Telling About SANTA

Yesterday Ian’s teacher send me an announcement letter about the coming of “Santa” at his preschool on Dec.5.
Parents have to contribute Rp 30.000,- (about U$ 3) for taking kids pictures with Santa, snacks and souvenir. We should buy a Christmas present too for our kids and collect to the school administrative office at the late of Nov.29 with a special footnote “between 9 – 11 am”, it means when the kids are in the classroom so they won’t know :).

I remember my 2 older kids believe that Santa is real and give presents to all good kids until they’re 9, aged 10 they started to tell me that, “Ma, my friend said Santa is not real. He doesn’t give me present but you”, still they ½ believe of Santa. I just said, “No matter what your friend had told you, if you believe Santa is real, so listen to your heart. Be a good kid this year.” Then my hubby add this statement: ”If you’re not believe it anymore maybe he wouldn’t give you present.” haha….

Between aged 11-12 they started suspicious. This year .. oh no, I don’t think they still believe Santa’s present anymore. They’re now 12 and 13 and knowing the truth story. But both of them are good, had never told their young brother about “the real Santa’s present” even though I don’t tell them to do so. I just like to keep the spirit of Santa stay in my kids’ heart forever.

What about you and the kids? On what aged do you tell them that Santa is not real or they know by themselves(like the way I did)?

No Birthday Present?

Yesterday we (my 2 big kids and I) had an interesting conversation with Ian.
Mom : “What do you want for your birthday present, Ian?”
Ian : (no response, still thinking)
Mom : “2 more days, on this Thursday you’re going to be 5.”
Ian : “No, I don’t want.”
Mom : (still confused) "You don’t want a birthday present? A new toy ?"

His 2 siblings open widen their eyes. I knew their eyes told me like this…Come on Ian, this is a very rare opportunity mom asked you about TOYS!!

Ian : “I just don’t want!”
His brother: “Lego, still don’t want?!” (I knew he want to take profit from this situation ;-) )
Ian : “I just don’t want any thing, I’ve already had one new toy.”
His sister: “The one that Dad bought last Sunday?”
Ian : “Yes!!”
Mom : "What about a birthday cake?" (feeling guilty)
Ian: “Ok, I want a birthday cake with a picture on top that I could eat it’”
Mom : ??
His sister: “Maybe a cake with an edible photo image at the top.”

After a while my daughter was looking for ads about it and found the phone number of a woman who receives orders edible photo prints. She’s the only one in our city and it’s a pity she’s on vacation till next week. No order then. Every cake shops here usually give their edible photo prints orders to her. I’ve plan formerly to bake a birthday cake for Ian and just put the edible photo of him on the top. ;-(

Think, think…mom! Get a new idea…

Then finally I make up my mind; still bake a birthday cake for him but he could make the decoration on top by himself. I just prepare the butter cream in many colors and let him squeeze it from a paper bag to make anything he wants. That will be his “present”.
What do you think of this idea? I just want him feel happy on his special day.

Ian Keeps Asking About His Birthday Party

Yes,it has been starting from last month (Ian is going to be 5 next month). My hubby and I never made a birthday party at school or someplace where we could invited many kids. No, that's not the tradition of the family. We always celebrate birthday in private, just 5 of us. It could be at home or restaurant or somewhere else, but we still keep in private and like to do it all the years. My 2 other big kids never asked a birthday party before. They never complained about it. But now, it seemed quite different with their little brother. Ian keeps asking about his birthday party every time he received a birthday invitation card from his friend at school. And..it happens almost every week! I also imagine how many kids there had celebrated his birthday at school. Maybe that's why he keeps on asking.

I had explained to him (every time he asked!)that his birthday is on early July, it'll be school holiday and we can't celebrate his birthday on the other day, 3 weeks after, when everybody come to school again. Otherwise every people has their own special way in celebrating birthday. Party doesn't always mean he's 'real happy' with his special day (although most of them did, hehe..). the important thing is people should be thankful/grateful for his birthday, blah, blah....etc.
But till yesterday he seemed not understand about all I said. Finally I have "his point of view" in this matter, he just be happy to has many birthday presents from friends, like the way he saw his friends had at school on their b'day party. I don't want him feel that way, but I know...he's only a little kid.

Wow..what should I do? Is there any simple explanation for him about 'timing' since he doesn't care at all if his birthday on July will be the same time with school holiday?
Do you have any suggestion for me to say about this to him?
I think I almost give up. It always be easier to explain this to other kids than to mine.