Someone called me out in front of my kid

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's sad that some people feel a personal insult to "having" to pretend Santa is real. Think about the last time you had real, true magic in your life. Or even breathless anticipation and excitement. Think about the next time you'll have it. For most of us as adults, we almost never experience these things anymore. But for a brief time, kids still get to and Christmas/Santa is one of those times. Why take it away from them just to prove you are intellectually superior and too pragmatic to continue an illusion? Why not just let them have it while they're little and still can? They have a lifetime of bills and worry and job stress and taxes and reality ahead of them. Why not just let them have the fun and magic that little kids should have? It doesn't hurt you one bit to just keep your mouth shut and let them believe.

OP here and I want to say one thing - life as it is takes my breath away very often. I'm truly sorry you're so buried in worries that you can't see it.
I don't have to lie to my kids to make their life interesting and worth living. We stop to stare at the stars, I answer their questions about the sun and the moon (today the whole 40 min drive to school was a discussion on how come the sun and the moon were up in the sky at the same time). We don't lack imagination and wonder and it's all about real life.

We stop the car too look at rainbows, we stop our walk to the bus stop to watch bugs and watching my children learning about their surroundings warms my heart every day. I'm so sorry you can't feel it. It's amazing! You should try.

That said, we like to give credit to those who work hard to give them presents and the feelings behind it.

I want my children to be sensitive to others beliefs but I don't want them to be shamed and criticized by telling the truth.

No one shamed or criticized your kids. Don't make stuff up. Someone criticized you for being thoughtless and inconsiderate. Which you were. You can learn from it or (more likely) not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And having found so much beauty and wonder in nature, you still can't find some kindness in your heart to not take something important away from someone else?

You make it sound like OP grabbed a child and said, "Hey! Kid! Santa is a big fraud, and your parents are lying to you!"

Whereas the reality (as reported by OP) is that OP was somewhere talking to OP's child, and an adult told OP to watch out and be careful with what OP says, in case a child were listening.

If she was speaking loud another for the woman to hear, then she was speaking loud enough for a nearby child to hear. Maybe OP shouldn't speak so loudly.

In the future, I will whisper whenever I am in public and talking about something that might upset a small child who might be in earshot and might be listening.

Me too. Which eliminates pretty much all topics of conversation except the weather and the color of the sky. But what do I do if a color-blind child might be in earshot? Will he be upset when I tell my kid that the sky is blue, but he has always perceived it purple?! Or maybe he is blind and it upsets him to hear about colors that he will never see? I guess I will just not say anything to my child at all, if we aren't sealed in our house or car.

Oh don't be stupid. You can't foresee every potential hurt. But you can obviously foresee this one, so if you're a nice person you don't say it loud enough for a kid to hear. This just isn't hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are nuts. Not OP, but no way am I going to pretend about Santa. Anywhere.

I don't believe in God (neither do my kids) but we don't talk it in front of people that do. It's called respect for others. You don't have to pretend, just keep your mouth shut until you're in private.

This! We don't talk loudly about how Christmas is a sham holiday celebrating something that didn't happen and was stolen from pagan traditions by a bunch of looney cult members. We save that talk for home. Santa though Santa I believe in. If my kid is going to believe in some made up white guy at Christmas I'd prefer him to be Santa. So keep it to yourself OP

You are amazing PP

I don't understand the need to talk about every.little. thing and have an opinion be known about every.little.thing

keep mouth shut, smirk inside. Easy peasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And having found so much beauty and wonder in nature, you still can't find some kindness in your heart to not take something important away from someone else?

You make it sound like OP grabbed a child and said, "Hey! Kid! Santa is a big fraud, and your parents are lying to you!"

Whereas the reality (as reported by OP) is that OP was somewhere talking to OP's child, and an adult told OP to watch out and be careful with what OP says, in case a child were listening.

If she was speaking loud another for the woman to hear, then she was speaking loud enough for a nearby child to hear. Maybe OP shouldn't speak so loudly.

In the future, I will whisper whenever I am in public and talking about something that might upset a small child who might be in earshot and might be listening.

