I'd wondered when that would happen

[jethrien]

A couple of weeks ago, ARR announced that he didn't think there was a Tooth Fairy. After some discussion with him, I told him he was correct and he was very pleased with himself for having figured it out. A day or two later, he informed a Zoom call of relatives about the lack of Tooth Fairy, but assured them Santa Claus was real, though.

Last night, after bedtime, he came down and said he thought Santa wasn't real, either.

As bedtime-extenders go, it's a good one, although a card you can only play once. I sat down with him and we talked. He said the magic reindeer thing didn't make sense. I agreed, and read him The Polar Express, which I've been saving for this moment his entire life, and told him that Santa isn't a real person but the magic of Christmas was inside us and we had to be Santa. And for a minute, he curled up on my lap, a little crushed. I think he hadn't realized himself that he wanted me to tell him that, no, Santa is real. But that's, well, a card you can only play once. But he bounced back - we never put a lot of emphasis on Santa. One present a year, a decent one but not the most coveted one, no letters or visits with Mall Santa. (My little brother took the whole thing really hard. I saw how hard that was for both him and my mom. I set up my Santa strategy from the very beginning to avoid it being catastrophic.) Just, you know...admitting that there really is no magic in the world, which is a hard thing.

He's just a little bit older today.

Comments

[fairest]

Aww, how sad and sweet. I worry about this conversation approaching for us, too, though I think being isolated as we are has kept classmates from challenging R's belief just yet. I like your Polar Express idea -- the bit about the bell makes me cry -- and maybe we'll appropriate that when the time comes.

[jethrien]

So, things to be aware of - if your kid hasn't figured out whether or not to be upset, choking up when you get to the bell part does not help. YMMV, just maybe war game that out or summon every bit of acting talent so you don't undercut yourself. Umm. ARR was more watching me than the book at that point, and trying to figure out if he should be more sad than he was leaning towards.

[ivyfic]

Yeah, that’s a parenting moment. Sad that the magic had to end this year, but I guess it’s a year for disillusionment all around.