Five Good Reasons Why Lying About Santa Claus is Bad Parenting!

One of the worst things that parenting can do these days is when parents have their double standard. Knowing Christmas is just around the corner, lying about Santa Claus happens during the "-ber" months and November is no exception. It's no wonder why I get so cranky during Christmas because I'm reminded of how often I was deceived about the existence of Santa Claus. Now one must think why is it that lying about Santa Claus is just as bad as regular lying.

There is a HUGE difference between telling the child a fairy tale and lying about Santa Claus.

A parent may say, "What abut the story of Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs?" The difference is this. When a child is told about Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, the child knows that each story is fictional and illustrative to a certain truth. He or she knows the lesson of Red Riding Hood is not to talk to strangers, even if he or she is aware that the Big Bad Wolf though totally non-existent, represents all the harms that society has to offer. It's not like the Santa Claus lie where children are told that Santa Claus is real.

Children would trust their parents would never lie to them.

Another reason I can point out why lying about Santa Claus is not good is because children at their early age believe their parents always tell them the truth. One of the worst things to do is to tell your child never to lie BUT make a heel face turn during Christmas. Never means never and that means, you will never lie to your child. It's really problematic when a child defends Santa Claus' existence all because his/her parents supposedly would never lie to him/her. This can cause severe parental distrust. Parenting is always built on trust, not lies.

Lying to a child about Santa Claus also teaches the child to lie.

Authority is not only developed by setting up rules and regulations, you also establish authority by setting an example. To lie to a child about Santa Claus is already teaching a child how to lie. When a child finds out that he or she was manipulated, In turn, it tells the child it is okay to lie as long as the other person is "happy". In turn, this creates a vicious cycle of lies between parent and child. Parents will lose their right to complain when their children lie to them because they already planted the seeds of lying in the process. Parental lying is still parental lying no matter how much you try to cover it.

Childhood training must be based on what is real, not fantasies taught as truths

Ever remembered how mommy and daddy would lie about the boogeyman and Santa Claus to make sure you are well-behaved? Unfortunately that's not how the Bible handles parenting. Proverbs 22:6 says that the child must be trained the way he or she should go, when he or she grows up, he or she will not depart from it. The problem is when the child discovers that Santa Claus isn't real, for them, they will be tempted to be naughty all year round sooner or late.

Jesus Christ is the reason for Christmas, not Santa Claus

It's funny how often people say, "Merry Christmas" but all they think is Santa Claus, the reindeer, gifts, mistletoe, never mind the fulfillment if Isaiah 7:14. It's CHRISTMAS NOT CLAUSMAS. Having believed in Santa Claus before, I found myself rarely thinking about Jesus every Christmas. Santa Claus is one of the many ways Satan dethrones Jesus... because even when it's not Christmas, the child still thinks of Santa Claus anyway. It's really bad parenting to replace Jesus with Santa Claus, the TRUE meaning of Christmas.