Me too. Which eliminates pretty much all topics of conversation except the weather and the color of the sky. But what do I do if a color-blind child might be in earshot? Will he be upset when I tell my kid that the sky is blue, but he has always perceived it purple?! Or maybe he is blind and it upsets him to hear about colors that he will never see? I guess I will just not say anything to my child at all, if we aren't sealed in our house or car.

Oh don't be stupid. You can't foresee every potential hurt. But you can obviously foresee this one, so if you're a nice person you don't say it loud enough for a kid to hear. This just isn't hard.

WHY DO YOU HATE BLIND CHILDREN?!?! It's just general kindness, after all.

This, and the participation trophies, I swear to god.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And having found so much beauty and wonder in nature, you still can't find some kindness in your heart to not take something important away from someone else?

You make it sound like OP grabbed a child and said, "Hey! Kid! Santa is a big fraud, and your parents are lying to you!"

Whereas the reality (as reported by OP) is that OP was somewhere talking to OP's child, and an adult told OP to watch out and be careful with what OP says, in case a child were listening.

If she was speaking loud another for the woman to hear, then she was speaking loud enough for a nearby child to hear. Maybe OP shouldn't speak so loudly.

In the future, I will whisper whenever I am in public and talking about something that might upset a small child who might be in earshot and might be listening.

Me too. Which eliminates pretty much all topics of conversation except the weather and the color of the sky. But what do I do if a color-blind child might be in earshot? Will he be upset when I tell my kid that the sky is blue, but he has always perceived it purple?! Or maybe he is blind and it upsets him to hear about colors that he will never see? I guess I will just not say anything to my child at all, if we aren't sealed in our house or car.

Oh don't be stupid. You can't foresee every potential hurt. But you can obviously foresee this one, so if you're a nice person you don't say it loud enough for a kid to hear. This just isn't hard.

WHY DO YOU HATE BLIND CHILDREN?!?! It's just general kindness, after all.

This, and the participation trophies, I swear to god.

What do you imagine I have to censor so I'm not going to hurt a blind child? You think they don't already know colors exist? They're blind, not stupid. Now if i said "Gee kids, aren't you grateful for your sight? Can you believe some poor kids might not be able to see?" That would make me an asshole. It's not hard to find the line. Unless you're trying really hard not to find it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

You're missing the point. If I'm talking about my friend Steve's new job as a mall Santa, I'm not going to think to look around first and see if there are any kids in the area. Nope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

You're missing the point. If I'm talking about my friend Steve's new job as a mall Santa, I'm not going to think to look around first and see if there are any kids in the area. Nope.

Then that makes you an asshole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And having found so much beauty and wonder in nature, you still can't find some kindness in your heart to not take something important away from someone else?

You make it sound like OP grabbed a child and said, "Hey! Kid! Santa is a big fraud, and your parents are lying to you!"

Whereas the reality (as reported by OP) is that OP was somewhere talking to OP's child, and an adult told OP to watch out and be careful with what OP says, in case a child were listening.

If she was speaking loud another for the woman to hear, then she was speaking loud enough for a nearby child to hear. Maybe OP shouldn't speak so loudly.

In the future, I will whisper whenever I am in public and talking about something that might upset a small child who might be in earshot and might be listening.

Me too. Which eliminates pretty much all topics of conversation except the weather and the color of the sky. But what do I do if a color-blind child might be in earshot? Will he be upset when I tell my kid that the sky is blue, but he has always perceived it purple?! Or maybe he is blind and it upsets him to hear about colors that he will never see? I guess I will just not say anything to my child at all, if we aren't sealed in our house or car.

Oh don't be stupid. You can't foresee every potential hurt. But you can obviously foresee this one, so if you're a nice person you don't say it loud enough for a kid to hear. This just isn't hard.

WHY DO YOU HATE BLIND CHILDREN?!?! It's just general kindness, after all.

This, and the participation trophies, I swear to god.

What do you imagine I have to censor so I'm not going to hurt a blind child? You think they don't already know colors exist? They're blind, not stupid. Now if i said "Gee kids, aren't you grateful for your sight? Can you believe some poor kids might not be able to see?" That would make me an asshole. It's not hard to find the line. Unless you're trying really hard not to find it.

Oh, FFS. When you see a beautiful sunset, and you say, "Wow, what a beautiful sunset!" do you look around first to see if there are blind people nearby? Because if not, you're crossing that line that you claim isn't hard to find.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

You're missing the point. If I'm talking about my friend Steve's new job as a mall Santa, I'm not going to think to look around first and see if there are any kids in the area. Nope.

