Mandy, 24, full time mum.
I don't want to lie to my child about Santa. My husband & I promised each other we would never lie to our children, and that includes Santa. Our daughter Sarah told me last night that Santa is going to bring her gifts at Christmas. I have told her before that Santa is just make believe, and she burst into tears.
Last night I gently explained the story again, that Santa is just pretend and she was so upset. I have to find out who has been filling her head with all this Santa stuff. It certainly wasn't her father and me. It must be another family member or friend who doesn't agree with our ideas.
I want to have a trusting relationship with my children. I do have some issues with the fact that my parents have lied to me about Santa when I was a child. When I discovered Santa was not real, I lost a lot of trust in my parents. How was I to know when they were telling the truth or not? I don't want this to happen with my children.
I have reassured Sarah that mummy & daddy will be giving her presents at Christmas. I have also told her that just because Santa isn't real doesn't mean we love her less, but I think she is a bit young to really understand that.
I will persevere gently with this. I will not have some concocted marketing weapon force me into capitulating on my standards in my own home. I won't have the Santa lie dictate to me how I will raise my child.