Nowadays we are not supposed to spank our children. We are supposed to raise our kids in a way that let�s them know that they are being heard and that their opinions matter. Kids are even being sexualized more and more and doing �grown up� things, like dating and dressing/behaving seductively, younger and younger. But even though kids are being allowed these �advancements�, thousands, maybe millions of parents indulge their children with fantasies of an imaginary man named Santa Claus every year.
What do the people of the CDFF forums think about Santa Claus, and parents who create the fantasy of Santa Claus for their children? Is he an idol? Is it right to mislead children this way? Or is it cute, innocent fun?
I taught my kids about the real St. Nicholas and now we have many men who dress up like him to carry out his good deeds. God and Jesus are real and the true gift givers. I also taught them that St. Nicholas or Santa would have to bow to Jesus if they had not done it already.
One of my kids felt left out and now teaches her kids to believe in Santa and God~go figure.
I figured there was no Santa when I was a child, the logistics just didn't work for me, but my parents would not admit it. So I hid out in a corner behind the drapes for half the night and caught my parents red handed. I scared them half to death when I jumped out behind the drapes proclaiming "I told you there was no Santa". I was scolded saying not to tell my sisters,and sent to bed.
Me and my siblings always kind of looked at other kids like they were weird for believing in tooth fairies/Santa/Ghosts, but we kept it to ourselves. There was one time that a little kid came running up to us with hopes of dashing our little childhood fantasies and yelled "Santa is fake!"...and we were like..."*pretentious child voice*uh...yeah, we already knew that...duh"("duh" was the "in" word back in my day).
I guess I assume because I understood it as a kid, other kids can understand it. I guess it all really comes down to knowing what that particular kid can understand. But what do you tell a kid who can't separate fairy tales from true stories? Let them think fake things are real? I don't really understand what you are trying to say at the end there, Godslamb.
I meant that some kids, depending on their personality and age, can handle the concept --- understand the concept -- of make believe and fairytailes. They understand they are made up - not real. They understand that things can happen in make believe land that couldn't in real life.
Other kids cannot understand that. They have a hard time grasping the concept of fairyland or make believe. They can't separate real and make believe. So, you have to take into account the age of the child and their personality. That it why I think parents are best to handle talking to their kids about Santa.
One of the wondrous gifts God gives His children is Imagination. We seem determined to smother it in our own children and in us. Now because that we want to be the �righteous� Christians that we feel we need to be�we are eliminating one of our children�s greatest Fables.
We tell ourselves and our Christian Brothers and Sisters that we do not want to �lie� to our children anymore�besides�Christ is the reason for the �
We dread the �shock� of having our own child accusing us of lying to them.
Do you remember playing �Fort� with two chairs from the kitchen and a blanket from mom? How about Cowboys and Indians? Tea parties with The Mad hatter?
Are we to deny our children these moments where they get to exercise their Imagination? Where would C. S. Lewis or J. R. R. Tolkien have learned their trade if not in their childhood?
Children grow out of their �fantasy� stage quickly (some later than others but usually around age 6 or 7). Would you be lying to your child if when they come to you and says
�Daddy, my friends at school say that there is no Santa Clause�is there?�
You answer �Honey�Santa is real if you Believe he�s real�here�in Your Heart.�
We want our children to grow up so quickly. We want them to �know� the lies that we adults propagate on them. Christmas is for Christ�man has made it about Santa (who does not exist). In Reality Santa was actually a very nice man a long time ago, but�
I still remember the anticipation and excitement in my son�s voice and in his eyes on Christmas Eve. The Glee and Joy in his face the next morning. I do not believe that Jesus was all that upset because my son �believed� in a Santa Claus?
Did I make sure that my son Understood why we celebrate Christ Mass? Who�s Birth Day we were Celebrating? Yes and Yes and YES!
This generation is in a rush to �be different��to not make the mistakes of our parents. Our children suffer because of their �need� to correct things.
Jesus Loves Children�all Children. Jesus asks us to be like Children. To �Believe� like Children. To have �Blind Faith� like children.
You do not Lie to a child of 4 years old when you tell them the wonderful story of Santa Claus. That child will �grow up� soon enough. Allow them their Youth�their time with God where they have no fear and feel protected by you�and God. Don�t force them to grow up so soon�don�t give them your �Fear��they will have their own �Fears� soon enough.
Why would anyone tell a child that Santa is a �Children�s Anti-Christ?
"Godless myths" Myths where God is not present. I will argue that in the Santa Claus myth God is certainly present. It takes a "Godly" man to do what Santa does...I believe that you would agree.
I was very young when I realized that Ol' Saint Nick was just another fairy tale. I harbored no ill will or hatred towards my parents for having "lied" to me. I cherished those few years where Santa was "REAL" to me.
You do lie to a child of four years old if you tell them the story of santa and that he rides in a sleigh and brings them gifts each year ( but only if they've been good).
Just like Satan uses the easter bunny to take children's minds off of the resurrection---- he uses santa to take their focus off Jesus.
It's the Truth that will set them free.
Instead of fairy tales, why not fill their little minds with------
the story of Noah's ark; Jonah and the whale, Daniel and the lions, the 3 Hebrew children.
There are too many true stories to share with them that will peak their imagination and not have them confused about what's real and what's pretend.
As for me and my house; we won't bow:bow:
twosparrows showed all we need to hear. Bring up a child in the way he should go. You tell them the Truth------ God will handle the rest.
