What age do you tell kids Santa is not real?

While everyone is different, according to a recent poll by House Method, the average age kids in the United States stop believing in Santa Claus is 8.5 years. So, chances are good that somewhere around then is the right age for your child to learn the true story about Santa Claus.

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Should I tell my 12 year old about Santa?

"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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Should I tell my 10 year old that 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 is the average age for a child to 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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Should a 14 year old still 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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WHAT AGE DO YOU TELL YOUR KIDS ABOUT SANTA?

15 related questions found

Do 10 year olds still believe in Santa?

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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Do 13 year olds still believe in Santa?

Because Santa is synonymous with childhood, the belief in him must go away at one point or another if we want our kids to grow up. There's no specific age, necessarily. No edict that at exactly 11 3/4, a child will cease to believe.

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How do I tell my 11 year old about Santa?

10 Ways To Tell Your Child The Truth About Santa
  1. 10/10 Tell Them About Everyone at Once.
  2. 9/10 Explain the Magic of Christmas.
  3. 8/10 Offer To Still Label Gifts From Santa.
  4. 7/10 Tell Them the Story of When You Found Out.
  5. 6/10 Have Older Kids in the Family Talk With Them After.
  6. 5/10 Find a Book or Movie First.

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Do most 8 year olds believe in Santa?

A study published in 1978 in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry found that the number of children believing in Jolly Saint Nick sharply dropped at age 8. At age 4, 85% believed. At age 6, 65% still believed. At age 8, only 25% still believed.

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Should a nine year old 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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Should I tell my 11 year old Santa isn't real?

Research shows that kids who are lied to by their parents are more likely to lie themselves, so it is always a good idea to tell the truth if possible. Don't use Santa as a tool for motivating your kid. Letting them grow through fantasy and imagination is positive.

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How do you explain Santa to a 10 year old?

Explain that Santa is a symbol
  1. …of someone who lived a long, long time ago called St. Nicholas who secretly gave money to people who needed it.”
  2. …to be kind and generous to other people in our family or even outside our family, especially people who have less than we do.”

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Should I tell my 7 year old about Santa?

Coulson's advice, “I would suggest letting your child believe in Santa when they're young and when they first start asking questions, encourage them to think about it critically.” He makes an excellent point, “No child is going to hate Christmas if you let them figure out the truth on their own.

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Is it harmful to let children believe in Santa?

Believing in Santa is not only harmless fun, it can actually help children as their brains develop, experts say.

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Does Santa come at 12?

When will Santa arrive? According to NORAD, Kris Kringle is expected to take off at 3 a.m. Christmas Eve morning. If you're wondering when Santa will stop at your house, NORAD said he usually arrives between 9 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve in most countries.

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Do 6 year olds believe in Santa?

In interviews, 85% of 4-year-olds said that they believed in Santa, 65% of 6-year-olds said that they believed, and 25% of 8-year-olds said that they believed.

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How do I tell my 8 year old about Santa?

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 to say when kid asks if Santa is real?

“Having a little bit of grief over recognizing the world is not a magical place is natural.” Instead of whipping out another lie, tell your child it's OK to be sad, and admit that it's fun to think Santa is real.

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How do you introduce Santa without lying?

5 Brilliant Ways To Explain Santa Without Lying
  1. IS IT WRONG TO LIE ABOUT SANTA? ...
  2. 5 WAYS TO EXPLAIN SANTA WITHOUT LYING.
  3. OPTION 1: WAIT UNTIL THEY STOP BELIEVING ON THEIR OWN. ...
  4. OPTION 2: THROW THE QUESTION BACK TO THEM. ...
  5. OPTION 3: GIVE OR READ THEM THIS PRINTABLE SCRIPT. ...
  6. OPTION 4: LET THEM IN ON THE SECRET.

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Why do parents lie about Santa?

To perpetuate the Santa myth, parents must lie to their kids. To buoy belief, adults often stage elaborate deceptions, laying traps for the child's developing intellect. The myth encourages lazy parenting and promotes unhealthy fear. The myth makes kids more acquisitive, not less so.

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Why you shouldn't lie about Santa?

Although the Santa sham is meant to bring magic to kids' holidays, parents should not lie to their children about Santa because it improperly incentivizes good behavior while ensuring disappointment and broken trust upon discovery.

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Does lying to your kids about Santa hurt them?

In a recent article in the Washington Post, the University of Texas at Austin child psychologist Jacqueline D. Woolley said, “There is no evidence that belief, and eventual disbelief in Santa, affects parental trust in any significant way.

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Are elf on the shelf real?

And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all. The real question is, though, do you think the Elf on the Shelf is real? And I'm here to tell you that, yes, it is.

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Is Santa actually real yes or no?

As adults we know Santa Claus isn't real, but many of us remember the disappointing day we discovered this was the case. We asked five experts from various fields if you should lie to your children about Santa.

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What is Santa's first stop?

Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west. So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia.

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