News:

The default theme for this site has been updated. For further information, please take a look at the announcement regarding HAF changing its default theme.

Main Menu

Starting school and Santa

Started by Willow, April 10, 2012, 09:32:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Willow

My eldest son has said that he wants to go to school, so there is a good chance he will either very soon, or in September.  He is nearly six.
He has never believed in Santa.  His understanding of Christianity is about parallel with his understanding of Hinduism or Norse or Ancient Helenism.
Should I talk to him and suggest he doesn't dispel other's beliefs, or just let him barge in there?
He will probably have other hurdles such as not talking with a Mancunian accent, knowing too many big words and knowing that school is optional (at least for him).

Ali

Why is school optional?

As for Santa and all of that rot, I think that trying to teach our kids to be respectful of other's beliefs is a good thing, but I wouldn't count on the fact that he doesn't blurt it out anyway.  Which is okay; I don't think it's your kid's responsibility to maintain the socially acceptable lie.

Willow

School is not compulsory in law, education is.  He has been home educated up to this point, and is now asking to go to school, because he says he likes homework.  If he doesn't like it we are more than happy to pull him out and go back to home ed.

keithpenrod

Quote from: Willow on April 11, 2012, 04:02:51 PM
School is not compulsory in law, education is.  He has been home educated up to this point, and is now asking to go to school, because he says he likes homework.  If he doesn't like it we are more than happy to pull him out and go back to home ed.

I'm glad to hear that because I've heard some people say that home school is just for "religious nutcases".  I've thought about homeschooling my own children (if I ever have my own).  My main concern with public ed is that children really are all on their own pace, and making them conform is unrealistic.  And then, of course, there's the ridiculousness of No Child Left Behind.

But, as for the original question, I'd say it just depends on how much you want other parents mad at you and how much you're worried about your son being teased/bullied.  I don't think that it's right for fear to be a motivating factor like that, but it is (in many cases) the reality--open your mouth and prepare for battle, or remain silent and let fools have their way.  I have one sister who does the whole Santa thing (her oldest is 9 or 10 now, I think, and she might still believe, I'm not sure) and another sister who doesn't.  But the sister who is honest with her children also stresses the point that they're not to say anything about Santa to their cousins about it.  To me, that seems the most sensible approach.

ThinkAnarchy

I don't have kids, but that doesn't prevent me from having an opinion.  ;D

Personally, I would tell him a lot of kids his age believe in Santa and not to go out of his way to ruin it for them. At the same time, if the inevitable debate does eventually arise, and the other kids start being mean to the other Santa denier, to go ahead and jump in and defend the obviously correct position.

I remember from 5th grade, the Santa debate can get pretty ugly. 
"He that displays too often his wife and his wallet is in danger of having both of them borrowed." -Ben Franklin

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -credited to Franklin, but not sure.

Firebird

I was raised jewish in a not-so-jewish town, so the Santa question inevitably came up. My parents just told me there was no Santa, but don't tell the other kids that because it might upset them. Well, that didn't last long. Santa came up in discussion, I was asked about it since I was one of "the jews", so I just repeated what my parents told me.  It wasn't hostile in the end, mostly arguments about how Santa couldn't possibly get into our house since we had no chimney, or how he could possibly get in without setting off our burglar alarm ("He knows all the codes!"), etc. I think TA's idea is probably the best way to go.
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"