Open Thread

We regress regularly on the OT.

Yes, biff. There’s nothing that can’t be solved with a month of participant observation, some qualitative analyses and a few regressions.

I think you can play along with the Santa Clause or toth fairy thing for a bit without putting it out there too much as a truth claim. Then follow your kid’s lead a bit. When the kid asks if there really is a SC or TF, listen to the tone of voice — wishing for magic or scientifically skeptical. Probe a bit — what do you think?

Way back, our kid started asking how does Santa do various things (all around the world, billions of homes, billions of toys on one sled etc.). We let this reside in a gray area –“there’s a bit of magic in Christmas” etc. She worked it out, did some controlled experiments involving cookies for Santa, and and got to the truth of the matter about a year or two ahead of her peers.

Young kids want truth but also want to believe their parents can bring a little magic into their lives.

But if you can’t do any of this without betraying your core principles, don’t fake it badly.

lech, I’m only a uncle but why not let them and you enjoy the make believe and innocence of the tooth fairy and santa claus, because thru my sister’s experience life can get pretty awful and pretty real, pretty quick.

Plus I don’t think Dad lied to me about santa claus will come out in repressed memeoty therapy when kid in college.

It depends on the kid. Some fun fantasy things are ok if not laid on too heavily. Getting a note from the “tooth fairy” with some money is fine — if you have a “wink-wink” attitude, you can get away with anything. I actually was not a happy camper when my mother went to great lengths to assure me, despite my constant questions, that there was in fact a Santa Claus (there were a bunch of kids younger than me so she wanted to keep the secret for them..). When I found out from a trusted adult the truth, I felt betrayed and really mad at my mother. I would never do that to a kid.