Age to tell kids the truth about Father Christmas?

[Claw75]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

[RED-DOG]

Just ask mum to pass you the shillelagh. It works right up into their teens.

[thetank]

Just ask mum to pass you the shillelagh. It works right up into their teens.

like

[thetank]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

[Claw75]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

yeah obv, but worth bearing in mind if you don't have a phone handy.  hannah bought it anyway.

[thetank]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

yeah obv, but worth bearing in mind if you don't have a phone handy.  hannah bought it anyway.

I think the phone I used today to phone santa was that plastic one I won for speaking to that guy in the toga in O'Neills.

[Claw75]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

yeah obv, but worth bearing in mind if you don't have a phone handy.  hannah bought it anyway.

I think the phone I used today to phone santa was that plastic one I won for speaking to that guy in the toga in O'Neills.

lolz forgot about that.  I wonder how William is getting on?

[HOLDorFOLD]

Hannah's happily believed in him every year until now.  She'll be turning 8 just after christmas.

This is a conversation we had the other day (had to really think on my feet and wish i'd prepared for the day it would come!):

'mum, did you know some people think father christmas doesn't exist?'

'oh.  who thinks that?'

LOL, I had the self same starter conversation with Tariq this year ... he also said that some people at school believe its your mum and dads that buy the presents.

So, I told him that in this day and age there are sooo many children around that Santa couldn't possibly afford to buy all of those presents and deliver them all in one night, so to help him out parents buy the main presents and Santa does the stockings, and Santa choses one present from the list to put into the stocking. 

I always wrap up the stocking gifts in a different wrapping paper from the rest of the presents, and do the glass of milk and cookie thing as well ...

Tariq thought about this for a while and said 'hmmmm well I suppose that would make more sense. But, do YOU believe in Santa mum.   Eek ........... what to answer here ..... so I said well yeah I do in a way because it's a magical thought for me but I have never seen him so thats why I really want to go to Lapland one day to find out for sure ;-)     

I hold my hands up, I am a total kid at heart as far as Christmas is concerned and do get excited on Christmas eve setting up the 'stage' per se .....

[thetank]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

yeah obv, but worth bearing in mind if you don't have a phone handy.  hannah bought it anyway.

I think the phone I used today to phone santa was that plastic one I won for speaking to that guy in the toga in O'Neills.

lolz forgot about that.  I wonder how William is getting on?

Molz loves it. She's forever pressing the buttons and making calls.

At the moment the trend seems to be to phoning ASDA. "Hello is that ASDA? ... I'm going to come buy a sweetie." Then she hands the phone to me and says "It's ASDA daddy, they want us to come and buy a sweetie."

[Claw75]

These last few weeks, whenever Molly (3) is refusing to comply with an instruction I get Mummy to pass me the phone and I announce that Daddy is going to call Santa.

Instant obedience along with desperate pleads not to call Santa is the result.

you don't even need to bother with the phone.  as santa is magic you can just talk to him telepathically.

meh, props ftw

yeah obv, but worth bearing in mind if you don't have a phone handy.  hannah bought it anyway.

I think the phone I used today to phone santa was that plastic one I won for speaking to that guy in the toga in O'Neills.

lolz forgot about that.  I wonder how William is getting on?

Molz loves it. She's forever pressing the buttons and making calls.

At the moment the trend seems to be to phoning ASDA. "Hello is that ASDA? ... I'm going to come buy a sweetie." Then she hands the phone to me and says "It's ASDA daddy, they want us to come and buy a sweetie."

clever girl

[Claw75]

I'd just let them find out for themselves. My 7/8 year old boys have pretty much sussed it. Trying to convince them he does exist for this year, and if they're naughty he won't bring them anything, but they're on to the blackmail.

Trying to convince them God doesn't exist, on the other hand, is a f,,king nightmare. And God doesn't even bring them presents. Bloody R.E. teachers. I'd cheerfully shoot the lot of them into space.

Sorry, rant over .

lol - all sounds very familiar

I'm going to have to retract this statement, a bit.  She just came out with a cracking quote:

"it's nearly Christmas Mummy! We're just counting down the days until baby jesus, who doesn't actually exist, wasn't born"

[rex008]

I'd just let them find out for themselves. My 7/8 year old boys have pretty much sussed it. Trying to convince them he does exist for this year, and if they're naughty he won't bring them anything, but they're on to the blackmail.

Trying to convince them God doesn't exist, on the other hand, is a f,,king nightmare. And God doesn't even bring them presents. Bloody R.E. teachers. I'd cheerfully shoot the lot of them into space.

Sorry, rant over .

lol - all sounds very familiar

I'm going to have to retract this statement, a bit.  She just came out with a cracking quote:

"it's nearly Christmas Mummy! We're just counting down the days until baby jesus, who doesn't actually exist, wasn't born"

Sigh. Want to swap?

[leethefish]

Bump

Lewis is in his final year .....to many at school don't believe ): 

[gouty]

My Mrs still puts carrots out in a sack for the reindeer.

[AdamM]

My lad is 8, and figured it out last year, aged 7.
Think my daughter was about the same age when she cracked it.
I never told them outright, I just helped them to ask the right questions and figure out it made no sense at all.
Both were initially a little upset, but when they realised they would still be getting presents without the fat red anti-burglar, they were fine.

I used Santa and the Tooth Fairy to help develop their critical thinking skills, then have them apply it to religions too.
works a treat.
Two happy little atheist