Unexpected Kindness of Neighbors

[Guest]

I posted a couple of weeks ago how my 6-year-old son's first grade teacher told the class there wasn't a Santa. Our son was fine with it; he actually pities his teacher because he feels she is misguided.

At any rate, our neighbors a couple of houses down heard the story because their daughter babysits for us. The dad came over to ask if he could come by Christmas morning dressed as Santa. He was pretty annoyed with the teacher so he wanted to specially deliver two presents to our kids that "somehow were in the bottom of the sack and didn't get delivered the night before."

(He does Santa for scouting functions and hospital visits - he's a great guy.)

Anyway, we agreed, and hubby rewrapped two presents and dropped them off at his house.

And what a surreal experience it was this morning.

About 9:00 a.m., we're halfway through the process, candy and wrapping paper and slippers and Legos everywhere, and here's the doorbell. We open the door and Santa walks in.

Pretty cool.

Kids were impressed, but not fooled, but they didn't let on while he was there. He Ho-ho-ho'd and gave them presents, talked about how good they were, called them by their names, gave them hugs. We gave Santa a big platter of Christmas cookies for his "up north" family and took pictures and thanked him.

After? Our son says, "Well, that's not the real Santa." Why, we ask, and he says, "That guy is a lot older than Santa."

(My husband stopped by their house to thank their family earlier this afternoon. We did tell him our son wasn't fooled, but we said it was because he thought the real Santa was much older.

It was a good experience all in all, and it certainly reinforces our views of how many good people live in this world.

How was your Christmas?

 

[carsonshepherd]

How horrible that a teacher would tell a room full of 6 year olds that. (Thanks to my brother I never actually believed in Santa myself.)

Your neighbor is a wonderful man. What a generous thing to do for a kid. It's funny what your son said - he seems very wise.

Hope everyone had a peaceful holiday

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I believe I would have to look that teacher up and kick her butt.

 

[Liar]

Great story, sarahh. You have some cool neighbor there.

How was your Christmas?

Different. Interresting. Promising. Still trying to figute it out myself.

#L

 

[Guest]

Thanks, everyone - we do have wonderful neighbors.

And yes, we did talk to the teacher. She's excellent, just inexperienced.

She attempted to get past the question when some kids asked in front of the class. She told us after sharing her own family's experiences she finally told the kids to ask their parents.

WHICH is what she should have done first. But it's OK. Our kids have no problem with it. Apparently the teacher is just wrong.

I love that they can think for themselves.

 

[Liar]

WHICH is what she should have done first. But it's OK. Our kids have no problem with it. Apparently the teacher is just wrong.

I love that they can think for themselves.

Which is great. Until they start to question maths.

I remember having a long and heated discussion about that I indeed could divide by zero.

 

[Elsie Grey]

I'm glad your children didn't believe the teacher! Inexperienced or not it's still an awful thing to tell children that Santa doesn't exsist.

On the other hand it's amazing what children can ignore if it doesn't suit their way of thinking, for example I bullied my parents into telling me the truth about Santa aged 4 and then being the horrible child I was I went and told my little sister! She promptly burst into tears stormed into my mum's bedroom and when my mum said that Santa didn't exsist she got really mad, told both that we were silly of course Santa exsisted, who did we think filled the stockings? and refused to believe us. She quite happily carried on believing for another three years!

Elsie

xxx

 

[Lisa Denton]

Hi SSS, just like I told you before that the teacher should have told the kids to ask their parents, because you don't pay her salary from your taxes to teach "Santa Clause 101" and its none of her business what you want your children to believe, about religion and holidays.

Kudos to your neighbor guy, I wouldn't be surprised if the New Years Eve Fairy drops off a bottle of his favorite beverage.

"Santy Clause and Frodo Lives!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

[cantdog]

It's a cool story.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Personally, seeing adults dressed as Santa (or clowns) always scared the shit out of me. I mean, I knew they weren't the real thing, so what was wrong with them? What sort of nefarious plan did they have up their sleeve?

We took our kids to see various Santas as they were growing up, and some they were okay with and some terrified them, but I don't think they ever, ever thought the person they were seeing was the real Santa. Kids know when they're in the presence of a real miracle versus some guy with a strapped-on beard. The kids just played along to humor us.

--Zoot

 

[Lisa Denton]

Personally, seeing adults dressed as Santa (or clowns) always scared the shit out of me. I mean, I knew they weren't the real thing, so what was wrong with them? What sort of nefarious plan did they have up their sleeve?

We took our kids to see various Santas as they were growing up, and some they were okay with and some terrified them, but I don't think they ever, ever thought the person they were seeing was the real Santa. Kids know when they're in the presence of a real miracle versus some guy with a strapped-on beard. The kids just played along to humor us.

--Zoot

Yes, a guy with a strap-on would be scary, oh, you said beard, my bad, nevermind.

 

[cantdog]

I agree, Zoot. I would have politely turned the neighbor down. But it's still a cool story.

 

[carsonshepherd]

The kids just played along to humor us.

--Zoot

That's all we ever did. Our parents knew we didn't believe in santa - if I ever did, my older brother ruined it for me. My mom said she "didn't want to lie to us."

 

[minsue]

That's all we ever did. Our parents knew we didn't believe in santa - if I ever did, my older brother ruined it for me. My mom said she "didn't want to lie to us."

I was quite angry at having been lied to. I had gotten into a heated argument with my best friend who insisted there was no Santa and confronted my parents afterwards. I wasn't crushed that there was no Santa. I was pissed that I had to admit to my friend that she was right and I was wrong. (Yes, I've always been that way. )

I'm not sure how old I was, but she moved away when I was 8 so somewhere between 6 and then. My older brother, on the other hand, believed up until the 6th grade. My parents finally told the poor boy after they learned he'd gotten into a fistfight in school over it. I firmly believe they owe him some checks for therapy from the trauma.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Hi Min! which one is you in the pic...?

 

[minsue]

Hi Min! which one is you in the pic...?

The not quite as cute one.