Stormie got in trouble with her Kindergarten teacher for telling other children there wasn't really a Santa Claus.
We're not those Christians that think "Santa" is just a mixed up way of saying "Satan." Au contraire. We just let Santa Claus be a part of the whole kit and caboodle of the celebrating, but his part was just a fun story for my kids, "'Twas the night before Christmas…". No way I was going to let some fat guy in a red suit get the credit for buying all those gifts. We figured we'd let them know right from the start and then there'd be no disappointment later or wondering what else we'd been dishonest about.
Rocky and Stormie went through a phase of thinking he was real on all their own. Their reasoning? "We saw him. He was walking down the mall." It lasted about 2 days.
But Stormie, against our counsel, I assure you, told other poor, unsuspecting children. And she got busted. She probably wishes she hadn't known the truth because to have that kind of knowledge – to be able to tell a secret so powerful it will destroy another child – that is heady power, my friends. Heady.
I'm already dreaming of Christmas…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Better find out what all my kids are telling my grandkids before Stormie gets to them.
You know, the truth is….I was just trying to save these kids from a lot of heartache later. :)
And heartbreaking it can be, Stormie! I was five (learned to read at 4) and my Mom left a Good Housekeeping magazine lying around that had a story about all of the folks around the world that were doing good things for others in the name of Christmas Goodwill. The title of the story was "Is There Really a Santa Claus?" Although I was only 5, I knew what it meant and I still *vividly* remember crying my little eyes out over it. Our kids are currently none the wiser, although I look back and laugh at the conversation I had with My Hubby's eldest-eldest daughter (she's almost 18 now) about five years ago. I was piling gifts onto the belt at Wal-Mart and she asked if they were from me. I said, "No, they're from Santa." "We HAVE to talk," she replied, straight-faced as she could be! Ha!
What kind of teacher punishes a child for telling the truth. We also told the kids from the start that he wasn't real. When my kids were in elementary school they taught about all (even christianity) the different believes. If they taught one they had to teach them all. I had to make sure my kids knew the truth. I didnt want them misled. Santa was just fun, happy man. I wanted them to know what Christmas was all about. Our Savior!
We too have been honest with our children. Hannah, however wanted to believe, but as painfully insightful as she can be, went straight for the logistics of the matter. We don't actually have a fireplace that Santa can come down and out of (Good ole' gas fireplace). There is no chimney for him to cram his fat self into. Since he can't get down the chimney, and mom and dad NEVER leave the front door unlocked for the poor guy, he's NEVER gonna get in to drop off the loot! As you can see, she is far to literal for this stuff. However, in the end she chooses the joy of pretending anyway. Now that is worthy of celebrating!
Hehe…we never did the Santa thing at our house. We let the kids watch Santa stuff and hear the stories, but we always told them they were just fun stories. As a result, when the oldest was in Kindergarten , he was outraged that children were spreading such horrible untruths about an imaginary man…because that's just wrong! :-) He is a very black and white child. I had a hard time explaining to him that it was OK if other people wanted to play along with the story, and not to make a point of trying to convert his class to his way of thinking. It was pretty funny.