When do they stop believing?

[CaptainMummy]

I'm not really wanting to hear about those who never done Santa, or just used Sanra as a story, looking to hear from those whose kids really truly believed that Santa came!

My eldest is 7 1/2 and I'm pretty certain still very much believes.
I tend to not really talk about Santa much, as if I told them all sorts of extravagant, ridiculous things, they would start to ask questions and then they would be sceptical, so I just keep it all low key and hope for the best!

I can't remember when I found out the truth, but I don't think I ever actually confronted my parents about it, I just played along as it was still just as exciting and magical on Christmas. I also had younger siblings (my brothers are 8&6 years younger so Santa came to my house for a good while after)

When did your child stop believing?

 

[wildflower79]

I was wondering about this too. I don't really have any memory of when I found out or how I felt.

Dd1 has already started asking lots of questions, but I just try to change the subject!

 

[Babybump87]

I was wondering this too! DD1 is 5 1/2 and still very much believes DD2 is only 2 1/2 so doesn’t get it yet .

My sister will be 9 next month and she still believes as does the 10 year old who lives next door to me .

DD1 doesn’t question it yet but like you we don’t really discuss it or go into detail prompting her to ask too many questions.

DH is very convincing when telling the girls things so I will be asking him to step in when they start asking too many questions !

 

[Mummy May]

DD is 8 (year 4) and I just feel like this is the last year I'm gonna get... not sure why but she's grown up so much the past year xx

 

[SmartieMeUp]

I stopped believing when I went into year 3 (7 years old) my mum told me just to eliminate the chance of bullying for believing.

DD1 (7 next month) is a firm believer, she loves going to my sisters as she has a sensor in the living room which flashes. My nephew (8) believes that this sensor is his communication with Santa and it flashes green or red. We sprinkle fake snow inside, baring in mind there isn't any outside but she's none the wiser. Having the naughty elf last year made it all the more real for her. I'd probably tell her around the age of 8, she will do well carrying the whole thing on for DD2.

DD2 (3) is scared of Santa but thrives from the idea of him. When she came down for Christmas last year, she stood at the living room door and shouted "oh my jeeeesus!"

Santa phone call app is fab for keeping the spirit.

 

[Tanikins]

My son is 7 (year 2 UK) and I feel this will be his last year believing. Last year she started asking a few questions about how and why things happen with santa. Also his eldest sibling just started year 7 (11) so often says things that make him question

However my youngest is 2 so well be doing Santa for awhile yet.

 

[kirstybumx3]

I don’t want my kids to ever stop believing. It’s so sad.

 

[Scout]

DD is 5, so still very much believes. I work in the school system, and last year I was in a 3rd grade classroom (ages 8 and 9), and it seemed from general conversations with kids and overhearing their own, they still believed. I think if there were kids who didn't, they just didn't say anything bc I never heard kids arguing about it and none came to me to say so and so said Santa wasn't real.

I really don't remember when I stopped believing. I know there was a year or two that I was 'in between' believing or not. I went back and forth, but I never said I didn't believe out loud just in case I was wrong and Santa was real LOL When I finally knew for certain, I still played along bc it was so much fun. My parents knew I didn't believe, but they played along too. I think Santa visited our house until I was 17. haha

 

[faith82]

DD (6 1/2) and DS (4 1/2) are still very firm believers. It'll be a very sad day when they stop believing.
I was 10 when I found out. I was playing hide and seek with my cousin and he hid in the cupboard where all his Santa presents were hid😮 I was still a very firm believer and really shocked! Mum said she was going to let me have one more year and then she was going to tell me before going up to high school!!

 

[annio84]

Several of my friends recently have told their 11/12 year olds as they've started high school to avoid bullying. I can't really give any more insight than that but I think it probably depends on the child - I was about 6 when I realised.

 

[Twag]

Wait hang on your saying Santa is not real????

