Parenting, what will you do different than your parents?

Karmen and I are trying to be 100%, well, 99% honest with Christian.

We told him the truth about Santa Clause from the start, we wanted him to know that yes, he gets presents for being a good boy, but that they come from us, so he appreciates the fact that we work hard for the things we/he have. Also, I figured as with all lies, it would only spur more. Like last year he wanted a Wii, but we could not find one, they were selling out like crazy. We told him the situation and that he would get one, but that it would be after Christmas and he was fine with that. Also, we want him to know that Christmas s about Christ and not about material things.

My mom still says that SC is real. She says she won't get me anything for Christmas if I say I don't believe in SC. I think she does it just to piss me off.

Also, I try to go into as much detail about why he gets punished or I just have to get on to him about something. Never, "because I said so".

Santa is a bitch. If I See his fat ass I will take him out.

My kids still believe in Santa. All 3 of them. I have successfully delivered Christmas presents without being caught for the past 10 years, and I love doing it! I even make all their Easter baskets too. Whats the fun in being a kid if you dont believe in Santa or the Easter bunny? They will be all grown up in no time.
Why not let them enjoy being a kid while they can? You are only a kid for a little while but you are an adult for the rest of your life.
I loved my childhood. I have (minus my dad, cause he is not here anymore) great parents who love me. I don't really believe I would do anything different.
My husband and I just try to make their childhood filled with good memories.

To mitigate the materialitic aspect of the fat man, we focus on the life of the real Saint Nick and his life of charitable deeds and talk about how Santa Clause is that spirit of giving manifested in the modern world. So we do talk up the magic and whimsical, but we always bring it back to that focus of charitable giving. We do a birthday cake for Jesus and after we sing to him and eat it we leave a piece of that under the tree for Santa. I think you an do the Santa stuff and still focus on the real meat of he holiday.

My mom is actually crazy and there were just constant small lies. It made it hard to believe anything she said. the lie of the Christmas season was a welcome reprieve from the day to day crazy. She also blamed all of her craziness on me. "I'm off to soot myself in the head now and when you feel sad that you have no mommy, just know that it is because you are so ungreatful." No joke. Obviously, I'll opt out of following in her footsteps in that way.

I think that there are more damaging lies than Santa. The one's that, on a day to day basis, wear away your ability to trust your parent. Like, "If you'll just go to the Dr., I promise I won't let them draw your blood." Then what do ya know? The draw blood. I always tell my kids the straight up truth about that stuff. I say, "THis is gonna' hurt like crazy, but I'm here with you and I'd be a pretty poor parent if I let you get out of it." They can deal with that.

But my dad...Well, I hope I can parent half as cool as he did. Dude is a rock.