Then that makes you an asshole.

First of all, on the list of things that make me an asshole, that doesn't even crack the top 10.

Second of all, no it freaking doesn't. It makes me a person living in the world that doesn't exist to Create A Magical Christmas for Your Children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

You're missing the point. If I'm talking about my friend Steve's new job as a mall Santa, I'm not going to think to look around first and see if there are any kids in the area. Nope.

No you're missing the point, which is that it's not hard to avoid this problem. As evidenced by the fact that you had to make up an unlikely and very easily delayed conversation to try to support your position that it's too much trouble to self censor. Really, you're just extremely self centered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you people out of your freaking minds? No, I'm not going to self-censor in public just because you're still riding the Santa Train with your kids. I'm not going to go on about it at daycare, or in line to see Santa at the mall, but just generally, in public, out in the street? Absolutely not. I'm not going to devote the mental bandwidth to being a bit player in your children's Christmas Story. You guys have some messed-up entitlement issues.

My three year old doesn't believe in Santa because I think it's just dumb to lie to kids for shits and giggles (are the presents any less magical in coming from Mom and Dad? Not one iota.) but he also knows not to mention it because his friends do believe. You just sound like you take sport in "telling it like it is." What fun you must be.

Like I said, above, in the post you quoted, I'm not going to go out of my way to scream "SANTA IS A LIE" at a daycare, but I'm also not going to spend my energy self-censoring in public. I can just imagine you PPs"

"My friend Steve has a job -- " <runs into the house, turns off the lights, checks to make sure the doors are locked and the curtains are drawn, goes into the basement, closes the door to the basement, throws a blanket over her head, whispers> " -- playing Santa at the mall."

Right. Because it's super plausible that you really needed to say that right at that moment in front of a bunch of kids that aren't yours.

You're missing the point. If I'm talking about my friend Steve's new job as a mall Santa, I'm not going to think to look around first and see if there are any kids in the area. Nope.

Then that makes you an asshole.

First of all, on the list of things that make me an asshole, that doesn't even crack the top 10.

Second of all, no it freaking doesn't. It makes me a person living in the world that doesn't exist to Create A Magical Christmas for Your Children.

You seem very angry at life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And having found so much beauty and wonder in nature, you still can't find some kindness in your heart to not take something important away from someone else?

You make it sound like OP grabbed a child and said, "Hey! Kid! Santa is a big fraud, and your parents are lying to you!"

Whereas the reality (as reported by OP) is that OP was somewhere talking to OP's child, and an adult told OP to watch out and be careful with what OP says, in case a child were listening.

If she was speaking loud another for the woman to hear, then she was speaking loud enough for a nearby child to hear. Maybe OP shouldn't speak so loudly.

In the future, I will whisper whenever I am in public and talking about something that might upset a small child who might be in earshot and might be listening.

Me too. Which eliminates pretty much all topics of conversation except the weather and the color of the sky. But what do I do if a color-blind child might be in earshot? Will he be upset when I tell my kid that the sky is blue, but he has always perceived it purple?! Or maybe he is blind and it upsets him to hear about colors that he will never see? I guess I will just not say anything to my child at all, if we aren't sealed in our house or car.

Oh don't be stupid. You can't foresee every potential hurt. But you can obviously foresee this one, so if you're a nice person you don't say it loud enough for a kid to hear. This just isn't hard.

WHY DO YOU HATE BLIND CHILDREN?!?! It's just general kindness, after all.

This, and the participation trophies, I swear to god.

What do you imagine I have to censor so I'm not going to hurt a blind child? You think they don't already know colors exist? They're blind, not stupid. Now if i said "Gee kids, aren't you grateful for your sight? Can you believe some poor kids might not be able to see?" That would make me an asshole. It's not hard to find the line. Unless you're trying really hard not to find it.

Oh, FFS. When you see a beautiful sunset, and you say, "Wow, what a beautiful sunset!" do you look around first to see if there are blind people nearby? Because if not, you're crossing that line that you claim isn't hard to find.

You clearly don't know any blind people. That wouldn't offend the ones I know.