Seriously I love Christmas and Santa and everything that comes with it and I hope my 2 carry on believing for a long long time

My son who isn't yet 5 keeps asking me where Santa gets the presents from, how they are made etc etc he is at the stage of asking lots of questions so I have to be careful

 

[060509.x]

My DD still believes, she is only 6 atm and I've got a 6 month old so I've got at least another 7 years of believing yet (unless DD2 is sceptical and cottons on quickly )

I remember still believing at 9, but not so much after that. I just knew, I don't remember being told or confronting parents about it, I just remember believing and then not.

 

[LilFooshFoosh]

Ds just turned 8, I have a feeling this will be the last year. He was questioning last year and said someone at school told him its just your mum and dad.

Santa has never brought extravagant gifts to our house, that way we never had to deal with the kids asking for really expensive stuff (Santa can't give everyone a PS4...) so we dodged some questions right out the gate. My mum is big into Christmas too so she has helped make it extra special for my kids.

I recommend watching the movie Rise of the Guardians. It's fun and does a great job explaining that even though some people don't believe doesn't mean everyone doesn't. It's got sandman, Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, Santa and Jack frost. We watch it frequently, but especially around the holidays and when we will see older cousins who don't believe and we're worried will try to spoil it for our kids.

We are expecting our next this Monday, so hopefully lots more years of magic at our house.

 

[sequeena]

Thomas is 7 and still fully believes. I'm sure he will for a long time because of his SN.

My cousin's son is 9 and still believes but she thinks this will be the last year.

 

[Babybump87]

Ds just turned 8, I have a feeling this will be the last year. He was questioning last year and said someone at school told him its just your mum and dad.

Santa has never brought extravagant gifts to our house, that way we never had to deal with the kids asking for really expensive stuff (Santa can't give everyone a PS4...) so we dodged some questions right out the gate. My mum is big into Christmas too so she has helped make it extra special for my kids.

I recommend watching the movie Rise of the Guardians. It's fun and does a great job explaining that even though some people don't believe doesn't mean everyone doesn't. It's got sandman, Easter Bunny, tooth fairy, Santa and Jack frost. We watch it frequently, but especially around the holidays and when we will see older cousins who don't believe and we're worried will try to spoil it for our kids.

We are expecting our next this Monday, so hopefully lots more years of magic at our house.

I wonder about other kids spoiling it for my girls too ! Shame some kids find the truth out too soon ! I remember wrapping gifts for my siblings one year with my mum and it was still exciting!

 

[catty]

My mum told me when I was 12 as I was away to academy and she thought I'd get bullied.... I think I knew for a few years before but wasn't willing to stop believing. I was honestly crushed when I found out

 

[LilFooshFoosh]

I wonder about other kids spoiling it for my girls too ! Shame some kids find the truth out too soon ! I remember wrapping gifts for my siblings one year with my mum and it was still exciting!

My older brother told me about the tooth fairy when I was 6, I was devastated! It ruined all of them for me as my brain made the jump to Santa immediately and the Easter Bunny etc. I was extra upset because I'd just lost a tooth, he had already lost all his before he figured it out...so he was just being an ass (still is) to me.

 

[shambaby]

Honestly, I never truly believed, as my parents’ story (they bought the presents, sent them to FC and he delivered them) just seemed silly to me. I was a very logical child, and Hayden is very similar in a lot of ways, so I’m not convinced he really believes either. I wonder if he’s just humouring us, or maybe he thinks he won’t get presents if he doesn’t believe. Zoe is very much into all things magical - fairies, unicorns etc, but Hayden will tell us categorically that magic isn’t real. Except for Santa and the tooth fairy! 😂
Sometimes I actually feel bad for lying to them

 

[leoniebabey]

Oldest is 8.5 and still believes so far
I’m hopeful that he will believe for this Xmas and next

 

[c1403]

Hmmm I noticed because I realised the notes left were in my mum's handwriting.
My sister (4years younger than me) found out as my dad accidently woke her up dropping gifts on her bed. I can't remember how old we actually were.

With my two we say santa comes and go and see him, they write a letter and leave out snacks but we don't talk about it too much. I'm sure they'll realise soon enough. They only get one 'santa gift' not everything is from him so that may help it last longer.
There is two years between my two so I'm guessing they'll stop believing around the same time.
Ohhhh I don't want them to grow up.