Eeeek! DS questioning Santa

[aanderson5]

DS(3) asked my this morning if there is only one Santa. I told him, of course. I could see the wheels turning and he asked 'how come he looks different sometimes'. I wasn't sure what to say. I told him Santa lives at the North Pole and sometimes he needs help visiting before Christmas. He then said 'you mean the elves' and he seemed satisfied by that.

I really wasn't expecting that. I figured out Santa wasn't real at a young age. I was just turned 4 when I started questioning and by the next Christmas didn't believe. I was very careful not to let the cat out of the bag. DS has a really good imagination (I did not) so I thought he would believe for a long time.

 

[puffkin]

DS3 hasn't asked any questions yet, but he is super observant and we have to be incredibly careful. We will be lucky if he makes it until 5.....that kid keeps us on our toes and doesn't forget anything.

I think you did the right thing. The best thing you can do is not make the Santa story too unbelievable and to not make a huge deal about it with him when he starts asking questions. Just give him matter of fact, realistic answers and move on. Hopefully that will satisfy him and not lead him to question more. I think we will be in your shoes next year already

 

[MNdisneymom]

My DS (now 6.5) did the same thing at that age...he has always been a very analytical kid, even from that young age. (He never liked to play pretend of any sort.) When he asked me, I asked him what he thought. (Remember he was 3 at the time.) And he said, "One Santa couldn't be everywhere, that's impossible..." and when I tried to pass it off as, "Santa has lots of helpers..." he gave me the "but MOmmm...." whine and eye roll, so I told him the truth.

We talk a lot about the meaning of Santa Claus--about the spirit of joy and love and giving that he symbolizes. Also, I bought a really lovely book called something like, "Saint Nicholas, the story of the legend." (Sorry, don't remember the exact title.) It tells the story of St. Nicholas of Turkey, who was the original St. Nick.

DS knows that if he spills the beans to any kids at school that he'll be in deep trouble with Mommy. I don't want to spoil the magic for any true believers, it just didn't work for my kid.

 

[SweetPeasMom2]

I was told and I tell my kids, that there are many Santa helpers because he can't be in all places at once. I also tell them you just never know if it's the real Santa or not, so you better be nice . They go with it for now.

 

[laceemouse]

I was told and I tell my kids, that there are many Santa helpers because he can't be in all places at once. I also tell them you just never know if it's the real Santa or not, so you better be nice . They go with it for now.

Me too, and I was told the same thing

 

[susykt4]

I figured it out on my own, probably at age 4, also using the logic that Santa can't be everywh and then not believing Santa's elves made the toys I saw on tv commercials. I dissected all parts of the Santa story and concluded it was unbelievable. I never discussed it with my parents or friends.

My kids however, keep on believing. My 9-yr-old daughter (4th grade) loves the idea of fantasy and magic. Many of her classmates have told her there's no Santa but she refuses to believe them. I'm kind of ready for her to stop believing because she's wanting increasingly expensive things and when I tell her she will not be getting (whatever) she says she'll "just ask Santa."

I'm surprised my 7-yr-old son still believes because he is also very analytical. I think maybe since his sister talks about Santa so much he hasn't given it much thought. I'll be really surprised if he's at all upset to learn the truth.

 

[WildGrits]

My oldest believed until around 12 or 13 if I remember correctly. My youngest has Autism and it is really hard to pull anything on her.

Every year we had traditions that helped keep it real.

First we started the Santa watch on NORAD around 3pm on Christmas EVE. That was real help because when it got close to our home it would say, "Children living in XXXX area should go to bed now".

Then we would make Reindeer food and sprinkle it through the yard. Reindeer food is really easy. Oatmeal, sugar, and red or green sprinkles is pretty much what they like.

Of course when you feed the animals they usually make a mess. So I would end up with hoof prints on the hood and roof of my car the next morning. And I would have to make a fuss about it.


As for how can get get to all those kids? Time Zones.

 

[allison443]

We always told our kids the ones in the mall were santa's helpers...our mall has two santas in it, at different ends of the mall...so obviously they couldn't both be the real guy!

 

[diputs]

I was at MVMCP on Tuesday night. They had a dance party set up and Goofy, dressed as Santa, and Pluto were dancing.

