Friends can't believe their child believes in Santa

[David]

Recently, friends (well, specifically the wife) of ours has decided to get more in touch with their Catholic roots. The mother of three children, this friend, we'll call her "Jane" has been teaching her children (and her five year old daughter especially--given that she's the oldest) about God, Jesus and, of course Santa.

I think Santa started as a bit of a joke, but, Jesus and God were introduced to the 5-year old (for ease, I'll call her "Julie") as serious. Julie has, for the last while been trying to teach MY five-year-old daughter about Jesus. My daughter however just politely listens and tells us later about the episode while roling her eyes at her friends silliness.

Anyways.... Julie has recently announced that Santa is TOTALLY REAL! She totally believes in Santa, and has no doubts about the fact that Santa is totally and completely real. Just like Jesus and God. Jane is confused. She actually said to my wife, "I don't understand why she believes in Santa!?!"

Tonight, I had the occassion to be in the same room as Jane. I said, "I know why Julie believes in Santa". Jane responded with interested shock. Jane really didn't know why Julie believed in Santa. I told her that she had primed her daughter to believe in imaginary things already; therefore, believing in Santa was an easy step to take.

Jane was indignant--and quite visibly upset over my comments. She said that belief in Jesus and belief in Santa are two completely different things. Jesus of course, according to Jane is real, while Santa isn't. I told Jane again, that there was no difference between the two. She lost her upset emotion, and replaced it with anger. Jane was beside herself with anger--she was so angry that she stoped responding to me, and actually left the table.

Jane, the mother of three, and quite intelligent (and educated), couldn't figure out that training your children to belief in fairy-tales and myths will make them more likely to believe in OTHER fairy-tales and myths. Children learn by experience; it's just too bad that Julie's experience has been to believe in things you can't prove and can't see. Julie's ability to question seemingly obviously silly things has been erroded. She's five. It's really sad for a five year old to be brainwashed. Even sadder that the mother can't figure it out.

[deltagear]

Sometimes people need something to hold onto in there minds. Maybe it gives them self confidence. When you tell someone something isn't real , while they believe in it, that confidence seems to wain and that feels offensive to some.

[phrog]

It's very possible that Jane is upset because she realizes you've hit close to home. I've seen this a few times when the believer doesn't really have a good response to reason. Many believe because of the Mommy said so line of logic, The Bible says so is just that line of reasoning. Seperating that from Santa mythology that follows much the same form of logic can cause difficulty, but then again, sometimes it makes it easy to let kids come to conclusions about god.

[Logicat]

Recently, friends (well, specifically the wife) of ours has decided to get more in touch with their Catholic roots. The mother of three children, this friend, we'll call her "Jane" has been teaching her children (and her five year old daughter especially--given that she's the oldest) about God, Jesus and, of course Santa.

I think Santa started as a bit of a joke, but, Jesus and God were introduced to the 5-year old (for ease, I'll call her "Julie") as serious. Julie has, for the last while been trying to teach MY five-year-old daughter about Jesus. My daughter however just politely listens and tells us later about the episode while roling her eyes at her friends silliness.

Anyways.... Julie has recently announced that Santa is TOTALLY REAL! She totally believes in Santa, and has no doubts about the fact that Santa is totally and completely real. Just like Jesus and God. Jane is confused. She actually said to my wife, "I don't understand why she believes in Santa!?!"

Tonight, I had the occassion to be in the same room as Jane. I said, "I know why Julie believes in Santa". Jane responded with interested shock. Jane really didn't know why Julie believed in Santa. I told her that she had primed her daughter to believe in imaginary things already; therefore, believing in Santa was an easy step to take.

Jane was indignant--and quite visibly upset over my comments. She said that belief in Jesus and belief in Santa are two completely different things. Jesus of course, according to Jane is real, while Santa isn't. I told Jane again, that there was no difference between the two. She lost her upset emotion, and replaced it with anger. Jane was beside herself with anger--she was so angry that she stoped responding to me, and actually left the table.

Jane, the mother of three, and quite intelligent (and educated), couldn't figure out that training your children to belief in fairy-tales and myths will make them more likely to believe in OTHER fairy-tales and myths. Children learn by experience; it's just too bad that Julie's experience has been to believe in things you can't prove and can't see. Julie's ability to question seemingly obviously silly things has been erroded. She's five. It's really sad for a five year old to be brainwashed. Even sadder that the mother can't figure it out.

David,

Of course you realize that you have made a mortal enemy, don't you? Jane will always think of you as that horrible person that doesn't believe! She won't be able to trust you in the simplest way with anything. You are "one of THEM"!!! You are no longer a friend and she will probably not allow her husband to be around you for fear this is contagious. You will be used as an example, to Julie, of what she should NEVER be. You are henceforth, the BOOGIE MAN!!! And she will pick aprart everything you've ever said or done that she can twist into something awful as an object lesson to her daughter to reinforce how wrong it is to not believe. Ahhh, the minds of the believers. I do hope the scenario I just painted does not come to pass, but I've seen this happen before.