Myths we tell our children
We as parents tend to use numerous ways to get our children to do things and we use mythical stories to convince our children. So here is my take on three of them.
1. I’m going to start with the tooth fairy. It’s mad and makes no sense and possibly frightens the living daylights out of our children! Their first teeth fall out which ok is usually painless, but I’m sure is unpleasant and then we tell them to put it under their pillow and a mythical, magical fairy will take it away and leave money. Not only that, but if they are not behaving we’ll tell them the tooth fairy won’t visit tonight.
2. Now let’s move on to Easter. We have created the Easter Bunny. Yet another make believe character that as parents we will use as leverage to get our children to behave. I’m sure every parent has said if you are naughty the Easter Bunny won’t come and leave you your Easter Eggs!
3. Finally I have saved the best for last, Father Christmas, and we can use him as a threat for a good month!
What made me think and write this post was a conversation I had with my three year old twins the other day. They were asking me how does Father Christmas come down the chimney? What if you haven’t got a chimney? How does he fly? How does he see all the children in the world? Plus many more questions!
I then listened to myself talking total nonsense about Father Christmas. I start out telling them the reindeer can fly and that Santa has magical dust that allows him to deliver all the presents to all the children in the world in just 24 hours – he really is amazing!
Please don’t get me wrong I love all of these events in a child’s life and it’s magical when they open their presents on Christmas morning or find money under their pillows in the morning or far too many chocolate eggs at Easter.
I just wonder if we are teaching our children the right values in life with all the poverty and conflict in the world. A lot of children in the world will be happy to wake up on Christmas morning alive and would be grateful for a small amount of food.
These mythical characters are all well and good, but our children need to realise that there are many more important things in life and we shouldn’t use them to get our children to behave. I have and will be making an effort to stop.
