By Harmony Hobbs:
Our oldest child is 4 years old and is fully aware that Santa Claus is a make-believe character who we pull out once a year, just for fun.
This was my doing. Last year, I flat out told him that Santa was imaginary. We were walking into a Kohl’s store when I said it. Husband was mad at me, but I’m sorry, I simply cannot keep up that kind of charade.
I’m really, really terrible at a lot of things, and one of them is creating childhood magic. It’s not something I’m proud of.
The thing is, my kid isn’t the kind of kid you want to lie to. He would never trust us again — as it is, he already questions everything we say. I can’t imagine the hell he would put us through, should he have GOOD REASON to think we’ve fibbed. In addition, I don’t want my kid to be the one whose world crumbles when he learns from another kid at school that Santa isn’t real. I don’t want him to put the pieces together and figure out his parents have been lying to him all these years. Just thinking about that makes me so sad.
Until last year, it was a non-issue. But then he started asking direct questions (at the tender age of three) like, “How can he fit into our chimney? Isn’t the chimney dirty? Our roof is so tiny! Where will reindeer stand while they wait? Wait … what about the houses that don’t have chimneys?! Do those kids not get presents?!”
I just couldn’t look into his big hazel eyes and lie. I tried, but I think I’m missing that mommy gene that makes it easy to create enchantment. I just feel like they are better off knowing the truth from the beginning … and so … my kids know. But don’t worry, we aren’t entirely lacking holiday cheer! We will still set out cookies on Christmas Eve — someone will mysteriously eat them. Sparkly gifts will appear under the tree overnight. Christmas will be as magical as it can possibly be with a mother who was born with a heart three sizes too small.
Now, if only we could make sure our kids don’t spoil the magic for YOUR kids. Thinking about that possibility makes me and my too-small heart want to crawl under a table and hide.
About Harmony:
Harmony is a stay-at-home mom to two boys (with a third child arriving in June!). Her sanity is in question. That’s putting it mildly. Visit her blog at Modern Mommy Madness.
