When my husband and I were dating and eventually got engaged we were on the same page about almost everything you talk about in marriage counseling. Parenting styles, money, how to argue and how to make-up etc., check, check, check and check…
There’s one topic that doesn’t come up in marriage counseling, well at least it didn’t in ours, that’s belief in Santa, the ‘Easter’ Bunny and the Tooth Fairy.
While not a deal breaker of a topic, it can cause strife if you have two very different opinions on these mythical creatures.
Thankfully, despite our lack of discussion before marriage, we were already on the same page. That page was our shared conviction of not teaching our kids to believe in lies.
I know I might have just stepped on some toes with that last sentence but it’s true. If I don’t want my kids to lie to me, why in the world would I go to extreme lengths to protect or perpetuate a lie just to fulfill a secular holiday ritual? Can’t think of a reason? Neither can I. If you’ve been on Facebook or Pinterest over the past year or so you may have seen this meme:
While some will say these three bogus individuals bring joy and delight to childhood, let me be frank by saying this: Joy and delight in childhood comes from truly loving parents who share a saving knowledge of Christ with their children.
Nothing else. If the parents love Christ and build a Biblical perspective in their children based on faith in truth, everything else (like Santa, egg laying bunnies and teeth snatching fairies) is junk. Plain and simple.
How we dance around the secular trappings of Easter, Christmas & losing teeth:
EASTER ISSUES
1. We call it Resurrection Sunday — That’s what it is. It’s a day marking the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the grave. He conquered death and offers the gift of life. The word Easter doesn’t effectively transmit the value of the day. Resurrection does.
2. Dealing with relatives who insist on doing ‘Easter’ baskets — We say thank-you, toss the fake grass and eat the candy. Done.
3. Egg hunts — The kids do hunt eggs with friends at church.
CHRISTMAS ISSUES
1. GRACE — We teach our kids that gifts are not earned but given through grace. We don’t deserve anything, because we’re sinners. But God’s gift to the world was His only begotten Son Jesus. We teach them GRACE giving – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.
2. Santa decor & crafts — Yes we still have Santa stuff and they make crafts featuring Santa but they know he’s not real.
3. Santa gives gifts based on works the complete opposite of God — Santa’s gift giving method is manipulation “if you’re good you’ll get what you want on Christmas morn.” God doesn’t manipulate, in fact we have free will to chose a loving God or reject His plan of salvation.
TOOTH FAIRY ISSUES
We used to give money when they lost a tooth, but they knew it was from mom and dad. Now I don’t. They are cool with it. They can work around the house if they want to earn extra cash.
PS I don’t keep their teeth either. I know I’m a bad mom.
So how do you approach these creatures?
(Main photo credit, red graphics added in PS)
AGREE, it’s a trap of evil to distract true meaning & to boost economy. My wife was catholic & I was Baptist but now we are nondenominational & didn’t lie to our kids & they had great holidays celebrating true meanings.stand up for what’s right!