To make their kids believe or not believe in the existence of Santa is the question that young parents face at some point. This write-up discusses why you should allow kids to believe in Santa.
Introduction
Christmas is one of the most magical festivals of the year. And the magic of this festival is kept alive by the jolly old man known as Santa Claus. Santa is a children's favorite and has kept the joy of celebrating Christmas alive for years. Kids love to wait for this time of the year, as they know that Santa will be arriving soon with lovely gifts for them. Parents, as well as kids, enjoy this time of the holiday season with great enthusiasm. Most parents are happy to introduce Santa to their kids when they are around 2 years old. But there is another set of parents who do not tell their kids about Santa because they have their own reasons.
Parents who decide not to introduce Santa to their kids do so because they think they would be lying to their kids about the existence of Santa. They also worry that their children will have a tough time trusting them in the future because of the lie that they said about Santa Claus. These worries prevent many parents from introducing the concept of Santa to their little kids. However, there are many reasons why parents must allow their kids to believe in Santa Claus and make him a part of their childhood.
It keeps the magic alive.
Parents should not hesitate to tell kids about Santa because it helps keep the magic alive in childhood. Little kids have very strong imaginations, and it's easier for them to believe in fairy tales and fantasies. Santa is just a positive way to stir their curious minds. Imagining Santa and looking forward to his arrival is a part of normal childhood development. Once kids get older, their brains start to function differently, and they start to figure things out independently. Till then, let kids be kids and let them look forward to the Christmas magic.
It helps create new family traditions.
Parents can start new family traditions on Christmas by allowing kids to believe in Santa. Traditions like keeping cookies and carrots for Santa and reindeer on Christmas Eve, writing letters to Santa telling him about their wish list, visiting Santa and clicking pictures with him, and tracking him on the Internet keep the kids engaged and excited about Christmas. Family traditions like these help create a strong bond amongst the family members and create memories for a lifetime.
It helps in the cognitive development of kids.
Children that belong to the age group of 3 to 8 years old are more into Santa than anybody else. There is substantial cognitive development in kids during these years as they grow. Kids of this age group love to explore, think and figure things out on their own. So, Santa also contributes to the development of kids because as they grow older, they start to question his existence. They start figuring things like Santa's handwriting is similar to that of their mom or how is it possible for Santa to fly in the sky and come down through a small chimney to drop off their gifts.
It gives parents a chance to relive their childhood.
Most parents who have experienced the magic of Santa Claus in their childhood are more inclined towards introducing the concept to their young children. By allowing their kids to believe in Santa, these parents also get a chance to relive their childhood memories. They get a chance to follow the same family traditions as they used to during their childhood.
It teaches the child to believe.
Santa is one way through which parents can help their kids learn to believe in things that they cannot see or prove. Believing in something or someone is a necessary life skill that every person must possess. Through Santa, kids get a chance to practice this life skill that can be helpful for them in the future.
Santa lets kids enjoy the magic of Christmas and helps them differentiate between reality and fantasy as they grow over the years. Kids often find the truth from their older siblings or their friends. Most kids don't get angry or disappointed with their parents for holding the truth about Santa. Instead, they accept the fact quite easily. So, keeping kids away from Santa during childhood years is not required. Kids don't grow up to have trust issues with their parents. Rather, they cherish all the memories they created when they were younger. They appreciate the efforts put in by their parents to keep the Christmas magic alive when they were little, innocent kids.
