Q We have a parents' group that meets regularly in our early years centre.
With Christmas coming up, one parent mentioned that her three-year-old was very worried about the idea of Father Christmas coming down the chimney into their home. Partly, the child seemed to be anxious that he would get stuck. But the story had also made her worry about less welcome people being able to get into her home. There was a very lively discussion on how we could reassure this three-year-old while still holding on to what we tell children about Father Christmas.
A Adults - practitioners as well as parents - have woven a tangled web around Father Christmas. Many people spend most of the year stressing to children the importance of telling the truth. Then suddenly in December, adults spin lengthy yarns on the grounds that 'it's all about the magic of Christmas' for children.
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