My colleague’s daughter believes in fairies.

@ronaldinu (12422)
Malta
December 1, 2008 8:09am CST
My colleague was telling us that her daughter believes in fairies. Her daughter browses a site about fairies where children and send messages and receive an automated message. This girl really believes that fairies exist. Her father makes fun of her saying that she is silly and stupid to believe in such things at 8 yrs of age. When the child ask her mother if fairies really exist or not, her mother replies that men do not understand such things and she can believe whatever she wants. How would you handle such situation? © ronaldinu 2008
12 people like this
35 responses
@littleowl (7157)
1 Dec 08
Hi ronald..yes I do beleive in fairies..at one time I didn't but after a few things that have happened I know now they exist, but not as we see them in books and pictures, even a long time ago a biker in his 40's told me that he he had seen a fairy and was saved by one ..he wouldn't tell that many people as they would think he was doo lally plus being a biker he didn't want his reputation to be ruined..so if my child told me they believed in fairies I would accept it and not deter her from those thoughts...children see and know a lot more than us adults as they haven't been conditioned 'not' to...littleowl
3 people like this
@littleowl (7157)
2 Dec 08
Hi Dj yes raise them pagan, I would but if they see spirits like you can, don't discourage them the way you were, my grandson is now a powerful little boy at nearly 5yrs old he 'sees' spirits and a lot of other things but these abilites and are not encouraged or discouraged, he is neither told they are a load of 'crap' etc as you put it and not told things are imaginary, they accepted as a normal thing, so be the same with your children, and protect them too...littleowl
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Dec 08
She's 8 years old, and if she wants to believe in fairies, why not? I am a grown woman and I love fairies, myself. Do I believe they exist? I don't know, really. I have never actually seen one, but what harm does it do? How is a child's belief in something different from an adult's belief in, for example only, religion? I am not trying to make a comparison of fairies to religion, I am just saying that I think we all believe in something that we can't see, at some time or another in our lives. Children should not be told they are silly or stupid for believing in something, for believing in anything. Children are not jaded by life, yet, they see and hear and know things that we, as adults, tend to lock away as we grow older. Let them be innocent as long as they can be. Life gets to them soon enough, I think.
2 people like this
• United States
2 Dec 08
I agree, believe in religion is to believe in something you can't see so believing in fairy is the same way as well. Believe in fairies sound abstract but aren't all the good stories around are inspired by fairies and such. For example, many people love the recent book called Twilight because there are people who love vampire. So let children believe in what they want to the best of their imagination, who knows they're going to write better stories in the future:)
1 person likes this
@Galena (9110)
3 Dec 08
well I believe in faeries. didn't until I saw one, then, obviously, I did. can't say I much like them though. they can be quite nasty at times, and tend to steal things. if you look at old fairy tales, they tell you to avoid them. a horseshoe or blacksmith is considered good luck because iron keeps them away. a horseshoe would be hung over a cot to prevent the child being taken away and replaced with a changeling. green is considered unlucky because it is thought to attract them. interestingly, in some of the Discworld books there are faeries, and I found one quote particularly interesting. Nanny Ogg was talking about them, and how beautiful they were, and says something along the lines of "after time, all you remembered was that they SANG. you forgot what they were singing ABOUT." so. in short. I believe in them, and they're sinister creatures. but at her age, if she likes believing in fictional, cute, sparkly, friendly fairies, that's fine.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Dec 08
Hi There Galena, where did ya see the Faerie at? I never spoke to anyone that saw one before. What was it doing? Did it steal anything from you?
