For weeks my 10.5 year old has been questioning us on Santa, the Elf and the Tooth Fairy.
While my daughter didn't write this, she very well could have as it describes how she felt...
Are they real? Is it really just parents moving things around and buying presents?
She has been watching YouTube videos on her Mini iPad 'Where do parents hide Christmas presents', 'How to secretly open up Christmas presents without your parents knowing'.
Some of her 5th grade peers have been telling her for weeks, Santa is not real - it's your parents doing all the work. She even had a big fight with one of them and is no longer talking to her...all over believing in Santa.
We thought for sure she knew deep down, but was going along with it to continue getting presents. She will start Middle School next year (same school), but we knew the time was coming.
Overall she had a good Christmas. She didn't get EVERYTHING she wanted, but enough to satisfy the Santa reality. She's also been sick since the holiday break began, so not much time playing with her friends.
Last night she was watching over my shoulder as I scrolled through my Facebook newsfeed and I stopped to read a comment a friend made on the ONE post I made about our Elf Jolly and this being the last year of adults moving it around in the house... She read part of it and kept bugging me to let her read the post for herself.
Instead of making up another lie, I did a quick search on all the brilliant posts of perfect words to tell your child the truth about Santa. I remember reading this one from another blog... so I asked her if she wanted me to read it to her or if she wanted to read it herself.
Once she started reading the text on my phone I KNEW I made the wrong choice during this parenting moment. She started reading out loud to me until the truth of what she was reading hit her. Her eyes filled with tears with every word she read. I wanted to take the phone away from her...but it was too late.
She threw the phone back at me and started crying uncontrollably under the blanket...she then ran off to her room and slammed the door.
Her Dad and I tried to calm her. She couldn't believe what was happening...and frankly, neither could we.
We really thought she knew.
We really thought she was doubting everything we said about Santa.
We really thought she was playing us.
If I had to do it over again....
- I wouldn't tell her so close to Christmas - it was just too fresh. Summer before 6th grade would have been perfect
- I wouldn't tell her while she was sick (5th day of high fever)
- I would let Dad deliver the news
