Is nothing sacred?!?!

Derek and I are parents who perpetuate the lie of Santa.  We tell our children there's a fat bearded man in a red suit at the North Pole watching their every move to determine if 365 days of choices determine if they receive a present on December 25. 

This isn't about whether it's right or wrong to lie to your children about fictional personages.

Alayna turned 8 in November.  She's known about the Tooth Fairy being Mom and Dad since kindergarten due to Derek having difficulty locating teeth under her pillow when she was sleeping on the top bunk and woke her.

I've just been waiting for her to connect the dots between the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus.

Some parents go through great lengths to convince their kids Santa is a genuine person when the subject is broached.  But if the kid wants to come clean, then come clean.

So when Alayna sat down on the couch and said, "Mom, I think you and Dad are Santa," I said, "Why do you think that?"  Then she expounded on the Tooth Fairy story.

"Well, if Dad and I are Santa, what do you think of that?"  No shattered dreams, no tears.  She was very blasé about it.

"So, are you?"

"Yes, we are.  But you are not allowed to tell Isaac and Maren or your friends about this secret."

"Okay, Mom."

...a few days later...

Isaac is jumping up and down in the back of the van as we're ready to head out to run errands.  All four kids and I are in the van waiting for Derek to come.

"Mom and Dad are Santa!  Mom and Dad are Santa!"  He was jumping and chanting in unison, excited about the secret his sister just shared with him.  His sister got the death glare.  I told him to be utterly silent and to not mention another word about Santa Claus until I had a chance to sit and talk with him.

...this afternoon....

I watch my niece on Thursdays when her mom's in class in Boise.  I had my three at home plus my niece in the car on the way home from another friend's house.  I hear a whisper in the back seat...

"Beiley, did you know Santa's not real?"

"ISAAC DEREK BECK!  You SHUT your mouth and you are going to your room when we get home!!!"

After 15 minutes of his internment, I went to my son's room and he got a talkin'-to.  You can imagine the type of discussion we had.

But seriously, Alayna figured out the great myster of St. Nick, that's fine.  She told her brother and paid her dues.  And Isaac telling his cousin...seriously?!?  Can't you kids just respect the secret?  Ugh!  I don't know if he ruined Santa for her or not, but regardless.

Kids these days.