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Yes or No to Santa Claus
October 8, 2014
Experience teaches only the teachable.
-Aldous Huxley
-Aldous Huxley
In discussing how parents should deal with issues of fantasy in his book, Parenting on the Go, David Elkind observes...
"Young children think differently than we do. It is not a wrong way of thinking, just different and age-appropriate. As they mature, children will overcome their earlier modes of thought themselves. The world of the young child is magical rather than scientific. In this magical world, animals can talk and think. Santa can fly through the sky in a reindeer-driven sleigh, and the tooth fairy can fly into our bedrooms, take a tooth from under an occupied pillow, and leave a gift in its place....
"So the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and fairy tale characters are entirely in keeping with the young child's magical thinking. Supporting young children's belief in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, and fantasy actually contributes to a child's healthy development. By allowing and encouraging these fantasies with our children, we give them the feeling that we adults are able to share their perspective. In so doing, we are able to bond more closely with them."
What is the most treasured resource for families with young children? Time. Between housekeeping, shopping, doing chores, and getting everyone to work and school — let alone fitting in family meals, fun activities, and much-needed downtime — being a parent can require major feats of scheduling. While parents don't always have hours to pour over parenting books, they could use short, to-the-point advice on the challenges they confront every day.
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Comments (5)
Displaying All 5 Commentslovejoy Play School
United States
I believe in the magical thinking But you brief article mentioned religious beliefs. I do not support those as a diverse childcare. Perhaps we could look beyond the narrow christian beliefs. Magic happens every day and every where
Cabrillo Community College
Santa Cruz, California, United States
I like to support children's imagination and fantasy. What my worry is that some parents use scare tactics for children to be "Good" so Santa can bring them presents.
Morgantown, WV, United States
My children believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, etc., and I encouraged it. Eventually, my oldest child figured it out by age 4 and asked me. I told her the truth - she looked a bit disappointed, but she thought we should go on pretending for her younger brothers! I have always believed that may have been her way of coping with the news. She came up with the idea that some of the gifts should be from family and some from Santa. The Easter Bunny was easier for her because - after all it was a rabbit. My sons, too, figured it out, but my daughter may have told them!! At any rate, I believe it is healthy for such imaginary friends.
Altamonte Springs, Florida, United States
I don't think that Santa or other culturally based traditions are necessarily harmful. And, I don't think that playing or bonding with your child through games and fantasy is bad.
But I do think that children rely on us to help them figure out what is real, and what is imaginary. I think they need that to be secure.
Pointing out when we are "pretending", and giving them permission to do likewise, helps them to gradually make those distinctions on their own ...in a way that completely indulging in fantasy does not.
The literature shows that creativity is tied less to fantasy than it is to habits of cognitive flexibility. The clown on the highwire has actually mastered essential skills to such a level of proficiency that they can now combine those skills in fun and creative ways (that are playful). The children who are the safest, and engage in the most creative play, are the ones who "know where the edges are" and therefore are free to dabble in new and exciting ways.
Child Care Resources
Seattle, WA, United States
in reading this article what immediately came to my mind is how we should expand our perspectives in dialogue what would be the narrative on this subject that was inclusive of a cultural lens. The Pacific Northwest is very diverse ethnically and culturally with families coming from many different parts of the world who are parenting and raising children here in the United States. What assumptions are we making? What would this look like from a cultural perspective. a religious perspective, from an ethnic perspective?
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