Should I encourage my toddler to believe in Santa when she doesn't?

1. 84

   AustralianNappiesposted 10 years ago

   Should I encourage my toddler to believe in Santa when she doesn't?
   
   I realised at Christmas that my pre-school aged daughter doesn't believe in Santa.  It's not that any older children told her this, and she isn't telling others her beliefs either, but she thinks of him as being like a Disney Charactor, and when I took her to see Santa at the Shopping Centre she said she believes he's just a man in fancy dress!  She also thinks all of the presants Santa left under the tree are from me!  I feel she is missing out by not believing, but she is steadfast in what she believes!

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2. 85

   peachpurpleposted 10 years ago

   your daughter is not alone but it is good to know she knows the real thing. When i was young, mom already told me that santa isn't real, the gifts are from her.

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3. 97

   peeplesposted 10 years ago

   No you should not force the lie. What is she really missing out on? She thinks he is like a Disney character. Toddlers love their TV characters. While I do the Santa thing with my children, I only do it to make my husband happy. A lie is a lie even if there are good intentions and fun behind it. I like the idea of Santa as a character, personally I think that is better than making a child put so much belief in something just for them to end up finding out it was all a lie.
   By letting your daughter think about it logically you are letting her use her brain. She is able to think at THREE logically!! You can still enjoy all the fun of Santa, just without having to lie. I really don't see how that could ever be a bad thing.

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4. 72

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   No. The only thing she'd be missing out on is the disappointment of finding out that she was (lied) to. Nobody enjoys being conned including children.
   A couple of weeks ago I watched the entrepreneur show: "Shark Tank" where this woman had come up with a way to simulate reindeer snow covered footprints to be placed on the floor near the Christmas tree.
   Can you imagine how stupid a child will feel once he or she finally learns the truth after being (made to believe) in something based upon (actual) "evidence"? The trust factor will take a major hit!
   I thought the disappearance of cookies & milk were bad enough!

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5. 0

   Snakesmumposted 10 years ago

   No way encourage her to believe in a myth!     If she is intelligent enough to realise the truth at such an early age, then that's a good thing.

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