Children waking up early on Christmas morning, running down the stairs and looking under the tree to see if Santa Claus brought them presents shows how the jolly spirit of the character Santa Claus has been a part of children’s lives for many generations. As some grow older, they start to find out that their childhood hero isn’t real, but they eventually accept it. While others, on the other hand, still have their hearts set on that Santa is real. Parents should tell their kids at a certain age that he does not exist, and that it has been them all along.

A very good reason that you should tell your kid Santa isn’t real is to prevent them from finding out through their friends, who already have figured out long ago. You wouldn’t want your child to have their friend make fun of them for still believing in Santa. Giving your kid a heads up before they go into middle school, which is around the right time to tell them and explain to them that Santa never existed, will hurt them less in the long run. The older they get, the more their minds to start to develop other fantasies, and still having Santa as one of them could really mess with the child’s head.

Teaching a kid to be good so Santa will give him presents isn’t a bad thing. The child is being taught to be nice, and that they will be rewarded, but it comes to some extent. As they get older, they start to keep that life lesson in their thoughts by thinking, “If I am acting nice and doing what I am told, then I will get a prize.” The lesson that is supposed to come out of this is that you should be kind and respectful all year round, and yes, being rewarded is helpful for the child to learn, but not when they are 16 years old. If you tell your kid Santa isn’t real, then you are showing them that you don’t need a gift or toy to show kindness.

It may seem a little harsh to spoil and kill your child’s Christmas vibe, but a kid eventually needs to know that there isn’t some fat guy in a big suit that delivers gifts to the whole world all in one night and has a reindeer that has a shiny, red nose. Parents, telling your child that Santa isn’t real will help them for the future. Besides, Christmas isn’t about the toys he brings, it’s about spending time with your family and enjoying the holidays together.