My Tween Son is Afraid to Let Go of Santa

I was sure last year would mark the final Christmas that Boy Wonder believed in Santa. As the lone believer in his 5th grade class last year, he fought hard to convince himself and others that Santa was real. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary and doubtful noise around him, he chose to listen to his heart because he wanted so much to believe.

While it’s no surprise the last 12 months have brought cognitive developmental shifts within Boy Wonder, witnessing his transformation from a child who believed in infinite possibilities to one of marked skepticism had me more convinced than ever that this Christmas would yield the inevitable “Santa talk.” Except it hasn’t. [Read more…]