The holiday season is full of fun and excitement for children. Small children wait patiently to meet Santa Claus and to receive the gifts they wished for. However, parents are often concerned with their children's concepts and are confused about the proper age at which they should reveal that Santa does not exist.
Eradicating the confusion, according to experts from Kansas State University, there is no specific age for children to stop believing in Santa and children will understand the myth that revolves around the character themselves as they grow older.
"I don't think it's necessary for parents to decide upon a time to tell their children there is no Santa," JaredDurtschi, an assistant professor in Kansas State University's marriage and family therapy program, explained in a news release. "As children develop, the magical thinking that is so common in kids, which allows them to so readily accept all the details of Santa Claus, will give way and they will soon figure it out on their own."
Apart from that, a sudden exposure to the actual truth about Santa Claus can spoil a child's excitement involved with Christmas celebrations.
"Christmas tends to be more fun for those kids who believe in Santa compared to those who do not. It may be unnecessary to spoil the excitement for the child until they outgrow the belief," he said.
It often takes many years for children to fully understand the cultural ideas wrapped up in the character of Santa Claus and to take a final decision whether to believe in him or not. A question similar to "What do you think about Santa Claus?" is a better way to know children's concepts about Santa than a direct query - "Do you still believe in Santa?"
