When did we stop believing in Santa Claus

[Sappho]

Wow! All this negativity for what is a harmless and short term belief system for children.

Why do we have mythical heros and fairy stories? because they teach children about the morality and reality of being human in a way they can appreciate and enjoy learning about, without being frightened of the real world in the process.

hansel and gretle = beware of strangers, but also... in poor families, parents and guardians have been known to dump their kids, therefore, pity the poor.

saint nicholas = goodness has it's own rewards

sleeping beauty = help and hinderance are found in the most unlikely places

goldilocks = respect the privacy and property of others

and so it goes... the idea as parent is to talk with the child after reading the book using questions that will lead the child to discover the moral themselves.

it is through these stories that children begin to develop a moral compass.

Just imagine if instead of fairy stories we told children the real nightly news stories... imagine that...

[Outlaw Yogi]

Was tempted to say Santa/Easter bunny/Tooth fairy are only there to teach children not to believe their parents, but thought it might provoke an unnecessary emotional response from current parents, so just mentioned my childhood cynicism, but it seems I'm not the only one who thinks mythical characters tarnish parents' credibility.

... and when I asked the question got told the truth. Now this really disturbed me and effected my entire outlook on life and here is why.

From that moment on my bullshit meter was running, particularly adult bullshit.

Spoze I was lucky, my father read Aesop's fables to me as a kid and I was always aware they are fiction.

[Sappho]

Spoze I was lucky, my father read Aesop's fables to me as a kid and I was always aware they are fiction.

That's a fair point you've made... but I wonder, what is actually wrong with lying to your children if the intent is good and the lie harmless?

[J.W. Frogen]

I still believe in Santa Claus, that way I have some on to blame when I can't afford my son great presents.

[mellie]

I still believe in Santa Claus, that way I have some on to blame when I can't afford my son great presents.

Everyone has to believe in someone or something, and whilst I'm agnostic, I don't entirely rule out the possibility of there being higher beings, or aliens from far away galaxies, even if they are too small to be seen with the naked eye.

... So, I guess a commie fat bastard in a red and white suit's OK... my daughter still believes, well sort of...is at that half and half stage.

[Outlaw Yogi]

Who wants to sit on Santa's lap?

[boxy]

... it seems I'm not the only one who thinks mythical characters tarnish parents' credibility.

Now, I find this an interesting idea. In a time before consumerism, I can see this being a reason to invent such a ridiculous character. Skeptisism, even of your most trusted source of information, is a good and worthwhile trait to train into a child.


SKEPTICAL
Calmly and patiently listening to what others have to say,
and recognizing when they're feeding you a line of shit.

[Sappho]

... it seems I'm not the only one who thinks mythical characters tarnish parents' credibility.

Now, I find this an interesting idea. In a time before consumerism, I can see this being a reason to invent such a ridiculous character. Skeptisism, even of your most trusted source of information, is a good and worthwhile trait to train into a child.

jeepers... if parents loose cred because they engage a child's imagination through fantasy and innocent, harmless lies, then no human has credibility since lies and myth are a part and parcel of the human journey.

also, skeptisism is great for argumentation but does nothing for imagination. Where would the fanatsy/ sci fi reading and writing community be if all the world were skeptics. Book reviews, if sci fi and fantasy existed would be filled with negative discussion of the lack of feasibility entailed with the novel premises.

I think imagination, myth and fable is more important to the child and the arts than is skeptisism, which is better placed within the hard sciences.

[mellie]

There is nothing wrong with children believing in Santa Clause, what's the world coming to when a kid cant leave a glass of milk for Santa and a few carrots out for his reindeer's, wow, what's a stupid thread for a political forum, is it even being discussed in parliament at present?

[Super Nova]

I have debated this with my wife since now we have a little girl. I have concluded it is good to feed them the shit about Santa and the rest of humanities imaginary friends because they need to learn not to trust everything they hear and make a judgement for themselves. For example, once a child finds out from school that there may not be a Santa they can choose to pretend to believe because they get cool presents. Learning when to lie and decieve for advantage is a very human trait and that too needs to be developed. So I think in a society that is oiled by bullsit from all directions, it is an essential development path.

Also if they truelly believe in a all powerful being then they can join the rest of the muppets in the world to worship it. An essential skill if your survival advantage is to be one of the sheep. They breed faster as well.

Seriously though. Learning to question what you have been told and forming your own view and choosing what view to publically display is a serious attribute that they need to develop. Bring on the mythical creatures early, they are no stupid they will work out we are bull shitters and adapt to the real human society they will have to live in.

Policital skills form from these basic skills to lie and detect lies.