Comments on Our Happily Ever Afters: Parenting: To Make Believe or Not?

Had some extra time and happened upon your blog! :...

2009-12-14T00:43:53.310-06:00

Had some extra time and happened upon your blog! :) Now I know where the lunch discussion of Santa versus no Santa came from! Haha. I think you and Kurt's approach sounds perfect! My parents took a similar approach and I have very fond memories from childhood Christmases where I believed in Santa. And absolutely NO trauma associated with when I realized he wasn't real. On a random but thought provoking note...I was (and ashamed to admit, still am) a huge scaredy cat. Hate horror movies...don't think it's fun to be scared AT ALL. Yet the idea of a strange, fat man dressed in a red suit shimmying down my chimney while I slept did not scare me in the slightest. Why? Was it because he brought me presents?

I loved this post! Very well said.

2009-12-13T14:36:22.674-06:00

I loved this post! Very well said.

i loved this post ash. you hit the nail on the hea...

2009-12-11T20:02:16.785-06:00

i loved this post ash. you hit the nail on the head and i love the sign! i've always been on the fence about not wanting to hurt cole's feelings, but i think i'll take the approach you mentioned when he discovers "the truth." thank you for sharing!

I remember maybe one or two Christmases where my p...

2009-12-10T23:16:58.723-06:00

I remember maybe one or two Christmases where my parents "did" Santa. And I honestly don't remember them ever doing anything with Santa with my younger siblings. I always enjoyed knowing that the presents came from my parents rather than "a jolly old man" who I didn't know. ;o)
I completely agree on a lot of what you said. Childhood should be fun, beautiful, innocent and absolutely magical! We haven't fully decided what we will do when we have children. For now, we have some time to decide(though hopefully not TOO long).

The bigger issue to me is how what my hubs and I d...

2009-12-10T21:14:17.547-06:00

The bigger issue to me is how what my hubs and I decide to handle Santa and make believe line up with what others in our family do. For instance, my MIL is dead set on making sure her gkids know that Santa is real and it is NOT PoPo dressing up (her dad). I mean come on! If they figure it out, they figure it out, and I frankly don't care if they spoil it for the other kids. Sorry, that post got me a little riled up. Exactly what you said though, in the grand scheme of things, it isn't that big of deal.

This is a great post. I think children should be l...

2009-12-10T19:33:22.227-06:00

This is a great post. I think children should be let to run their imagination wild.It helps in development of lateral thinking. Wheb you grow up you have to face the harsh reality of this world anyway! Why deny children of the fun of make believe?

♥ CJ

Love it. We totally did the Santa thing until my i...

2009-12-10T16:25:36.603-06:00

Love it. We totally did the Santa thing until my inevitable question: "Mom, Santa's not actually real is he?" Until then it was bliss. [My younger sister on the other hand? Queen of false dichotomies. You smoked or went to heaven; believed in God, or believed in Santa. I still have no idea how she came up with these things.] I'm sure Evy will thank you later. :) Have you heard the Josh Groban song "Believe" from The Polar Express? Lllloooovvvveeee. <3

I totally agree on the Santa front - as long as yo...

2009-12-10T15:45:19.282-06:00

I totally agree on the Santa front - as long as you are teaching you kids about the real meaning on Christmas why not throw in Santa as well?

I have been following your blog for some time - this is probably my first comment. I went to State and my husband is from the Jackson area. I started a blog a little bit ago about our struggles with infertility - it is anonymous right now but, hopefully I will reveal my identity and transition to a family/ pregnancy blog soon!

I agree with you. I totally get why some parents ...

2009-12-10T14:51:25.854-06:00

I agree with you. I totally get why some parents don't do Santa, but the childhood innocence thing is what totally sells me on doing Santa. Personally, Christmas is and was magical to me because of the traditions my mom started when we were babies, so I don't worry in the slightest about how letting my kids believe in Santa will change their thoughts on Christmas or make them feel lied to.

I love this post I too think children are loosing ...

2009-12-10T14:29:52.545-06:00

I love this post I too think children are loosing their innocence too fast… It is OK to believe in make believe- if we have nothing to believe in then I think we are lost!!! I have so many signs and trinkets that have my favorite word on them it is simply BELIEVE… in what you might ask- well whatever I need at that moment- It reminds me of days when I often needed to turn to God- it reminds me to keep hope, believe in myself, my God, my dreams, and my family!

As for the Santa thing to Santa or not- I am 30 and still a believer!! It was always told to my sister and I- the day we stopped believing he stopped coming! And that is what I tell my students when they ask me if I believe….
Thanks Ashley for keepen it real!

I love this post I too think children are loosing ...

2009-12-10T14:28:42.049-06:00

It was your statement about keeping magic in child...

2009-12-10T14:26:14.622-06:00

It was your statement about keeping magic in childhood that best explains why I let go of the Santa issue. I never believed in Santa Clause. My parents did the whole Santa thing but for soem reason I was a born skeptic :) The Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, ect... were never an issue. My mother said as a toddler I snorted and told her I didn't believe that. However, after hearing about Clay's memories and remembering my siblings' excitement I realized that I want that for my children as well.

And, you are right, it is what we teach them 365 days a year about Christ that molds their hearts-not a belief or disbelief in make believe :)

And now I think I should formally introduce Peyton...

2009-12-10T13:38:23.121-06:00

And now I think I should formally introduce Peyton to you. Ha!

Actually, I THINK he has come around. Basically, doing what you're parents did, not saying one way or the other but just letting her think it out. Note that this was AFTER my revelation that if I preach submission I need to practice it and told Peyton that much.

I love this post! Very well put! I don't have ...

2009-12-10T13:20:52.723-06:00

I love this post! Very well put! I don't have children yet, but hope to do the same thing you are doing and for sure I do believe in Make believe, that is a part of every childhood!