The uber-skeptic curmudgeons are discussing Santa. I don't do Christmas as Christmas, being as how I'm not a Christian. But the lights, the spirit of the season, goes back pre-Christianity anyway, so I'm good. As far as Santa goes, he's not Christian either. Telling kids about Santa isn't going to warp their little pre-skeptibunny minds.
There's one skeptic over there who posts that he told his daughter, when she was two, --- when she was two! -- there was no Santa. Christ, I'm Jewish for crying out loud and wouldn't do that! Someone else says it's "lying" and why lie to your kids? Oy. And so on.
Some of the posters are teachers, which is a bit scary. I've worked with students in many different capacities, for over twenty years. It's interesting as hell to listen to kids talk amongst themselves about Santa, Christmas, God, Jesus, ghosts, . . . when they ask me if it's true, I redirect them. I stay neutral. I don't inject my opinions and beliefs onto them. (7th and 8th graders, depending on the context, sometimes.) I
To be fair not all the skeptoids agree with this view; point is, someone just had to get up a thread about it. It's like it's genetic or something.
Raising your kids to be an uber-consumer like many Americans; bad. Ignoring those in need, now or at any time of the year, bad. Santa and elves and colored lights? Small gifts given in the spirit of love? Not bad at all.
I "believed" in Santa (mixed household) and I don't remember when I realized he wasn't real. It didn't make me mistrust adults or throw me into an existential abyss of gloom.
0 comments:
Post a Comment