Mommy Talk Show Candid Conversation with a TV Mom
This is the first year our almost 4 year old son, A.J. has started talking about Santa Claus. When he did, it reminded me of the agreement my husband and I made before he was born – no Santa, no Tooth Fairy, no Easter Bunny. Not that we don’t think he’ll see these things. But we will tell him the truth. It seemed rather hypocritical as parents to tell him “Be honest” when we were serving him a load of bull. So I took A.J. to an Atlanta event with the Jolly Old Elf and even let him take a picture. Watch the video and then tell me, “Do you tell your children the truth about Santa Claus?”
Warning: Don’t watch this video around your children if you’d like them to believe in Santa. On the other hand, if you have a child who recently learned “the truth” about Santa, you may want to watch it with them and get their thoughts.
Let me stop you before you start thinking “if she doesn’t want him to believe in Santa Claus, why did she take him to a breakfast with Santa event?” My answer: because it’s fun and make believe. I also took him to the Doc McStuffins Doc Mobile Clinic in Atlanta a few months ago. She’s not a real person either. To me, it’s the same. A kid activity, not a “meet the real Santa experience.” After the video, I’ll share my Tooth Fairy experience with you that might shed some more light.
Santa Photos
Visit Shop The Avenue at West Cobb in Marietta this holiday season for a free photo with Santa.
Wednesdays, December 11 & 18 from 3 PM – 7 PM. Santa will be inside Barnes & Noble, and complimentary carriage rides will begin at Stride Rite. Don’t forget your camera to capture the perfect family photo.
Tag your favorite photos taken at The Avenue on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter with #shoptheavenue before the end of the month. You may be randomly selected to receive a gift card to #shoptheavenue.
Tooth Fairy Revealed
The Tooth Fairy story is one of the worst from my childhood because I felt like I’d been bamboozled. I figured out on my own that The Tooth Fairy did not exist. I noticed that anytime I told my Mother that I’d lost a tooth and was putting it under my pillow, I’d find a half dollar there the next day. But one day I decided not to tell her, put the tooth under the pillow and tested my theory. The next morning there was no money. From then on my faith in all of the holiday characters crumbled. I don’t want to be responsible for A.J. feeling that way. I will tell him the truth because I expect honesty from him.
Disclosure: We were invited to attend a breakfast with Santa event at Shop The Avenue West Cobb. All thoughts and opinions are my own. You’re welcome to respectfully disagree with me in the comments or the Mommy Talk Show YouTube channel.
I mention santa a few times but I don’t take it to the extreme I like them to find out when they find out. I like my kids to have that wonder and excitement makes Christmas more fun. Any parent who buys gifts for their kids is Santa its a bunch of us we may not put on the suit but we are like Santa in every way even down to the elves at the store who wrap my gifts for me lol.
I never thought about this until I had kids of my own and started to question the same things. How we tell kids to be honest and then make up stories like this. Saying that, I do play along with the Santa because its fun. lol However, I do sometimes feel guilty about it and mad. I mean… how come Santa gets the credit when I am the one buying all the gifts!! lol
Eventually I will! 🙂
I understand the approach, yet it’s not what we do. I don’t even think my parents told me that Santa, the tooth fairy etc weren’t real when I was older – I just clued in and it was kinda funny actually.
i never ever felt like that about those stories. I understood that it was a childhood thing. I also was upset because my Mom told me honestly at 5 years old the clear cut truth. Because I asked her about Santa. Some boy at our school was blathering on about the truth and I wanted to know. I was upset with her for telling me the truth. I wanted to beleive. I wanted to be a kid. I always felt like I was too parentified in our single family household. Then I was in on the secret and couldn’t tell my brother. I like the idea of just letting kid be children and enjoy the time of innocence and magic.
We don’t put much emphasis on Santa. My kids have never sat in Santa’s lap and while we haven’t told them straight out that he isn’t real, we haven’t hyped him up either. Once they start asking the real questions about Santa, I’ll point to their dad and say “there he is!” lol
Love this and I’m sure your husband will too!
Hi Joyce,
Boy, this is a tough one for me. I can see pros and cons on both sides. I like what you said in the video about giving your son presents you feel like he deserve or that you have decided to bless him with. I think kids today have it so good, they expect gifts and often don’t really appreciate them. That’s what I really want to instill in my son: that things are not just free and you have to earn what you get.
Merry Christmas!