Why do parents fill their children's heads with lies?

All throughout your early childhood, your parents probably told you about things such as Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc. What is the point of them doing this? Why don’t they just tell you what the holiday is really about? After all, aren’t they the ones that taught you not to lie?

Because its fun? The better question is why not. Its not like it ever hurt anyone.

It gives kids a sense of wonder.

Originally posted by sgman:

Because its fun? The better question is why not. Its not like it ever hurt anyone.

It depends on how far you extend this. We will obviously differ on this point, but it DOES hurt them in some situations (ex. Refusing to teach the evolution because it’s the tool of Satan, and thus, putting them in a situation which will have them failing any and every biology course they take, assuming they don’t realize that Creationism is bunk).

It could also, theoretically, harm them socially, in that they may be mocked if they maintain these beliefs longer than they should.

Its not like it ever hurt anyone.

Actually, it could. Probably millions of kids are crushed when they found out that Santa isn’t real.

Santa isn’t real, oh noes, there goes Christmas!

Seriously though, I don’t think it is harmful for the little ones, like less than 8 years old or so.

I figured it out all by myself anyway. I mean how many reindeer have you seen fly or bunnies that leave eggs?

I have been put in the stance as the cool cousin who plays with the kids, and then around Christmas time when they ask If Santa is real, what should I say? It gets really awkward just trying to change the subject.

It gets really awkward just trying to change the subject.

“What do YOU think?”

Completely non-committal and dodges giving an honest answer. If you can pull off a half-smile while doing it, all the better.

I mean how many reindeer have you seen fly or bunnies that leave eggs?

Young kids probably still believe in magic, too.

when they ask If Santa is real, what should I say?

You should say, “It doesn’t matter what I think, it matters what you think.”

EDIT: Fuzzy ninja’d me. :(

Originally posted by FuzzyBacon:

It gets really awkward just trying to change the subject.

“What do YOU think?”

Completely non-committal and dodges giving an honest answer. If you can pull off a half-smile while doing it, all the better.

Dude, thanks.

Why don’t they just tell you what the holiday is really about?

Because that is a long and complicated story that a five year old wouldn’t understand.

Originally posted by SaintAjora:

Why don’t they just tell you what the holiday is really about?

Because that is a long and complicated story that a five year old wouldn’t understand.

This, and the fact that some holidays have surprisingly tragic stories to them.

Originally posted by SaintAjora:

Why don’t they just tell you what the holiday is really about?

Because that is a long and complicated story that a five year old wouldn’t understand.

I don’t even understand it.

their lil kids, its a tradition especially to those who aren’t even christian, because half of them don’t even know that Christmas or Easter is a christian tradition. I mean why is it a big deal exactly? I still do it to my lil bro’s and my son, its no biggy. And hell my entire family is Atheist.

At age 4.5, my parents attempted to introduce Santa Clause to me. I never really understood, so I never accepted it. Then they tried to explain the Easter Bunny, and my parents tell the story of me showing my true atheistic colors at that young age. I scrutinized every element of a bunny rabbit laying plastic eggs for me to find with candy someone bought at the store in them. I kept asking if we could go to the store to see if there was an Easter Bunny buying candy. This skepticism quickly lead to my disbelief in all fantastic concepts thrust upon me. I believe a majority of this skepticism came from my parents reading books to me as a kid, and my ability to separate stories from reality.

I guess some kids need order and structure fantastic stories provide that their reasoning cannot accommodate.

Because if a person’s way of life is screwed up, they have nothing else possible to do but screw up their kids.

Sant and Easter bunneh are just so kids can have imaginations. If it’s serious bad stuff, though, it’s not for imagination.

XD BSG, I wish I had your cognitive sense when I was that age. In my case, I bought into it until I was about 7, it was my mother who refused to let it go. “No, you’ve GOT to believe in Santa! He’s REAL!” (my mother wanted me to stay a baby until I was the age of 22, apparently).

As far as why parents teach kids these things, I think in most children’s cases, they lack the ability to comprehend the complex reasons behind certain holidays. What kid would be happy about a 2,000 year old guy dying or being born? But make it about a jolly old man or cute fuzzy bunny that brings them treats, bingo, they buy into anything you want so they’ll shut up and not raise a fuss when the family’s over to celebrate.

Refusing to teach the evolution because it’s the tool of Satan, and thus, putting them in a situation which will have them failing any and every biology course they take, assuming they don’t realize that Creationism is bunk).

To be fair, it’s not necessary to say that “creationism is bunk” to get your point across. I don’t believe in creation at all, but you often see me arguing on the side of the creationists anyway.

Just because you feel one way, you don’t have to impress those feelings on others, especially when that isn’t the topic.

Regarding the OP, I’d agree with what others have said. It’s about imagination and keeping the kid happy. Also, what does a little critical thinking hurt at an early age, like TheBSG pointed out?

Young kids probably still believe in magic, too.

Magic isn’t real!? Nooo! /cry

Anyways,

holiday lies are supposed to make the kid “happy and filled with imagation”, which also happens to be completely useless unless your career requires being creative. Personally, I’ll tell my kids that the “mystical creatures” don’t exist right off the bat. I mean, you know things like this too far when you have the option of doing a research paper on unicorns for a gifted project. Seriously, it made me laugh too.

I still don’t know how comfortable I am with parents telling their kids what is and isn’t. They usually don’t know. Mine kept encyclopedias and avoided answering complex questions without opening one. Only my mother has a GED, but by making up for this they’re better scientists than most people.

To be fair, it’s not necessary to say that “creationism is bunk” to get your point across.

The point was that if you “believe” in creation, it would be extremely difficult to do well in biology – Thus, indoctrinating children with the belief could be damaging later in life. I suppose I could have used milder phrasing to make my point, but the point remains.

Just because you feel one way, you don’t have to impress those feelings on others, especially when that isn’t the topic.

I’m not attempting to make anyone else believe what I do – I wasn’t going to include it until I refreshed and saw sgman’s post “It’s not like it ever hurt anyone”. So I provided an example to the contrary.

I think it’s okay for parents to say, “Santa Claus is real.” or “Let me tell you a story about the Easter Bunny…”

I think it’s not okay to force those beliefs on the child. If (s)he questions it, then it should be an open discussion, questions welcome. There shouldn’t be a “NO! Santa’s real, and that’s that! Now go to bed!” =\

Edit: This is my point:

Refusing to teach the evolution because it’s the tool of Satan, and thus, putting them in a situation which will have them failing any and every biology course they take, assuming they don’t realize that Creationism is bunk

Refusing to teach the evolution because it’s the tool of Satan, and thus, putting them in a situation which will have them failing any and every biology course they take.

You can make the same point without a sideways-jab at creationists. I’m only pointing it out because it’s these same kind of sideways/backwards/underhanded remarks that get on my nerves from … certain troll-types.

Originally posted by AbusedZebra:

All throughout your early childhood, your parents probably told you about things such as Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc. What is the point of them doing this? Why don’t they just tell you what the holiday is really about? After all, aren’t they the ones that taught you not to lie?

For the greater good.

How about because innocence is a rare commodity in this world and should be treasured while it lasts?

Innocence is another word for ignorance. I have never understood the nostalgia people have for being stupid. I miss my childhood because learning new things and doing new things was fun, not because thinking the sky can fall is cute. Sheltering your children in a vain attempt to protect their innocence is no different from damming water because you like fish.

Originally posted by TheBSG:

Innocence is another word for ignorance. I have never understood the nostalgia people have for being stupid. I miss my childhood because learning new things and doing new things was fun, not because thinking the sky can fall is cute.

Innocence is different from stupidity.