Dear Santa,
Hey Santa. My kid. She’s 10 this year.
I know it’s not even Thanksgiving, but you have Christmas sh*t out all over the place. We have to talk about this. Now. Help a mother out!
When do I tell her?
Or more like, when do I answer her question “Is Santa real?” truthfully?
I don’t know how much longer I have for her to know who you are. She’s connecting things in her head when we are out shopping. And I can only say so much jibber jabber/slight of mouth distraction. This could be the last year.
Of your magic.
Sidenote: freaking out and trying to detour her away from the Elf on The Shelf display is getting exhausting. I can only come up with enough answers as to why they would be in a box for sale rather than being whisked to little girls and boys house by the reindeer crew. I feel stores need that “Adult Only” room you used to see at Video Stores.
But, for real again, let’s talk.
Some of her older cousins already know who is “Santa’ing” them, and with a slit your throat gesture if they spill the beans, we’ve been able to keep the magic alive.
When we moved here to our new duty station, she worried you wouldn’t know where we were. But you did. (Score, she still believes)
She realized how magical you are (and then on the flip side she thinks it’s creepy and scary how you know so much). Maybe, I’ll attribute that to your Elf who checks in with us in December.
She has rules for the Elf by the way, the thought of someone watching her while she sleeps or messing up her room is unnerving. Her struggle of course is that she knows he belongs to you. So, Evil Doll or Magical Creature? It keeps her up some nights. She is me, in a child form.
She’s growing and changing. She uses vocabulary words, I’ve forgotten. We ran into a cut out display of you holding a Coke can in the food aisle and it made her concerned about your junk food intake. She’s not a soda pop drinker so she wonders about this for your health. How different our conversations get every Christmas year.
Because he’s {whisper} big.” “No, honey, he’s…jolly” Slight of mouth distraction, activate.
Because he’s {whisper} big losartan medication. No, honey, he’s…jolly. Slight of mouth distraction, activate. Click To Tweet
When she finds out my big sham, she will have another reason to add to her list of eyeroll worthy reasons for her parents.
But, I get happy feels inside when your name brings a smile to her face and wondering what you will bring her this year. I forbade my upper lip to quiver when she teared up when you sent her a video last year. Me kinda don’t want this stuff to end.
I’m guessing all I can do is thank you for giving her really great Christmas’s filled with magic, cheer and love?
I get it. At some point, she has to cross over and become the one who Santa’s others.
I did. I verb’d you. Cause it’s a thing people do.
See you in December!
Signed, A mother not sure how to handle this one
*****
What’s been your experience parents? Help me out here!
Aloha, I’m Selena, The Rambler of My Rambling Thoughts. A storyteller, wife & mother just trying to make it to the next day by hunting for the funny to stay sane! I inhale coffee to keep my brain functioning. I occasionally binge on Netflix. I beg my dog to just leave the toilet paper alone for one second when I’m using the potty, and I pray to all that is holy I can get through a homework session without breaking Google for whatever is making my child smarter for her future. And I humorously navigate my new life as a military spouse without embarrassing my husband wherever the Army sends us. Did I forget anything?
OK, so um we have never had the Santa talk with any of our kids. I am sure the 15 and 12 year old kiddos know, but I am sticking mum on the issue. They can just wonder if their mother is delusional and still thinks he is real. At least this way they don’t spoil the fun for the 3 and 8 year old 🙂
I’m sure if we had more kids, this would most likely keep this magic train going for a while. Sigh. I just hope we will just bask in the Christmas glory for a long time.
Not ready to have that talk here as my kids are still too young yet, but I do know what you mean and when they are old enough not sure how or what I will say, as well. Hoping that when our time comes, I will say the right thing to my girls though, too.
it’s been a year of changes here at our house. This mommy isn’t super ready for them. =)
I feel for you! That is a very tricky time. My sister had to sit her daughter down in middle school and ‘fess up. To her credit, she did a marvelous job at explaining the history of Saint Nick and tied that into the whole “real” aspect of Santa. (I think that my niece was stringing her along so that the stocking presents wouldn’t go away!) #happynowlinkup
The girls found the elf hidden away. They were like, “why is he still here?!” I had to swallow my laugh and look just as surprised as they were.
Their friend told them he thinks the parents are Santa. I just say, “I’m not Santa, but it’s up to you what you believe.”….then glare at the friends back.
Do you buy separate wrapping paper for Santa gifts? I don’t, so I just let their granny handle the Santa stuff.
I have no good advice. We have a 6, 4, 2.5 and baby and am dreading the year they find out. Hoping it’s not til they are 10 like your little girl and when you find the words to say when she finds out, please post about it so I’ll know what to do in the future!
Maybe…because of the baby, you will be able to do a denial thing with the older kids? Haha..but seriously…I think you can pull that off!
Kids are so funny, the soda thing kills me! What a smart girl you have.
That is tough and something I don’t look forward to in parenthood! Good luck! It will all work out 🙂
Oh, man. This is definitely a talk I don’t look forward to. {Hugs] and best of luck on this one!
I remember as a kid working out that Santa wasn’t real – but I didn’t say anything because I (stupidly in hindsight) thought my parents still believed in him and I didn’t want to ruin it for them. Maybe your daughter already has an idea and the talk really won’t be necessary 🙂
Thanks for linking up to #ChristmasisCalling
Debbie
Never really thought of it that way? Great perspective.