… and this is part of why my kids have always known that Santa and the Tooth Fairy are fun pretend games we play, not real. I really don’t see what they’re “missing out”: they seem no less excited about Santa coming than other kids, and get no fewer presents.
Not lying about it has all sorts of extra benefits. It makes keeping the story straight easy. It means I’m not dreading that awkward moment when they’ve half-guessed the truth and ask about it outright. And I wasn’t remotely tempted to tell them -as several people I know did—that the International Space Station pass on Christmas Eve was Santa on a warm-up run. Firstly, because that would mean you couldn’t tell them about the ISS and how you can see it with your own eyes if you look up at the right time, and that’s really cool. And secondly, because they’d have recognised it anyway.
It’s also helpful social practice in behaving with integrity but respectfully when around people who passionately defend their supernatural beliefs.
… and this is part of why my kids have always known that Santa and the Tooth Fairy are fun pretend games we play, not real. I really don’t see what they’re “missing out”: they seem no less excited about Santa coming than other kids, and get no fewer presents.
Not lying about it has all sorts of extra benefits. It makes keeping the story straight easy. It means I’m not dreading that awkward moment when they’ve half-guessed the truth and ask about it outright. And I wasn’t remotely tempted to tell them -as several people I know did—that the International Space Station pass on Christmas Eve was Santa on a warm-up run. Firstly, because that would mean you couldn’t tell them about the ISS and how you can see it with your own eyes if you look up at the right time, and that’s really cool. And secondly, because they’d have recognised it anyway.
It’s also helpful social practice in behaving with integrity but respectfully when around people who passionately defend their supernatural beliefs.