Mom Says She’s Not Going To Lie To Her Kids About Santa Or The Easter Bunny
If you haven't been on TikTok yet, it's about time. It's no longer just a teenager's game. Parents are taking over to speak their minds.
When Nevada Shareef shared an answer to her own question "Name something about the way you raised your kids that people think is weird but you think is healthy," over 70,000 people tuned in, and many had an opinion about her response.
She Hasn't Told Her Kids About the Easter Bunny Or Sata At All
Recently, Nevada Shareef uploaded a TikTok where the mom revealed that she hasn't told her children about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or even Tooth Fairy.
Based on her own question, she knew people would find their weird. But she made her case about why she thinks it's healthy.
She Knows People Will Think It's Weird
In the video, Nevada anticipates that people will not understand her decision, and even critique her for it. So she follows up her statement with her reasoning.
The more that she explains, the more you can tell that she genuinely is trying to do what she thinks is best for her kids. She doesn't want their childhood to be based on fairy tales or lies.
It Builds An Honest Foundation And Relationship
The mom's main argument for her choice is that she doesn't want any kind of lies between her and her children.
"My reasoning is that I never wanted to build my children's childhood on lies," she says. She later goes on to say, "I never want to lie to my children as I never want them to lie to me."
She Wants To Teach Her Children That Lying Isn't OK
The mom's other point is that if she lies about this and still teaches them that lying in general is wrong, the kids might experience a disconnect and be confused about when it's okay to lie.
"I didn't want to teach that you can lie as long as it's beneficial to you," she says.
She's Facing Criticism
Naturally, parents and nonparents had their say on the matter. Many told the mom that she's not allowing her kids to build their imagination or to just be children.
However, she responds that she allows her children to have the imagination of their own choosing: "I don't put imaginary creatures in their heads," she says.
The Kids Still Get Gifts
It's not like the mom deprives her children of holidays and traditions altogether; she simply doesn't include the fictional stories behind them.
"They still got Christmas presents, they still get Easter baskets," she reassured her audience. "I personally rewarded them for having their teeth pulled and all other things that people normally give... I just didn't make them believe in something that wasn't true."
Kids Always Find Out Anyway
The thing about fairy tales is that kids end up finding out the truth eventually. Either they have an older sibling who ruins the secret, or it happens in a chain reaction, one kid at school finds out and tells the others.
Then, they usually come to their parents for confirmation, and it's up to the parent to decide if they're ready for the truth.
Others Sided With Her
Not all parents disagreed with Nevada's choice: "Her kids, she can do whatever she pleases" commented Aliyah Gilson.
Some even had faced the same criticism she did. Another parent, Sarah Kawaruma, said, "I was told I stole their childhood from them. I mean, you can still have magical and loving childhood without fairy tales involved."
It Prevents Disappointment Early On
Nevada shares many videos and pictures with her children. They seem to have a tight-knit relationship. By teaching them key values like honestly early on, she might have prepared them for the real world.
This could make for mature and responsible kids who learn to avoid disappointment early on.
It's A Personal Choice
At the end of the day, a parent's relationship with their kids is not dependent on the stories they tell them; it's cultivated on a case-by-case basis.
It should be your own personal choice as a parent what stories you share. There aren't universal parenting rules that apply to all or have no exceptions. It makes sense if a parent would want to be upfront and honest with her children.
