You might have a change of heart when you have kids of your own and you are around other parents. When you take your kids to Chuck E. Cheese, and they think he's real, and they are so excited to see him.
Those innocent years don't last long, and they should be cherished by all parents. It's gone for my 11 year old, and now I'm having to deal with a cocky middle school kid.
My 9 year old daughters are still pretty innocent, and I am loving every minute of their innocence. I hate to think that this was the last year that they'll believe in Santa Claus.
I'd love to hear what you have to say in 10 to 20 years.
With all due respect, I'm not going to have a change of heart.
I knew lots of other children like me, raised with similar values and a similar appreciation for the truth. So it's not like it was poor little me, all alone in the world, not believing in Santa Claus.
Not only did I have my parents raising me, but also my grandmother, most of my aunts and uncles and the majority of my cousins all believe the same when it comes to this issue. Not to mention everyone else in my religious community. I am actually very blessed in this regard.
When I get married, I'm going to marry someone with similar values. I would not marry someone who thought it okay to exchange the truth for a lie. I would not marry someone who would combine light and dark in this fashion.
And I'm going to raise my children with Biblical principles and truth. I'm not going to waste time trying to get them to believe falsehoods when there are many true stories that are just as delightful. My children will get presents throughout the year (as I did), and not just because of a certain date.
Of course, I do want my children to appreciate and feel the true spirit of giving. They'll have MY example and that of my husband (I won't be giving the credit to a mythological person). And better than my imperfect example, they'll have the example of Jesus Christ, who gave more than any of us could dare ask be given, and bought us eternity. When I was a child, I knew as much about Jesus as other children knew about Santa. Jesus performed wondrous miracles and is truly an amazing and inspiring person. And he's real.