Mac and Carol Brown

Kris, we too have always told our kids the straight up truth about the tooth
fairy, Santa etc.

> We've caught a lot of criticism for ruining the kid's childhood, for carrying
> the honesty thing too far. I caught even more flack for refusing to tell
> them to NOT tell other kids. I felt it was wrong to make them feel like they
> had a dirty secret because we chose not to participate in the norm. I DID
> explain that most children are told that they are real and their parents
> probably don't want her to tell them otherwise.

Yeah, I've caught flack too, but imagine how distressing it would have been to my
kids when the tooth fairy sometimes took 2 weeks to drop in at our house, but
called the same night as the tooth came out to other kids! <g>

And why does Santa bring bikes and skateboards to some kids, and only a few
little things to others? I've heard kids ask these questions. My kids have always
chosen to play the games, but eventually they have all reached the point of
saying 'couldn't you just pay me for the tooth as soon as it comes out, instead
of having to go through all this?'

My oldest came home for Christmas this year, with his newly wedded wife, and she
was so rapt that on Christmas morning there was a stocking with silly little
gifts in it for her! But when your kids have always known Santa / Easter Bunny /
Tooth Fairy don't exist, there's no need to stop the fun :-)

BTW, I *was* totally traumatised when I discovered the truth about Santa. I had
not had the least suspicion, but woke up and needed to go to the bathroom in the
middle of the night and caught Mum and Dad in the act! My sister (4 years older
than me) told me that if I let on that we knew, we'd never get another present.
My parents must have thought they had the slowest kids in the country because we
were still firmly declaring our belief when I was about 12 and she was 16!

Carol