@Galena (9110)
3 Dec 08
there's quite a lot around here, but the first one I saw, I was about 17, and still living in Surrey. the house backed on to fields, and it just went past the window. they fly very smoothly, like they're being carried on a breeze, rather thsan flapping. it was about 2 inches tall, bald, with black skin, long limbs, and a shrivelled little face. the wings were like cranefly wings. it was female shaped. since we moved here, I've seen them a lot more. and quite often things go missing. then they turn up in strange places. one example being my necklace I always wear. sometimes it goes missing, even though I never take it off. one occasion when I found it it was draped over the peak of the standing stone in the orchard, and on another occasion it was on my outside bedroom windowsill. there is no logical reason it could have been there, as I'd not even opened the window for months over winter. I tend to leave them things like mis-shapen beads I can't use, and broken jewellery, and I put them in a bowl in the orchard so they can have them. it's sort of bribery not to come in the house and just take whatever they fancy. if something useful or special goes missing, I leave them some bribery, often mead or gingerbread, and it usually turns up again after I've done that. but yeah, by choice I'd be faery free. they are a nuisance.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Dec 08
I have never seen one. Thanks for sharing this with us!
@Daffodil20 (1754)
• India
1 Dec 08
Oh, choooooo chweet,so innocent. It must be such nice feeling for her. She need not be ridiculed. Gradually she'll know the truth. As for me I never believed that fairies are real but I did believe in santa as a child because we got gifts from him in our stockings every christmas.lol. Later I came to know that it was our parents. lol
@nanajanet (4436)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I think that it is great that the mother realizes that children need fantasy. Come on!! Look at stories written for children. All fantasy!! It is pure joy and allows them to be imaginative. New research suggests that imaginative play actually increases children's academic success. So mom is the smart one, dad needs a reality, or should I say a "fantasy" check! LOL
• United States
2 Dec 08
There have been photos of Fairies taken the were examined by Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle ( the writer of Sherlock Holmes ) http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/doyle.htm http://www.prairieghosts.com/fairies.html
1 person likes this
• United Kingdom
3 Dec 08
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it was discovered through more recent technology (and a confession from one of the girls when she became an old lady) that those pictures were faked.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Dec 08
Its all good.
• India
7 Dec 08
Let the child believe what she likes, and let the father just shut up and respect her beliefs. I don't understand people's foolishness. They believe in their unseen Gods and think this is mature. But they can't tolerate a child's belief in fairies. If the kid believes in fairies, the fairies are there. Cheers and happy mylotting
1 person likes this
@Monkeyrose (2840)
• Canada
2 Dec 08
Well A... its not your daughter so really you can't do anything. WHo cares if she believes in fairies.. there are a lot worse things she could believe in. Actually some earth based religions believe in fairies so its not that far fetched. She's only 8 years old.
1 person likes this
@yuna15 (2706)
• Philippines
2 Dec 08
I would probably tell my daughter nicely that fairies exists only in our dreams. A children's imaginative thinking is fascinating and we should know how to tell them in the right way so as not to make them feel stupid about these things.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Dec 08
I agree, but, at the same time she is at the age where it is normal to believe in such things and in time she will grow out of such beliefs, just as sooner or later she will stop believing in the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter bunny. Let the child alone! Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija
@MSKAYLLA (27)
• United States
2 Dec 08
Give her something to enjoy and belive in before she has to Go out into the the sometimes cold world...Where life can be mean and hard. I feel a child needs happiness and love as a foundation as she gets older she will relize the turth as with Santa, Easter Rabbit ETC.
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
1 Dec 08
I'm happy for children to believe whatever they choose (as long as it's not frightening or life threatening)! None of our four children believed in Santa - we have no idea why, as we'd put out biscuits for the reindeer, etc., only to be met by our solemn little daughter telling us we were being silly and that we were going to eat the biscuits ourselves. Imagination is a wonderful thing, and children should be encouraged to enjoy it.
1 person likes this
@Natara (169)
• Canada
5 Dec 08
Her father is wrong. It isn't silly at all. In fact, he is the one being stupid because he refuses to believe what his senses cannot pick up. My belief is fairies do exist, and that is because I can just tell they are there. Most people would say, "tell? if you cannot see, hear, smell, or touch it, it does not exist." But that is what makes certain humans so stupid- that isn't true. Many things go beyond a human's senses. I think it makes the little girl very smart.
