The whole "santa debate"
Dec. 6th, 2003 08:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly
Just so you have my views on the subject, I wouldn't tell my kids there is a santa, but I wouldn't tell anyone else there isn't unless they asked me directly. However. I think both sides in the debate are wrong. Let's look at some quotes:
Sandra Jolly said her 6-year-old son's Christmas was spoiled when his teacher told the first-grade class Monday that "Santa Claus is make-believe."
"He had this sad, lost puppy dog look on his face. This unhappy, empty look," Jolly said. "He said his teacher informed the entire class that Santa is make-believe." ... "How do you destroy a 6-year-old like that?" said Pam Sturt, whose son Bradley is in D.J.'s class.
So, tell your kids the truth now that they know. There is no Santa, and they get presents because their parents love them enough to spend money and time on them. If your kid thinks christmas is all about santa and presents for them, no matter what the age, finding out the truth is the least of your problems. Now is the perfect time to start stressing charity, giving to others, and the religious message of your choice.
Santa Claus is a part of childhood, and unless some rogues with nothing better to do than spoil everyone’s fun gets their way, he always will be.
So all those Jewish and Muslim kids, all those children in countries with no Santa tradition, they're so very much deprived. Okay. *rolls her eyes* It's a very new tradition, anyway. There's no necessity for Santa during childhood.
What's even worse it this person isn't just defending her view, she's committing the same crime she accuses others of, telling them how to raise their kids. In fact, she defends the myth by saying that it helped her grow up: "By the next year I was one of the kids on the playground telling others that they were babies if they still believed in Santa Claus. " So, you were cruel to the ignorant? That I don't respect, in anyone, regardless of age.
Personally, I'd like to strangle that teacher.
Yes. Honesty. That's a justification for first degree murder!
From the other view:
eh, the world isn't magical. I think it's better they learn the truth early on. People only tell their kids about Santa to try to get them to behave the way they want.
Yes, and I shouldn't be blowing bubbles before class. That's a rather cold view of the world.
I remember how very upset most of my classmates were when they figured out that their parents had been lying to them for years. Basically, it teaches little kids that mom and dad aren't to be trusted, because if they'd lie about Santa, what else are they lying about?
People lie. Kids have to learn that eventually. And if you're traumatized by that, that's nobody's fault but your own.
I've also got appropriate *headdesk* quotes from some magazines my mom bought...
Our 9 year old kid wants an item we can't afford. We've explained this, and now he's calling us Scrooge. My husband says we should stand firm, but I think that "if we disappoint him, his Christmas will be ruined"
*screams* That's right. Christmas isn't about family and love, and for sure it's not about Jesus, it's about the loot. And letting your kid blackmail you is good parenting. I remember very few things I got for Christmas over the years. What I do remember is spending time with my family. He won't even remember what it was by next year, and you can't afford it anyway!
My son is dating a vegan, and I don't want to invite her to my house because I love to eat meat! So much so that I can't cook, apparently, a single thing without meat products. He's trying to spoil my fun, waaah!
Grow up. Make a few things with no meat products. It's not that big a deal. You might even consider asking everyone, including her, to bring something to the table, making your burden a little lighter.
I paraphrased, but that was the general gist of the questions. *rolls her eyes*
So, folks, remember: Christmas is about the presents. Nothing more, and for sure nothing less.
On that note, I know some people who promised me LJ presents... Jenn, this is your friendly reminder that the nineteenth is upon us.
Sandra Jolly said her 6-year-old son's Christmas was spoiled when his teacher told the first-grade class Monday that "Santa Claus is make-believe."
"He had this sad, lost puppy dog look on his face. This unhappy, empty look," Jolly said. "He said his teacher informed the entire class that Santa is make-believe." ... "How do you destroy a 6-year-old like that?" said Pam Sturt, whose son Bradley is in D.J.'s class.
So, tell your kids the truth now that they know. There is no Santa, and they get presents because their parents love them enough to spend money and time on them. If your kid thinks christmas is all about santa and presents for them, no matter what the age, finding out the truth is the least of your problems. Now is the perfect time to start stressing charity, giving to others, and the religious message of your choice.
Santa Claus is a part of childhood, and unless some rogues with nothing better to do than spoil everyone’s fun gets their way, he always will be.
So all those Jewish and Muslim kids, all those children in countries with no Santa tradition, they're so very much deprived. Okay. *rolls her eyes* It's a very new tradition, anyway. There's no necessity for Santa during childhood.
What's even worse it this person isn't just defending her view, she's committing the same crime she accuses others of, telling them how to raise their kids. In fact, she defends the myth by saying that it helped her grow up: "By the next year I was one of the kids on the playground telling others that they were babies if they still believed in Santa Claus. " So, you were cruel to the ignorant? That I don't respect, in anyone, regardless of age.
Personally, I'd like to strangle that teacher.
Yes. Honesty. That's a justification for first degree murder!
From the other view:
eh, the world isn't magical. I think it's better they learn the truth early on. People only tell their kids about Santa to try to get them to behave the way they want.
Yes, and I shouldn't be blowing bubbles before class. That's a rather cold view of the world.
I remember how very upset most of my classmates were when they figured out that their parents had been lying to them for years. Basically, it teaches little kids that mom and dad aren't to be trusted, because if they'd lie about Santa, what else are they lying about?
People lie. Kids have to learn that eventually. And if you're traumatized by that, that's nobody's fault but your own.
I've also got appropriate *headdesk* quotes from some magazines my mom bought...
Our 9 year old kid wants an item we can't afford. We've explained this, and now he's calling us Scrooge. My husband says we should stand firm, but I think that "if we disappoint him, his Christmas will be ruined"
*screams* That's right. Christmas isn't about family and love, and for sure it's not about Jesus, it's about the loot. And letting your kid blackmail you is good parenting. I remember very few things I got for Christmas over the years. What I do remember is spending time with my family. He won't even remember what it was by next year, and you can't afford it anyway!
My son is dating a vegan, and I don't want to invite her to my house because I love to eat meat! So much so that I can't cook, apparently, a single thing without meat products. He's trying to spoil my fun, waaah!
Grow up. Make a few things with no meat products. It's not that big a deal. You might even consider asking everyone, including her, to bring something to the table, making your burden a little lighter.
I paraphrased, but that was the general gist of the questions. *rolls her eyes*
So, folks, remember: Christmas is about the presents. Nothing more, and for sure nothing less.
On that note, I know some people who promised me LJ presents... Jenn, this is your friendly reminder that the nineteenth is upon us.
