While there are many benefits to protecting children's belief in Santa, it's not OK to lie to children about his existence. Most children have a positive reaction to their Santa discovery. Discovering the truth about Santa is part of growing up and a sign that the child is developing critical thinking skills.
Studies suggest children with rich fantasy lives may actually be better at identifying the boundaries between fantasy and reality. But if parents want to, by all means they're entitled to do so. Any benefit from believing in Santa vanishes when children stop believing in him.
Most Americans (67%) stopped expecting Santa to shimmy down their chimney by the time they entered seventh grade. Half (49%) of Americans say they stopped believing in Santa before the age of 10 – with a quarter (23%) reporting that they lost sight of him between the ages of seven (10%) and eight (13%).
Research suggests it's bad practice to lie to children. Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia's leading parenting experts, states – "If you want to do Santa that's fine, but let the kids know Santa was based on a historical figure who may or may not have done the things that we think he did."
There isn't a right or wrong age to tell kids the truth
And it occurs to them that flying reindeer and a guy coming down the chimney might be a little far fetched. So don't be surprised if your child starts asking questions.
Many parents dread the day their child begins questioning if Santa is real. While there is no perfect age to have this conversation, parents often start noticing their children becoming skeptical around eight, but this can vary. However, it may be beneficial to initiate the conversation before middle school.
The Age Most Kids Figure It Out
According to psychologists, believing in Santa can be beneficial to children because it teaches selflessness and service to others.
"It's not an overnight shift in thinking," says Laura Lamminen, Ph. D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health℠, "and there's no set age where children should know the truth about Santa Claus." Dr. Lamminen says each family and each child within that family will be ready to talk about Santa at different ages.
Santa is an idea
The truth is, he's not a person at all – he's an idea. Get them to think of all those presents Santa gave them over the years. Explain that you actually bought those yourself and that Santa Claus is the idea of giving for the sake of giving, without thanks or acknowledgement.
Clinical psychologist Kathy McKay has claimed that there is potential for children to be harmed by the Santa 'lie'. 'The Santa myth is such an involved lie… that if a relationship is vulnerable, this may be the final straw. If parents can lie so convincingly and over such a long time, what else can they lie about?
Boyle received 1,200 responses from all around the world, revealing that the average age when children stopped believing in Father Christmas was eight. A third of of those surveyed also reporting feeling upset when they discovered Santa wasn't real, while 15% had felt betrayed by their parents and 10% felt angry.
You asked a really good question, “Are Mom and Dad really Santa really Santa?”. We know that you want to know the answer, and we had to give it careful thought to know just what to say. The answer is no.
She explains: When they are 6 or 7, whenever you see that dawning suspicion that Santa may not be a material being, that means the child is ready.
Beliefs in Santa are incredibly prevalent among children in many Western countries. One study by Jacqueline Woolley at the University of Texas at Austin (UTA) found that more than 80 per cent of 5-year-olds in the US are convinced of his existence.
About 40 percent of the parents polled by the site said the right age to break the news about Santa to children is between the ages of 8 and 12, while one in 10 adults feel you can put off that disclosure until after kids turn 12. A startling 27 percent of those surveyed don't ever plan to tell their kids.
Historically the story of Santa is actually about unconditional love; it's the story of Saint Nicholas. Nicholas, an early Christian, secretly gave money three separate times for three sisters whose father didn't have enough money for a dowry for them to get married.
While the last baby teeth generally aren't lost until age ten or 11, most children stop believing in the tooth fairy by the time they're seven or eight. Of course, children are more than happy to play along with the game when there's money at stake!
Researchers found that kids' belief in Santa builds between the ages of three and five, and declines between the ages of six and nine. At five, kids have enough cognitive ability to believe in Santa and understand the concept, but most aren't yet questioning what they're being told.
Many kids believe whole-heartedly for several years. Then, when they reach age 7 or 8, they begin to have some doubts. Between their own intellectual development and the chance that another child tells them, kids usually piece it all together on their own when they are 8 to 10 years old.
Lying to a child is not a good idea in general, but psychologists say that an exception can be made for such myths. Experts agree that believing in such characters or tales is a healthy part of a child's growing process.
"There is no such thing as being too old to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy," Kelman tells Yahoo Life. "Letting kids figure it out on their own is preferable to parents breaking the news to them.
8- to 9-Year-Olds
Some kids are ready for the truth at this age; others are not. If needed, ask a few probing questions like, "Why do you ask?" before deciding how to answer. Keep in mind that research shows that even when children discover that Santa is not real, they still like the idea of Santa.
“Ten to 12 is a great range because kids are still very connected to their parents and into their parents being in their phone and in their business,” says Catherine Pearlman, a licensed clinical social worker and author of “First Phone,” a guide for kids.