Moms Talk Q & A: What if Kids Ask if the Easter Bunny or Santa Is Real?

Each week the council will answer a question on parenthood posed to them by readers or another member of council.

This week, the Moms Council addresses the issue of how to respond when your children ask if the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus are real.

Kim Zannetti: When our kids began to question whether the Easter Bunny and Santa really exist, we asked them what they thought. When they got to the point where they said no, we used that as an opportunity to discuss with them what they symbolized.

While Santa may not come down the chimney, the spirit of Saint Nick and what he stood for is still alive in our hearts and home. It was a great time for us to connect with our kids and share with them the religious/spiritual beliefs/backgrounds of each holiday as well (age appropriate).

Having twins, they both arrived at the same conclusions together. With younger siblings though, it can also be a great time to have your older child feel important and caring towards their younger brother/sister. I know our children felt that they were "more grown up," and that it was important not to "ruin" a younger kid's excitement. It led to a nice discussion on being kinder to younger kids.