Apparently my children have been informing the neighbors' kids again about the non-existence of Santa Claus. We had a little "discussion" in the car about different parenting and that if some folks want their children to believe in an obese home-invasion expert who brings candy and gifts then that is their right and Maggie and Charlie shouldn't interfere. It did make me giggle a bit when the neighbor angrily accused Maggie of calling her father a liar because he said, "Santa does come on Christmas Eve." While she shouldn't be rude to a grownup, she was standing up for the real Saint Nicholas, rather than some manufactured marketing ploy designed to entice children to whine and harass their parents into procuring them expensive gifts.
So, with Ash Wednesday approaching, and with it the appearance of Easter candy on the grocery shelves, the mother next door pleaded with me to warn the children not to shout from the rooftops that some floppy-eared monster bunny does not sneak into every one's homes and leave baskets of candy and chocolate. Perhaps since I am socially required to perpetuate a semi-Christianized fabrication, I could therefore demand atheists not to attack Catholicism and deny my children the right to be taught the faith without interference.
Yeah right.
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4 comments:
We are a devout Catholic family but we have done Santa, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy...... I do get bothered when other kids purposely destroy my kids' fantasies..... some fun in life is not harmful... my kids do not get spoiled by these fantasies - Santa brings candy and one small gift in their stocking, the tooth fairy leaves a quarter and the Easter bunny filled eggs..... don't destroy children's dreams....and we won't tell you that you should participate....
btw St Nicholas also visits on his night and leaves gold covered chocolate coins
The day my grandfather and a family friend both died, I took my 5 year old to swim class anyhow to keep things normal. I mentioned all this to one of his teachers, and some how Santa came up. I mentioned that we didn't do Santa, and could they keep the discussion on something else?
My boy got in trouble for contradicting the teacher...about Santa. The resulting broohaha (you have to apologize for being rude, even though they were thoughtless, you were right, but not polite...) took an hour.
They actually cared more about the other children's delusions than my son's mourning.
Why does our culture, with such riches, and natural beauty, seem to think we have to manufacture wonder in children?
Good luck with the neighbors,
Christine
Renee, I don't think Maggie and Charlie are malicious children, they were just trying to be truthful. We have had discussions/warnings about this subject every year, but I can't control everything that comes out of their mouths.
My point was that while I'm trying to teach them the truth of the Catholic faith, the culture is on the side of those who want to destroy that faith, while parents who teach their children a myth have all the sympathy of the culture on their side.
I can see your pov... and you're right we can't control what our children say....
but I think there are some parents who tell their kids to speak bluntly and destroy others' fantasies... not just that they didn't think about what they were saying.. kwim?
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