Santa, Toothfairy and Easter Bunny - Is is just a lie?

I tell my son there is a santa, tooth fairy and easte bunny, after all I was brought up with that knowledge, until I found out the very sad news that they are not real! It doesn't do them any harm, its when people go overboard with it all i.e. some people at Christmas say all the presents are from Santa, they are going to be so disappointed in years to come. I'll keep it going as long as poss as my little one thinks that Santas elves watch him and the robins also watch him and report back if he has been good or bad! I also got him to watch Santa Claus the Movie . . I love that film!

I once heard on a tv show that believing in santa and all the other creatures/ people is a way to lead them to believing in the larger things like God if your family believes in God. The other thing is that for adults we know what Christmas is really suppost to represent children have a hard time understanding it so this is a way of making it special for them. Plus I could never feel bad about giving them hope and that look on there face Christmas or Easter morning. It is amazing and miraculas and even if it is not an actual Santa or Easter Bunny, they are real in there hearts so as far as I am concerned that makes them real.

I used to think it was best to let them figure it out on their own. I did at about age 8 or so. One of my son's was 5 when his cousin told him which I was not happy about. But I have a 12 year old daughter who still believes and argues with kids when they tell her Santa isn't real. I wanted to tell her last year but her mom refuses to. No she isn't retarded just a dork lol. I expect she will be the first person whose kids convince that Santa isn't real.

I never told my children that their was a santa, a tooth fairy, or a easter bunny, and they were very happy children..I went to church and i just could not look at my children and tell them those lies..I have no problem with people who do tell their children that though.I just never felt a need to do so...I always gave my children money when they put their tooth under the pillow, and they were always excited to wake up and see what they got...They always enjoyed easter because they always got a big basket of candy and lots of eggs and we had a easter egg hunt and they all got a new outfit...They were always excited about christmas too..I do not feel that they missed anything, they had a good childhood and knew the truth.They have taught their children the truth too, they never lied,so i supposs they were happy with that decision.My Mom never told me those lies either..All i can say is to each his own..

I never told my children that there was a Tooth Fairy or an Easter Bunny. For that matter I never told my children the traditional story that children are told about Santa Claus either. I told my children that anyone who gives a present without expecting something in return is Santa. There are many Santa's in this world but we could always use a few more. Each year my children donate to a needy family so that they may have happy memories. At Easter we do all of the traditional things like everyone else.

Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are not lies, they are a magical part of childhood. They are about fantasy and imagination. They are about excitement and adveture and make believe. I don't see anything wrong with talking to children about these things, they represent the ability to be creative and imaginative and they are part of what makes childhood so great. Why not let children believe? What is the harm? Why not teach them how to pretend? You'd be surprised at how valuable a skill it is in the real world to have an imagination, creativity and the ability to pretend.

I don't think of it as a lie. It is pretend play that lasts years. And I don't think it is a good idea to just "tell" the kids when you think they are old enough. The people I have talked to that had their parents (or siblings or someone else) just come out and tell them are the ones that had a hard time accepting and trusting people again. Kids should figure things out on their own when they are ready. I believed in all of those things as a kid and eventually, through my own reasoning, decided they couldn't be real. I was probably 7 or 8. I never felt cheated or that I was lied to. In fact, once I realized it wasn't real I enjoyed it more because I got to be Santa and the Easter Bunny for my little brother. That was actually more fun for me then getting stuff from them. Now I have children of my own and I enjoy coming up with more stories to explain all those characters and keep the mystery alive for them (they are 7, 6, 5 and 1 1/2).

its just tradition to have ur kids believe in all this as soon as ur child is old enough to know the difference (100%) between fantasy and real life i think it is fine to tell the truth as long as they dont tell younger kids anyways i feel that it helps with their imaginations my kids sit around this year and talked about how they thought santa treated his elves and if he fed them or ate all the food himself also i think with all the bad going on right now the kids need something good and positive to believe in it doesnt hurt anyone ive yet to hear a story about how finding out theres no santa traumatized a person

yeah i dont think it does them any harm, it didnt do me any harm, and its something fun for them to be apart of. I wasn't told that there wasn't a santa etc, it kinda just phases out.