Here's another post from 2011. I've updated it!
Dean Dad's fifth grader has questioned Santa Claus.
When did you or your children stop believing (if at all)?
I don't remember ever literally believing in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy. I remember always thinking about it like the Land of Make Believe on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I would never be so gauche as to stop pretending (especially since that might mean the cessation of gifts/money), but always in a wink-wink-nudge-nudge sort of way. I remember being disgusted when a fellow second grader announced to the class that Santa Claus is just your parents... duh! but you don't SAY that out loud. Magic isn't real, but it's fun to make believe.
DC[1] was just getting around to the concept of Santa last Christmas [age 3 or 4 back in 2011]... not sure how ze escaped it for so many years... possibly because Santa is overshadowed by grandparents in the gift department. This year ze's been reading a LOT of magic books, and we've had a lot of conversations about magic not being real but pretend... so I imagine this Christmas ze'll make the connection, especially in conjunction with learning about Saint Nicholas at school.
Updates:
DC2 didn't get the concept and then vehemently didn't believe at age 3, and then around age 4 we moved back from paradise for a last year of preschool and was completely indoctrinated by one of the preschool teachers regarding the Easter Bunny. I believe at some point in this age 4 range zie asked us point blank if the Easter Bunny was real or if Santa was real and we asked what zie thought instead of answering. DC2 only had a year of religious education (age 3) so none of that connection to the Catholic/Anglican saints thing. I think once got to kindergarten we were back at the "not real" stage.
We've never really told our children either way. We don't really talk about Santa or the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy doing things, though I guess we do say "leave teeth for the tooth fairy" (DC2 response: Daddy is the tooth fairy, and I'd rather keep my teeth). But we also never contradicted people saying such things. And we have been careful about making sure they know not to spoil it for other kids.
Grumpy Nation, When did you or your children (if applicable) stop believing in creatures like the Tooth Fairy et al.?
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