The handlers whisked them away, and Goofy came back with Chip and Dale.

When Goofy came back (about 3 minutes later) it was very obviously a different person. Goofy could no longer dance, lost about 20 lbs, and was all around very different.

I was actually shocked that Disney would send out two different people to the exact same place in the same costume so close together. The kids had to know that Goofy was different. 5 minutes ago Goofy was dancing with me and now Goofy does not even recognize me.

One of the many oddities of Disney

 

[Mrs. Charming]

My DS (now 6.5) did the same thing at that age...he has always been a very analytical kid, even from that young age. (He never liked to play pretend of any sort.) When he asked me, I asked him what he thought. (Remember he was 3 at the time.) And he said, "One Santa couldn't be everywhere, that's impossible..." and when I tried to pass it off as, "Santa has lots of helpers..." he gave me the "but MOmmm...." whine and eye roll, so I told him the truth.

We talk a lot about the meaning of Santa Claus--about the spirit of joy and love and giving that he symbolizes. Also, I bought a really lovely book called something like, "Saint Nicholas, the story of the legend." (Sorry, don't remember the exact title.) It tells the story of St. Nicholas of Turkey, who was the original St. Nick.

DS knows that if he spills the beans to any kids at school that he'll be in deep trouble with Mommy. I don't want to spoil the magic for any true believers, it just didn't work for my kid.

I'm pretending all I can now because I know this isn't going to last long. DD's a smart kid, and at 2.5, she doesn't miss a trick. Even now I get the 'look' like, "Mom, give it up, you're not fooling me." complete with eye roll. I will be shocked if it goes past 5 years old.

 

[GANUT4WDW]

My mother and father always told us "As long as you believe in Santa, he will come to see you." This is the line I tell my children as well. What child does not want to admit to his/her parents that they no longer believe and give up those gifts?

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

I find it hard to tell this "little white lie". But I don't want my DD5 to stop "believing" quite yet!

When my daughter was 4 (last year) she starting asking alot of questions. I told her that Santa is so busy this time of year that he has helpers that sometimes fill in for him at stores, parties and parades. But during our Christmas parade she turned to me and said "Mommy I think that is the "real" Santa, I can tell", I almost cried with happiness When she asks other questions, about how he makes it all the way around the world, how his reindeer fly, how he gets in the house, I usually say, "Mmmm, I'm not sure. I think it's Santa's magic".

 

[Poohs Pal]

It just breaks my heart when little one's stop believing at such a young age.
Last night I was babysitting my niece's 4 year old twin girls and we decided to watch a disney special that I had recorded. At one point it is showing one of the parade's in the park and when they showed Mickey 4 year old Caitlynn very calmly say's "I wonder who really is in that costume"
I said it isn't a costume it's Mickey Mouse and she said no it isn't someone is in there. OK I know it isn't nice to lie to a little kid but this 55 year old kid just isn't ready to give up the fantasy so I told her it really is Mickey Mouse and all I got from her was a .
We are taking the girls to disney for the holidays and I can now just picture Caitlynn asking Mickey who's really inside the costume. Susan

 

[C.Ann]

I was told and I tell my kids, that there are many Santa helpers because he can't be in all places at once. I also tell them you just never know if it's the real Santa or not, so you better be nice . They go with it for now.

We always told our kids the ones in the mall were santa's helpers...our mall has two santas in it, at different ends of the mall...so obviously they couldn't both be the real guy!

Excellent answers!

And at 60 years old, I still "believe".. Look around you.. There's something very "magical" that happens every year during the holidays..

 

[catgirl]

My niece is 6.5 and totally believes! She has always stayed at my house and my mom & I play santa (buy her gifts, wrap them & place them under the tree) She knows that grandma & I are very frugal and no way could we or her father (single parent) afford to give her all those presents. In fact the gifts from us are pathetic. She has been told that all santa's she see's in stores, parades, etc. are helpers. When she questioned the need for "toys for tots", we told her that kids need gifts from mommy's, daddy's, grandparents, etc. and some just can't afford to buy for their children, so we help them out.

She still believes in magic and loves fairies! When she was 4.5, she believed all to be real in Disney except the animals in the jungle cruise. It made our trip sooo much fun!!!

