A single, child-less friend challenged me this week when he almost chastized me for teaching my daughter about Santa. "So, you're lying to her, telling her this imaginary person is going to buy her presents?", "I can't believe you're going to lie to your daughter and make her believe something that isn't real.".
It got me thinking. My husband and I had decided to teach our daughter that Santa was this man who was bringing presents to her on Jesus' birthday. That in fact, we are celebrating Jesus' birthday and Santa is just the messenger/gift-bearer for Jesus.
Now, that really threw my friend for a loop! He challenged me again, "so, you're teaching her about this imaginary Santa and then expect her to believe in Jesus when she finds out that Santa isn't real?"
WOW.
I don't know -- I give up! Parenting is such a challenge. I knew parenting was going to take physical energy and love and patience, I just never knew that parenting would take such mental energy! At times, I feel like I'm digging myself into a hole and it's getting deeper and deeper. I know there's nothing wrong with teaching my daughter about Santa -- I believed in him and I turned out just fine, right? But, do I separate the two: Jesus and Santa? Or do I teach them together as a tag-team?
I want my daughter to know more about Christmas than just the presents and goodies, I want her to know the meaning of Christmas -- the TRUE meaning. But, how do you do it without getting too carried away with the whole Santa-thing thrown in there?
So, this year we celebrate Jesus' birthday AND Santa.....I have 365 days to decide what to do next year...
4 comments:
It is tough! I was asking Kyle what his opinion was about the whole Santa thing and he said he hadn't really thought about it. I grew up not having Santa at all so a part of me wants my kids to have that. Like you said, we have 365 more days to think about it for next year! :)
Some more to think about....
Easter Bunny
Tooth Fairy
The Great Pumpkin....
I am going to be doing som "learning" about the history of Santa before I really get into this whole Santa business. So far we talk about him, but she still really doesn't get it.
for the record though. I found out there wasn't a santa and still managed to believe in God.
I struggled w/ this issue too. When my son was four he patted me on the arm one evening and said "Santa, that's a nice story isn't it Mom?" He figured it out, it's a story same as the Easter Bunny. He knew it wasn't real, it was a made up venture. I smiled and told him he was a very wise boy. I told him he was a good truth detective, but that some of the other little kids hadn't figured it out yet...and we shouldn't solve the mystery for them. He nodded his head. He's 9 now and he still enjoys the occasional Santa we run into at the store. Truth vs. fiction it's our job to point out the differences.
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