Woman causes outrage on Mumsnet for refusing to lie about Santa to her children

"Bloody hell...it's just a bit of fun"

Sarah Young
Monday 12 December 2016 18:17 GMT
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(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A Mumsnet user has faced backlash after she revealed that she doesn’t want to let her future children believe in Santa Claus.

A figure that many of us grew up with, there comes a day when the magic is threatened but one woman – who is yet to have her own children – considers this a total lie.

Posting on the popular Mumsnet forum she said, “I don’t feel comfortable lying to my future kids about Santa, but I don’t want them to ruin it for everyone else either.

“Has anyone managed to bring their child up not believing in Santa, without them ruining it for believers, or am I going to have to lie to them for the sake of others?”

The subject has caused quite a stir, enraging Mumsnet users on either side of the argument.

One person mockingly said, “Millions of adults grow up and realise that Santa is not real without it damaging their psyche, causing them to be muddled about right and wrong or compulsive liars.

“Make sure that if you take them to Disneyland you carefully explain to them that it is not Pooh Bear but a bloke in a costume.”

While others thought that she was completely melodramatic, especially considering she didn’t even have any children yet.

“Bloody hell it’s not lying. It’s just a bit of fun.”

Another said, “I think you are worrying about this prematurely. Your kids, I think, don't exist yet.”

A huge number agreed and proceeded to criticise the woman for her remarks

“I feel sorry for these poor children who miss out on what is frankly a really special magical thing just because mummy couldn’t possibly lie to her precious darling. For f*** sake,” one person said.

“If a child is so traumatised/affected by a parent lying about Santa then their parents haven’t raised them to be resilient enough!"

“Pathetic!” another added.

Of course, not everyone agreed, with some users agreeing with the woman’s sentiment.

One person wrote: “Santa isn’t some sort of pre requisite to having a magical childhood.”

While another said: “My grandmother who was born in the reign of Queen Victoria was absolutely insistent that this modern fad for lying to children was wrong.

“I had a magical childhood without my family lying to me, and so did my children.”

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