What you never want to hear your 5yr old say.

I am still in shock what my 5 year old daughter told her daddy and I in IKEA the other day. We had just arrived at the store and we were going to grab something to eat when my daughter said she wanted us to buy her a toy. We looked at her and said Christmas is around the corner there will be no buying toys. Then one of us said you need to get started on your letter to Santa. She looks at us and says the words that every parent dreads. She said  "SANTA IS NOT REAL". My husband and I both took a double take and said WHAT with our eyes bulging out of our eye sockets. Then my daughter hesitated and said um um um I mean his elves are not real. I was lost for words. I remember telling her that when she quit believing in Santa Claus she would only get gifts from daddy and mommy and she would no longer get those special gifts that Santa brings and that our gifts are usually clothes. Let's just say, my shopping trip was ruined. I came out of IKEA buying nothing and during our hour and half drive back home, my mind was turning on how to do damage control.
My damage control consisted on making our Elf Isabella make an emergency stop at our house. So during the night our elf came back with a red crayon and a letter addressed to to my daughter. That morning my daughter woke up to find her elf and the letter in front of her TV. She was in shock that her elf was in her room.

The letter read:

Elizabeth,
Santa had me make an emergency trip to your house. He heard what you told your parents in IKEA. He wanted me to tell you that as long as you believe in you heart that he is real and magical you will always receive gifts and you will always see me. But the moment you don't believe anymore, there will be no more special gifts, you will only get gifts from your parents.
Tonight I must go back to the North Pole. It won't be much longer before I come back daily to do my reporting for Santa. So take care and remember to BELIEVE.
Love,
Isabella the Elf
P.S I love your new room.

After reading this letter to her. She was shocked that Santa heard what she said. All she talked about that day was how Isabella came to see her. She even wrote out her Christmas list to Santa. We also had to watch every Christmas movie we had in the house. I hope the damage control worked. I just can't believe how some kids would be that cruel and ruin the dreams and fantasies of other kids.
The day after Isabella the Elf went home. My daughter and I were talking. I told her that some children have been put on the naughty list and they don't receive presents anymore. So they want other children to get on the naughty list to, so they don't get toys either. I ended our conversation with  "no matter what anyone tells you, as long as you believe in Santa in your heart, you will always get those special gifts from Santa".
I hope my daughter believes in Santa once again. Have you ever had to go thru this with a little one? What did you do? I am guessing I really need to do Christmas up really big this year. What was some ways you kept your children believing when they were trying to figure out?



I have linked this to the following parties.

 http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2013/10/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no-183.html