How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Just came up, and figured I would throw it out there...I was quite young, due to older siblings, but what is the norm?

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

DD was 5 or 6 when she started asking. we broke down and told her by 7 i think. she's way to smart and we couldn't keep lying

How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My 10 year old nephew just told my SIL he didn't believe anymore.

How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I remember knowing all along as a kid but not wanting to tell my parents. There was no way mom and Santa had the same writing

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My friends DD was 8 when she asked flat out if he was real. They told her the truth. I remember being around 4th grade when I stopped believing.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My nephew is 9 and pretty much has figured it out. I was about 7 but that is because I had two older siblings and I found the Macho Man Randy Savage wrestling buddy and a bean bag in the closet I was crushed when I found out

How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

To this day, my mom still says there is a Santa

She did all she could to never get caught - to an extreme

she had snow foot prints leading from the chimney, whiskers on glass of milk, and the handwriting was always different from hers.

one time she had santa come over for a visit - he walked down driveway (no car) and to this DAY, i still have no clue who it was. She still won't reveal who it was, and if I ask her, she says "it was Santa!"

it was always one of my favorite things about my mom - one of those small things parents do that never leave you.

I will be doing the same for my kids. There is a Santa!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I was in 4th grade when I knew for sure. I had an older brother who did a very good job of convincing me he was real I think I suspected sooner though. My parents never really confirmed it

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by EatingMyVeggies

To this day, my mom still says there is a Santa

She did all she could to never get caught - to an extreme

she had snow foot prints leading from the chimney, whiskers on glass of milk, and the handwriting was always different from hers.

one time she had santa come over for a visit - he walked down driveway (no car) and to this DAY, i still have no clue who it was. She still won't reveal who it was, and if I ask her, she says "it was Santa!"

it was always one of my favorite things about my mom - one of those small things parents do that never leave you.

I will be doing the same for my kids. There is a Santa!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My 8 year old 3rd grader still believes. At least he isn't letting on to us if he does know. I think this may be his last year.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

End of third grade, I read "Superfudge" - I guess at least Judy Blume was the one that broke the news to me and not a mean older kid on the bus?

Seemed like everyone stopped believing by 3rd/4th grade.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by EatingMyVeggies

To this day, my mom still says there is a Santa

She did all she could to never get caught - to an extreme

she had snow foot prints leading from the chimney, whiskers on glass of milk, and the handwriting was always different from hers.

one time she had santa come over for a visit - he walked down driveway (no car) and to this DAY, i still have no clue who it was. She still won't reveal who it was, and if I ask her, she says "it was Santa!"

it was always one of my favorite things about my mom - one of those small things parents do that never leave you.

I will be doing the same for my kids. There is a Santa!

Message edited 11/28/2012 9:20:50 PM.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by stinger

DD was 5 or 6 when she started asking. we broke down and told her by 7 i think. she's way to smart and we couldn't keep lying

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by EatingMyVeggies

To this day, my mom still says there is a Santa

She did all she could to never get caught - to an extreme

she had snow foot prints leading from the chimney, whiskers on glass of milk, and the handwriting was always different from hers.

one time she had santa come over for a visit - he walked down driveway (no car) and to this DAY, i still have no clue who it was. She still won't reveal who it was, and if I ask her, she says "it was Santa!"

it was always one of my favorite things about my mom - one of those small things parents do that never leave you.

I will be doing the same for my kids. There is a Santa!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by jlk51496

Posted by stinger

DD was 5 or 6 when she started asking. we broke down and told her by 7 i think. she's way to smart and we couldn't keep lying

Oh my goodness...too young....lol..me dd is 5.5 yrs.. I am hoping I have a couple of more years before I have to have that discussion! But she is too smart and observant! She already told me that the Santa at the parade looked different!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I don't know about kids today but I think I was sadly about 5 or 6. I remember it clear as day, my mom had the radio on while we were getting dressed to go somewhere. She left the room for a minute to get something and inbetween songs and commercials there was a man who called in. He was telling the DJ how he felt really bad LYING to his son and telling him that Santa was real when he really wasn't. The DJ said something back about it being ok to lie becuase it's part of the magic of being a child, blah blah.

I had never before then doubted that Santa was real but that did it for me. I knew if these adults on the radio were saying it then it had to be true. I asked my mom and she gave me some lame response like "He is real if you believe he is". I took that as a no. Christmas was pretty much ruined for me after that, it just wasn't the same. I hope DD gets to believe longer than I did!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Wanted to add that it may be earlier these days because there are a lot more people that don't celebrate Christmas or don't do Santa. So, the kids may hear it at school.

Message edited 11/28/2012 9:56:08 PM.

How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

A Jewish kid in my 3rd grade class told me Santa wasn't real... I went home and asked my mom and she said he was lying to me but I never believed after that.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My DS just turned 6. And some older kid on the bus told him yesterday. Fortunately, he still believes so strongly that he's real that it didn't take much to convince him the boy was just trying to fool him. I hope he believes for at least another two years. It makes me sad to think of the day when he no longer believes.
On the flip side, it will be nice to finally get the recognition for all the time and money I spend this time of year.

How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I was probably about 7 or 8. But I found out around Easter. I woke up Easter Eve for whatever reason & I caught my mom making my Easter basket!

I asked her what was going on and he said "The Easter bunny was so busy this year, he dropped off all his supplies & asked if I could make the basket for him as a favor. "

I think I bought that for a couple of days and then I asked her again and she told me the truth. From there I went down the list.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I was in 4th grade when my Catholic school teacher told me. I went home crying to my mom . That was the only time my mother ever went to the school to yell at a teacher.

My parents were smart though....they kept all of our presents in the attic...so if we woke up, we'd hear them up above our rooms and it sounded like reindeer on the roof. My brother and I swore every year that we heard Santa!

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

My 9.5 year old still believes.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I remember being around 8 or 9 when I stopped believing.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

I was 10 and in 5th grade... everyone around me knew and tried to tell me but I didnt want it to end.

Re: How old are kids these days when they stop believing in Santa?

Posted by DirtyBlonde

End of third grade, I read "Superfudge" - I guess at least Judy Blume was the one that broke the news to me and not a mean older kid on the bus?

Seemed like everyone stopped believing by 3rd/4th grade.