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This is a great way to tell children that there is no Santa Claus
“Mom, is Santa Claus really real?” A difficult question that is not that easy to answer. We asked a psychologist how best to respond.
For small children, Santa Claus is a given. He appears in books and stories, on television and is simply present everywhere in the run-up to Christmas. This makes it real for the little ones. “Children live in a kind of fantasy world that includes Santa Claus,” saysGraduate psychologist Michael Thiel. The expert explains that good fantasy characters - such as Santa Claus or angels - help children to be good and do good things themselves.
Santa Claus also adds extra magic to the Christmas season. It's the icing on the cake, so to speak, on what is already the most beautiful festival of the year with all its gifts, colorful lights and traditions that children love so much.
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Preserve the illusion
“Parents shouldn’t deprive children of the illusion that Santa Claus exists,” says Michael Thiel. In his opinion, this little white lie is allowed when raising children. As a parent, you don't have to worry that your children will one day call you a liar when they realize that Santa Claus doesn't exist after all. They don't even think about it at this moment.
When asked “Does Santa Claus really exist?” you don’t have to lie directly, but as a parent you can ask a counter question. For example: “Who do you think is bringing the presents?” This calms children down for now.
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By the way:If you have two children, one no longer believes in Santa Claus - but the other does, you can ask the older one not to bring up the topic in order to give the little one the illusion. Most of the time it works quite well.
Wrapping up the truth nicely
But at some point the day comes when the little ones come home from school and say, “Mom, Leon said that Santa Claus doesn’t even exist!” Here the expert advises first asking what the child believes. This often eliminates the concerns.
If that doesn't help, parents should tell the truth. However, you should take your time and calmly explain to your child what Santa Claus is all about. “Parents can tell their child that they used to believe in Santa Claus and still remember him fondly,” says psychologist Michael Thiel. They can also ask the question whether Santa Claus doesn't exist somewhere...
To ensure that this year's celebration is enjoyable despite any doubts that arise, parents can involve their child a little more in the preparations. Bake cookies together, decorate the living room festively or do crafts together. This makes Christmas unforgettable despite the crumbling belief in Santa Claus.
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