For those of you who've got/had kids, would you allow belief in pretend characters?

[19magic]

So like any of them Santa and the elves, the Easter bunny, tooth fairies.

For you does that also include the party princesses e. g. Disney/DreamWorks characters and allowing them to think they are real.

Personally I think there's no harm in letting the kids imagination go, I'm going to let the belief of Santa etc go for as long as possible. I remember my own memories and they were quite magical with the belief of Santa and my parents did it in quite a way that Santa can't make you huge electronic things like games or consoles, so you're expecting something cool and wonderful from Santa but not super expensive.

As for Disney I say while watching the movies that that character isn't real, but her seeing minni mouse was the sweetest thing I'll ever see. She was only 3 and they told us it'll be over a two hour wait, we had a roof but it wasn't indoors and I let her make the decision she told me she'll wait. Well despite it being about 8°C and raining, we sat down on some cardboard and waited no phones just chatting and cuddling cause it was cold. And she was the most patient girl ever and when she saw minni and daisy her eyes lit right up and she had a little dance with the both of them, ran up to minni when it was her turn and didn't let go for a couple of minutes and it was amazing to watch, I don't think I'll ever forget it.

Yes

No

Maybe for a couple of them

Only while they're super young (6 and under)

[SnowedIn]

I have kids and we've allowed it to a certain extent.

Like, I'm never going to say Elsa is real but daughter thought she was awesome and wanted to meet her. That's fine and she (kids) will usually grow out of it.

For Santa, Easter bunny, tooth fairy, etc., we don't stoke a lie, per se, but it's family myth. The kids love baking cookies and putting them and a Coke out for Santa. They know it's their big brother eating the cookies and me drinking the Coke but they still love it.

And that's what this is about. A little magic (for lack of a better word) in life.

So, yeah. 🙂

(Love the story about your daughter!)

[19magic]

That's what I believe but I've got a friend who said she felt betrayed and her parents lied to her. She was five when she asked if Santa was real and her mum said no.

Personally I do stroke the lie a little like I love doing the elf thing and moving him around. She finds it funny and probably believes it a little, but not loads after all it is just a teddy. But it's just fun to have the memories.

And thanks I only wish I took a video of the whole thing, I started off taking pictures and then a video but by that point she already let go of Minnie, but I do have a video of her spinning with Minnie.

[SnowedIn]

Interesting about the friend. Hmmmmm. Like, maybe my kids will go to therapy someday and hate us, but there's been zero drama about it in our house. They're now 20, 18, 14, and 11. Huh, that really is fascinating.

The alternative is so bleak, I think. Those kids who self righteously proclaim there is no (fill in the blank) yet all their friends are doing Santa and Easter bunny stuff. No judgement but I think that's bleak and sad.

[19magic]

Same here, they're only young once so why not make the memories. I don't do the Easter bunny, but I do enjoy doing the hunts and riddles and seeing the fun on her face.

[SnowedIn]

You're a good mom!

My kids debate who has the harder route and delivery: the Easter bunny or Santa 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[slatyb]

Allow? I can't control their thoughts or beliefs. I may question them, but I can't make them believe in something or stop believing. At 11 I concluded that God isn't real, and there is no power on Earth that could have changed my mind.

[19magic]

I'm not talking about 10-16 here I'm talking about 3-8, ya know the age where you could tell a kid the moon is made of cheese and they'll believe you. You can let/make them believe most things at that age. Like you said at 11 you believed god isn't real, what about at 6? I stopped believing in Santa at 8 but I won't say my parents didn't play a hand in making me believe it beforehand.

[slatyb]

At 6 I did the math and knew Santa wasn't real. Too many houses, not enough time.

[19magic]

At 6 I thought he had elf helpers, or could stop time or maybe the elf technology has gotten so good that he can instantly teleport between houses

[slatyb]

What's so strange when you're a wizard at 3? I knew this was meant to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iisYw0epV_Q

[purplepoppy]

Children instinctively know that fairy tale characters are imaginary. As for Santa claus etc I think it's healthy to let them believe because as they age they naturally question the belief and destroy it using logic. They learn it's ok to change your mind and not everything your parents tell you is true. It gives kids a chance to beat you in an argument and that builds their confidence.

[exitseven]

Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were real big in my house. We even had the Elf on the shelf that would rat them out to Santa if they were bad

[AydenHazor]

I never encouraged belief in them, but I also didn't discourage belief in them

[katiesmuff]

Yes I let them be kids!