I hope we can keep the magic alive for her for a very looong time. The world is such a better place with magic in it

 

[DawnM]

We simply don't do Santa. I didn't tell my kids there was no Santa until they started asking, but I just don't see the point. I have a book called, Santa Are you for Real? about the real St. Nicholas and how the tradition of Santa started, but we don't believe some mythical figure flies around on one night of the year.

Dawn

 

[MNdisneymom]

It just breaks my heart when little one's stop believing at such a young age.
Last night I was babysitting my niece's 4 year old twin girls and we decided to watch a disney special that I had recorded. At one point it is showing one of the parade's in the park and when they showed Mickey 4 year old Caitlynn very calmly say's "I wonder who really is in that costume" .............

We are taking the girls to disney for the holidays and I can now just picture Caitlynn asking Mickey who's really inside the costume. Susan

See, if a little kid questioned like that, I would just be excited that they were really thinking about things--showing an advanced reasoning skill that most kids don't have at that age, but that's just me.

Flame suit on...My DS (who I referred to in an earlier post) does not "believe" in Santa. ( I put that in quotes because Santa is a mythical figure, so why should DS have to believe? I like Greek mythology but I understand that Icarus never really flew up to the sun wearing wings of wax...) We find other ways to make holiday time special. (Decorating the tree, making cookies, christmas stuff at church and school, etc....)

I'm glad that other people (kids, adults) can enjoy the holidays how they want to--different things for different people. Christmas is such a special time you should be able to celebrate it how you want. I wish that people (including some very close to DS!) didn't think it was weird that I didn't encourage my son to invest in an idea that is, in the end, a fictional one.

A joyous and blessed holiday season to all...however you chose to do it!

 

[Poohs Pal]

See, if a little kid questioned like that, I would just be excited that they were really thinking about things--showing an advanced reasoning skill that most kids don't have at that age, but that's just me.

Flame suit on...My DS (who I referred to in an earlier post) does not "believe" in Santa. ( I put that in quotes because Santa is a mythical figure, so why should DS have to believe? I like Greek mythology but I understand that Icarus never really flew up to the sun wearing wings of wax...) We find other ways to make holiday time special. (Decorating the tree, making cookies, christmas stuff at church and school, etc....)

I'm glad that other people (kids, adults) can enjoy the holidays how they want to--different things for different people. Christmas is such a special time you should be able to celebrate it how you want. I wish that people (including some very close to DS!) didn't think it was weird that I didn't encourage my son to invest in an idea that is, in the end, a fictional one.

A joyous and blessed holiday season to all...however you chose to do it!

No Flames..... Just because a child ask's doesn't really mean they are ready for the answer...... Susan

 

[mahend0]

I wouldn't give away the secret just yet, but if your son doesn't want to believe the Santa figure, then I agree he will let it go - maybe next year like you think. If he wants to believe, he will eventually let his questions go.

My DD 7 wants to believe so badly that she stopped asking questions a couple of years ago, and won't admit even if she doesn't believe (even has come up with her own excuses for how Santa can be in more than one mall at the same time on the same day). She loves fairy tales and magic, so I feel she is holding on to this as long as she can, and DD4 and DS 2 are happily following suit.

We're ready for the transition whenever it will come. It is our philosophy that "Santa" is real and is the term for the spirit of giving during the Christmas season to honor Jesus's birthday. It will be so much fun when our children understand why we give gifts to other families during this season or even put up Christmas lights outside (hoping it brings joy to others). I hope that they find an even greater joy in being Santa themselves. Until then, I'll let them choose what they want to believe.

 

[singnring]

WOW! I can't imagne kids so young not believing in Santa.
My DD23 and 24 were around 10 and 11 before they finally stopped believing completely.

DD11 is just starting to question this year, mainly because she got up late last Easter and caught me assembling her Easter basket. Now she's putting 2 and 2 together to figure it all out.

We will continue to try to keep the magic alive, but I think by next year we'll be out of luck and looking to the grandkids for the excitement over Santa.

We too always explained the mall Santas and such as extra helpers since Santa is so busy at the North Pole preparing for his rounds on Christmas Eve.

Santa accidentally dropping a gift on the roof once in a while helps out too!