Posted on 09/27/2023 4:47:00 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
Good for granny. Santa allegations are a lie that breed mistrust between parent and child. In a child’s mind: “If they lied about Santa, what else are they lying about? Maybe the true version of Christmas is also a lie.”
Another bad sign: referring to the child's grandmother as "MIL".
Worst sign of all: being an atheist ...
I handled it pretty well when I found out Santa wasn’t real.
By the time I went work the next day, I was feeling back to normal.
Well go read the story about the girl in Green Bay that cut off her lovers head and chopped up his body. That’s actually cutting someone off!
Talk about wackadoodle crazy, watch the video of her attacking her own lawyer.
Oh the things we read due to insomnia!😞
It was not the MIL place to say anything.
She overstepped. I would freeze her out.
...sorry but that suggestion is pure EVIL, as every child needs a loving grandparent. Disagree about who Santa is, but cutting off contact will damage the kid, not help her... very bad advice.
...ymmv
Children love fantasy. It is part of a child’s DNA. They play dressup, they pretend to be pirates, have tea parties, fight wars, etc.
Parents meet the child at the fantasy level a few days of the year with Santa.
Is fantasy harmful? I doubt its harmful. My 4 adult children include biologist, physics teacher, music teacher, computer geek. All follow the evidence and question everything and ever authority.
They have been raised to enjoy the fantasy world of play and imagination while still being true to evidence and science through having a strong faith in Jesus Christ.
I am so greatful that I didn’t grow up in this family.
My stepchidren’s mother withheld the children from their father for years for evil purposes. When the judge finally forced time with the father it was Christmas time. So she told the 5 and 6 year old there was no Santa to ruin their time with Dad. It’s pure psychopathic evil.
Kids believe in magic for a little while. Then it’s over forever. They eventually figure it out for themselves when reason kicks in. When I started to tell my little brother the real deal, mom called me aside and told me Santa only comes to see those who believe in him. I got the message. Santa came to see me until she died.
My kids figured it out on their own, eventually. We all do, if a dunderhead relative doesn’t screw it up.
I had an aunt who told me I was adopted before my parents did. Mom was really
pissed off. It was one of her sisters in law.
She overstepped. I would freeze her out.
********
Child at grandmother’s funeral: “Why was I never allowed to see my grandmother?”
Parent: “Because she told you the truth about Santa not being real.”
I can’t believe the number of FReepers who are condemning the m-i-l based only on the say so of the vile sounding woman who posted this screed.
It’s only one side of the story about what the m-i-l is like, and it’s her nasty perspective.
The mother who wrote this sounds like a real piece of work.
What a despicable thing for that woman to do. Attacking innocence. My ex did that with my kids when they were young. So I told my kids: If you don’t believe in Santa Claus, then he won’t believe in you. It’s a two-way street. They got the message.
Every year now I tell them Christmas is the story of innocence, salvation and Jesus being God’s gift to mankind. We exchange of gifts which represent our belief in God and hope for salvation.
Time and place for everything, but not at 4 years old.
I never understood mothers who do that. They mess up their sons' lives.
And this MIL had to ruin things for her 4yo granddaughter, too.
Santa is real, and so are the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.
They all are just as real as any other anonymous gift-giver, such as a secret valentine.
My best friend was absolutely devastated when she learned that Santa wasn’t real. Not that it was about Santa, but what got her was that the people she loved and trusted the most had lied to her. She could not fathom how or why they would do that to her.
At that point, we were raising out kids knowing that Santa wasn’t real, in opposition to both parent’s wishes. After hearing what my friend had to say, my mother never brought up the issue again.
But we also never wanted to be in a position of having the kids know that we lied to them about anything. And it never robbed them of the excitement of Christmas and receiving gifts given in love.
THIS!
We also never played the Santa charade. We are Christians, there is only One who is responsible for judging who is naughty and who is nice. How do we later explain the lie of Santa and expect faith in the Lord?
We also were very adamant about him not spoiling it for others; was pretty good about it.
First I wish to apologize to all Freepers that are traumatized by me posting there is no Santa.
To me the bottom line is that it is the parents’ decision and others need to butt out.
And to those that believe we’re doing lasting harm to kids by including Santa, Tooth Fairy, Halloween, etc. in their lives by setting them up for distrust, wow, glad you weren’t my parents.
To those that hold Christain Values do not allow for such beliefs, up to you. Me, I’m happy my daughter’s Catholic School is celebrating Halloween with Trunk or Treat.
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