in Santa?

The Age Most Kids Figure It Out

According to psychologists, believing in Santa can be beneficial to children because it teaches selflessness and service to others.

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How do I get my 10 year old to believe in Santa?

Promoted Stories
  1. Have your child write a letter to Santa.
  2. Write a letter from Santa and have your child receive it in the mail.
  3. Have your child leave milk and cookies out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
  4. Leave Santa Claus tracks in your house on Christmas Eve.

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Are elf on the shelves real?

Because the Elf on the Shelf “moves” each night, belief can sometimes be suspended into thinking that it is real. And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all.

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Do parents move the elf on the shelf?

Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation. Parents: read on to learn about special, few and far between cases where emergency help will be required.

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Is Google Santa Tracker real?

Google Santa Tracker is an annual Christmas-themed entertainment website first launched in 2004 by Google that simulates the tracking of the legendary character Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, using predetermined location information.

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Where is Santa's last stop?

It's widely known that, from October through early March, the first sunlight to strike the United States occurs each morning on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine.

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