1 person likes this
• United States
2 Dec 08
Ok I am 35 years old and I still believe in Fairy's. There is nothing wrong with that, and the mother was right that men do not understand such things. My daughter and I have had the same conversation. I would rather my daughter believe in Fairy's and such,rather than having her play the games or watch the tv shows that are out there. Have you seen them, killing each other and all the violence. You tell me whats worse having a daughter that is so innocent to believe in fairy's or one that has been touched by what is around her and the influences of the world changing her to a bitter person like most adults. I would personally would much rather have a daughter that believes in Fairy's.
@wanris (141)
• Indonesia
2 Dec 08
I think every one has an angel or a fairy. I always talk to myself if I face a big problem. I talk everything to myself. Suddenly, I find the solution for my big problem.I hear a voice from my hearth, it said that I should to do bla bla bla if I wanted to solve my big problem. When I wanted to do wrong action, it said again that I didn't do that because bla bla bla. When I see my friend in trouble, it said that I should help him because he needed my help. I think a voice from my hearth is my a fairy. It always warn me if I want to do wrong action. It always support me if I want to do right action.
@breezie (1246)
• Canada
1 Dec 08
I don't think it is a bad thing that an 8 year old beleives in fairies or anything else for that matter. I think everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. I don't think it is fair of her Dad to be making fun of her for it or to be calling her silly and stupid. If anyone is being childish it is the father.
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I think this boy who calls himself a father/man needs a reality check not the child!!! At 8 years old there is no reason not to belive in faries! Personally when my daguther comes of that age I won't confirm or deny faries. I plan to let her belive in what she wants. I don't want to reenforce it but I wouldn't want to take her dreams away either. Same thing goes with Santa, Easter bunny and that kind of stuff.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7433)
• United States
1 Dec 08
Why destroy a childs belief. That's like telling them there is no Santa at that age. The father needs to grow up and realise that he has a young child and children do normally believe in evrything that is brought up in conversation, no matter what it is. They believe in fairies, Santa, tooth fairies, vampires, ghost, gobblins, and ghouls. He needs to get real, and stop dishing his daughter for her beliefs. He is suppose to be the grown up, he needs to act like it. And downing his 8 year old for beliefs that all children have is ludracris. They say children have more senses than adults do about spirits, and other simular things. Maybe she sees things her father can't as he is being an a**. I would go along with me child and not squaash her dreams and beliefs. I certainly would not say he/she is crazy, silly, or stupid. When the child is old enough they will understand that many things are not real.
1 person likes this
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
1 Dec 08
haha.. THe mother is right somehow.. Kids will only learn thru their believes in things, and be it real or fiction, they will be able to handle it better as they grow up ^_^ There isn't a need to correct her or what, just let her be.. Because even some adults also believe in fairies.. haha ^_^ As for now, just let it be a fantasy for her ^_^ It's part of childhood ^_^
1 person likes this
@walijo2008 (4644)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I would just let her believe what she wants, she's only a child, I know most of us probably had imaginations when we were kids. I think her dad is wrong in telling her she's stupid, and making fun of her, that probably hurts her feelings. I don't think a parent should call their children stupid no matter what it is. Just let her believe what she wants, she'll grow out of it when she gets older.
1 person likes this
@ladynetz (968)
• Canada
1 Dec 08
Even though I did not see any, I do believe in fairies! And I'm preety old...so why not an 8 year old girl? If you read Sylvia Browne, the psychic, you'll see that even though she did not believe in tham, she saw one with her own eyes, while travelling through Ireland.And the driver said that tey are all over the place and can be seen all the time. You know, "smoke does not come without a fire",I mean there has to be something true about fairies, because too many people have seen them and described them , even though they were not knowing each other and not evem living in the same place...
1 person likes this