Seven and tell them I told you what you wanted to hear

You don't tell them. They went to school and eventually told ME. I denied it and it became a sort of fun pretence for the next couple of christmases. That pattern was the same for each child. I don't think any of them are scarred.

I let my son kind of figure it out himself. Between television and the kids at school, he got it! I think he was about 6 years old. When he came to me asking me about it, I just smiled. He laughed so hard about it! Thought it was hilarious! :)

before they get to kindegarten because once they are in school, they'll learn the truth anyway.

What do you mean santa clause is not real, i still believe and i am 23

10, and say that it was because the were so happy

We did it at 5 different ages, but the average was probably 6-7. You will know it is time to tell them, because they will have picked up hints at school and will start questioning. As far as the lying goes, it never really came up. Instead of thinking of us as liars, they thought of themselves as "bigger", because now they were part of a large group of older people who knew the worlds biggest secret.

Before they get old enough to sneak into the room and look through the presnets you bought for them. I never believed in Santa as a child and i thought it was hilarious when my parents tried to tell me it was him who bought my presents.

The earlier the better. You can't have your kid having false hopes, the earlier they can know about the real world around them, the earlier they can learn and be more mature.

I don't think there is a specific age. And they will find out on their own. Everyone I know just finds out from other people. I don't know any parents that have sat their child down and broke the news.

I do not teach my kids falsehoods in the first place. While it may be cute, it is ultimately detrimental. How can you expect them to trust what you tell them if certain things are basically lies to begin with?

If they are unaware that he is a fictional character and they are old enough to know better, a parent may want to fill them in. But, most kids figure it out or are told while they are still pretty young. My daughter is 3 and she is already questioning it *sigh*, it won't be long now.

lol well i figured out that santa aint real when the fireplace is in my parents room and there bed was blocking the "entrance" of santa and i never totally believed in him cuz the gift would be under the tree whenever my parents baught them lol ... but i did believe in him for a little bit lol

I let mine find out on their own - There adults now and if they play their cards right there will alway's be a Santa '

They are 14, 23 and 26 I still haven't told them.

I was 5. I new a girl who was almost 13 when she found out. It was very awkward. When/IF I have kids, I don't think I'm going to tell them that Santa Clause is real. It just seems like a bad idea to me. EDIT: The question was merged with a slightly different duplicate, so my answer may now seem a bit off topic. (BTW, that was to whoever downrated me -3.)

What do you mean, "not real"? ;-)

Santa isn't real?????? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!!!! You NEVER tell them, even when they start to question it, you do EVERYTHING you can to get one more year from them!! My 7yr. old kinda started to question this past year..we pulled off getting one more yr. She wanted bunkbeds...we got them, when we got home Christmas Eve I made up some reason for her to sleep i my bed. After she was asleep, we took her old bed out of her room (right across the hall from room, then we put her bunkbeds up in her room, I had gotten new sheets, blankets, tons of pillows-the works! It took us 5-6 hours to do b/c we had to be so quite. She got up the next morn., came to the living room, the thought of going to her room never entered her mind. Finally, my fiance told her that he almost caught Lefty (an christmas elf), said he was gonna get him b/c he was running out of her room. She though Lefty may have messed w/ her stuff, when she went in there I think the whole subdivision must have heard her scream. Later she told me, "Mom, now I know Santa's real b/c there's no way anyone could have got those beds in there without making any noise and wakin me up except him and I can't find my old bed." I just said "I told you". It really helped when her Dad called about 10 min. later and asked her how her bed got from her room at my house to her room at his house..Said he woke up and there it was... (I'm glad we are all night owls & I'm sure if anyone saw us loading up a queen size matress w/ head/foot board at 300am they probably thought we were crazy..) But those extra steps help, get rid of anything that can cuase suspicion...oh, and benadryl is a wonderful "nightcap" on christmas eve if you have a light sleeper...b/c trust me, Santa hit the walls trying to get those beds in her room several, several, several times!

Shortly after he starts to wonder.

From day 1. Bah Hum Bug

11 yrs old...seems all my bros/sis/myself was around that age

Most of the time it's better to let them figure it out themselves. anymore the kids are alot smarter than the parents.

When they seem too much into Santa, but dont they work it out themselves eventually? lol. I dont even remember when i found out Santa wasnt real.

13

What do you mean "Not real?" Santa isn't a person. He is a feeling, a sense of being, a warm sense of kindness toward other people, a willingness to help others who are having problems, a sense of being able to make a even a small difference in someone's life, a sense of appreciation for other people and a way to show others that you value them as individuals and friends. Not real? He is for me.

When they ask. I was maybe 8 when I asked my Mom if Santa wasn't real. She told me the truth.

When they show signs they don't believe... not a second sooner. The world is hard enough already, let them be kids as long as possible!

The whole lie should be stopped and teach our children what is genuine from now on.

I have 4 children: female 19, female 16, male 8, male 8 I never really told them he wasn't real. I asked them what they think and up to about 9, they usually still believe until one day a class mate or older sibling burst the bubble. I let them believe as long as possible. Once they know the truth I explain that Santa was once real and now there are many that carry on his tradition. I also explain that the original Santa was a loving, caring man who did not want to see the underpriveleged go without gifts on Christmas which is actually a custom carried down from the Magi's gifts to baby Jesus and we still exchange gifts today in honor of Christ's birth. Also most Christmas images have Christian backgrounds such as the candy cane and the song the Twelve Days of Christmas. We make crafts and research the origins of Christmas traditions and images. I never go too extreme stating that this and that are paganistic when it doesn't seem to have anything to do with Christ. I just tell them some one embellished a story here and there and it grew to what it is today, but isn't it fun and so long as we know the true meaning of Christmas, that our loving Savior miracuously born of a Virgin (the young one won't understand that) lived a sinless life and whether Dec 25 is actually not the day of his birth, it is the day that we celebrate what a wonderous gift of God he was. Another thing I would like to add; when they do reach the age of knowing the truth about Santa, I enlist their help as little Santas to make others Christmases brighter.

once they start asking questions. i personally lthink 2nd grade..its a perfect age. theyre not going to think youre lying, they will understand

You don't. It is isn't something that you sit them down and tell them. I am 32 yrs old and hello I know there isn't a fat jolly guy that climbs down my chimney and leaves gifts but the point is to believe in order to recieve. My little girl is 9 and she knows that Santa isn't real already, even though she also knows that it isn't said out aloud because I always say if you don't believe you don't recieve. Just like with God, if you don't believe in him and have faith you aren't going to recieve what you pray for.

as soon as they are old enough for comprehension. I don't lie to my son and will not his yet to be born siblings... my parrents discredited themselves by trying to make me believe santa was real... even at age 5 I saw right through a fake santa they hired to try convincing me he was real. I find the idea of convincing children such an untruth to be true appaling. the only effect it can have is to hinder their ability to discern between reality and fantasy. it is not necessary to believe fantasy to enjoy is.my son will hear the stories just like he watches backyardigans... knowing it is not real.

And that is exactly why we never started the whole Santa thing.

My eldest knew almost out of the womb that Santa was a fake, and we never told her he was. She just never bought it. Come to find out, that with her - we did the right thing. She HATES being lied to, and I don't think she would have forgiven us for a LONG time for that. Our two younger sons were a different story. The eldest boy figured it out on his own at around 7 or 8. My youngest is 12 and autistic, and he still talks about Santa. Being that he's in Jr. high, we've had to sit down with him and talk about it. I absolutely hated breaking the news to him, but also - didn't want him teased at school for it. He understood, and didn't hold it against us for telling him a lie, or to be more accurate, allowing him to believe a lie.