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There's no magic age.
- Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and mental coach. She says that it's likely at some point your kids will ask about Santa - or they'll get to an age where they should know the truth.
- There's no magic age for when you need to reveal the truth. Instead, take cues from your kids, and if they start asking questions, ask them questions of your own.
- Let your answer about Santa be dictated by your values. You should be honest, but recenter Christmas around something that's valuable to you - and makes the holiday enjoyable for your children.
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Whether you're writing letters to Santa or reading books about reindeer, your child's excitement can make the holiday season feel magical all over again when they still believe in Santa.
But of course the magic doesn't last forever. At some point - and, for many parents, this point comes too soon - your child will begin to question Santa's existence. And you might find yourself at a loss for words about how to respond.
Or you might find yourself in a rare situation: Your child never asks about Santa. Even after they've passed the age when most kids figure it out, they still seem to buy into the guy in the red suit. And you might start to worry if it's time to spill the beans. After all, you don't want your child to get made fun of for believing that Santa will come down the chimney when they're a teenager.
So how soon should you tell your kids the truth about Santa? It's a question parents often ask me in my therapy office.
Whenever I've been asked that question, I always reassure parents that I'm yet to have an adult enter my therapy office claiming that believing in Santa - or being told the truth - scarred them for life.
Don't get caught up believing there's one specific age when you need to come clean - or that there's a single right way to handle the situation. Choose to address the Santa issue based on your values, beliefs, and your child's needs.