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Psychology: At this age you should clarify the Santa Claus lie for your child

14 November 2023

Santa Claus lie
According to psychologists, from this age onwards you should educate your child

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By elementary school at the latest, the Santa Claus lie will be exposed all by itself. At least that’s what most parents think and hope. But if that doesn’t happen, should I educate my child? A psychologist says “Yes!”. But when is the right time?

The magic of For the vast majority of children, Christmas is inseparably associated with Santa Claus, the Christ child, elves, elves and flying reindeer. Your eyes light up when you draw the wish lists and you’ll be amazed if Santa Claus has actually filled your boots at night. And the adults feel transported back to their own childhood. At the latest with children, the magic of Christmas is brought back to life, even if it has perhaps been a little lost in the meantime. However, a British psychologist warns that there can be serious consequences if parents let their children believe this for too long.

When is the right time?

“How many more sleeps do I have to sleep before Christmas?” A question that parents are asked very, very often during Advent. Not surprising, after all, for children (and many adults), Christmas is on the same level as their own birthday. A festival that has everything to offer: gifts, lots of sweets, great stories and fairy tales, lights and luminaries. No wonder the days are being excitedly counted. But the magic has an expiration date. At the latest when the smart kids slowly notice the many inconsistencies, they question Santa Claus or when the first enlightened classmates in elementary school expose the Santa Claus lie. But parents also ask themselves every year: When is the right time to tell their children the truth without destroying trust?

At the age of 10, parents should educate their children about Christmas

The British child psychologist Dr. Amanda Gummer recommends telling children the truth by the age of ten or eleven at the latest, if they haven’t figured it out themselves by then. This is the age at which children almost everywhere move on to secondary school. In order to avoid being laughed at and teased for their childish belief in Santa Claus, they should then know the truth. “It’s important that your children trust you and believe what you tell them. If you keep the myth going for too long, you risk damaging your credibility with them, which can negatively impact your relationship as they get older ,” Gummer told the British Mirror. But how do you go about it?

child, christmas, cap, sad

How do I tell my child?

Definitely not using the wooden hammer method! It’s best to wait until the children ask and want to know what we think. Gummer says it’s easier to confirm a suspicion they already have than to break the news to them out of the blue. Nevertheless, one can preserve the magic of Christmas by explaining that it is also a magical time for adults, when it is not just about gifts, but above all about kindness, peace and love.

Source: mirror.co.uk