Does your 10/11 year old believe in Santa still?

[Allison]

I have never heard of a child being devastated that their parent lied. Neither while I was a kid or as a parent.

 

[cobright]

I think there is a definite point where, as parents, we transition the tradition of Santa Claus from a real guy to a spirit of the season sort of thing. Without being too judgemental, I do cringe to read about parents engaging in trickery to keep a kid believing who would otherwise be exploring the doubts of a rational mind.

My DD had it figured out at 8. DS is 2 years behind her and she was happy to play along. He figured it out at about 8. No hard feelings. They're 11 and 13 now.

 

[AncientSoul]

My youngest DS9 doesn't believe, but only because his older siblings pretty much gave it away, though not intentionally. I would rather have him still believe, if only for the selfish reason of me seeing him excited at Christmastime and being extra well behaved for the month of Dec. He has even told me he wished Santa was real, which makes me a little sad, so I said I was and always will be his Santa. But it is what it is.

 

[luvsJack]

I think there is a definite point where, as parents, we transition the tradition of Santa Claus from a real guy to a spirit of the season sort of thing. Without being too judgemental, I do cringe to read about parents engaging in trickery to keep a kid believing who would otherwise be exploring the doubts of a rational mind.

My DD had it figured out at 8. DS is 2 years behind her and she was happy to play along. He figured it out at about 8. No hard feelings. They're 11 and 13 now.

What do mean by trickery?

 

[DawnM]

No, my kids didn't believe in Santa at age 10. Pretty sure they didn't believe after round age 6. But we have never "done Santa" in the way some have.

 

[DawnM]

What do mean by trickery?

I assume things like, "If you don't behave, Santa won't bring you anything." OR, "Santa saw you do that, so now you won't get that toy you wanted." That sort of nonsense.

 

[luvsJack]

I assume things like, "If you don't behave, Santa won't bring you anything." OR, "Santa saw you do that, so now you won't get that toy you wanted." That sort of nonsense.

Ohhhh. Never really did that. I don't like the telling a child to be a good boy/girl. All children are "good", some just have not so good behavior sometimes. Lol.

 

[skittles67]

DD is 11. We've never had the "is Santa Claus real" discussion. She talks like she still believes but at her age I wonder what her friends or other kids at school have said to her. I know 11 is kinda old to still believe, but I will keep it going as long as I can.

 

[luvsJack]

Thinking of this thread I asked Dd (19) if the kids in middle school ever picked on each other about Santa.

She said no, no one ever got picked on or was it even discussed. She said "half of us still believed and the other half were playing it safe" lol. Just one person's experience.

 

[clori]

Dh and I are both Jewish so our kids never had Santa. However when they were young they always liked to pretend and not ruin Santa for friends. My daughter is a senior now but I remember in 5th grade so when she was 10 she came home and told me about school lunch that day. A girl who just learned there was no Santa asked dd if she still believed. DD said she didn't know what to say so just said something like sure I do. The girl tried to tell my daughter that Santa wasn't real and she would find out some day. My daughter thought it was funny since she had always known. While there were teachers in the cafeteria and a vice principal I doubt any of them were close enough to hear.

My younger dd13 has a friend who is 13 who just had her first Christmas knowing the truth. I spoke to her father and he said it wasn't quite the same but not in a bad way. In part was due to her age and having mostly outgrown toys she got more things like clothes and gift cards. I guess after presents were all opened clothes aren't as exciting as having lots of toys to choose from. I don't think anyone was upset just more I can't believe she is growing up and no more hours spent setting up some toy. I think the Elf on the Shelf was something they had a lot of fun with since it no longer had to be moved but anyone could move it including the kid. Knowing my daughter's friend doesn't believe anymore though she got a real kick out of the story from two years ago in how my daughter pretended to be excited when they saw Santa at a holiday event just to have fun with her friend. The friend was like I don't know how you did it, Santa just isn't that exciting now that I know he isn't real.

I was the one who ruined Santa for a friend but honestly I didn't know. I was 14 and she was a few months younger so at least 13 years old. We had sisters who were 8 to 9 years older than us and friends. One day my sister's friend was coming over my house to dye Easter Eggs for the Easter bunny to put in baskets since it was Easter weekend. I just thought it was part of the fun to keep what they looked like a surprise. At one point I was over my friends house and she said something so I told her what they were doing. After I went home my friend's mother called my house and spoke to her sister. The sister said the mom wanted to thank me because she knew it was time to talk to the younger daughter but I made it easier since she was asking questions. She broke the news about Santa at the same time. I guess she wasn't too upset since she invited me over to play Easter afternoon.

 

[PennyInPink]

Saw two different friends in grade school, on separate occasions, being told there was no Santa. No transition, no easing into it, but just blurt it out. Devastating. Tears. Betrayal. But anyway, we didn't go down that particular road with our kids.