Children are harmful to believe in Santa Claus

Do not read this if you do not want to know the truth. In the authoritative medical edition of Lancet, two scientists immediately argued that stories about Santa could undermine the children's confidence in their parents. That is, it turns out, writing a letter to Santa Claus, calling the Snow Maiden at the matinee - is harmful?A photo: GettyImagesProfessor Christopher Boyle, a psychologist from the University of Exeter, and Cathy McKay, a sociology professor from the University of New England in Australia, argue that the myth of Santa Claus is perhaps more grim than we are used to thinking. They both condemn the idea of the very existence of the inhabitants of the North Pole who reward or punish children, depending on the degree of their mischief or obedience. If parents are capable of lying about something special about magic, can they be relying on them as guardians of wisdom and truth in the final instance? The researchers ask. In Professor Boyle's opinion, encouraging the children's faith in fairy tales is immoral - simply because sooner or later the child will understand that they lied to him, and, accordingly, feel deceived. - All children eventually learn that they have been consistently lied to for many years. And they can think about - and why were their parents deceived about them? Is it right - to make children believe in Santa Claus how they will be affected by this lie - a question that has never been seriously considered, - the professor believes.Photo:still from the film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"At the same time, both experts do not deny that such a phenomenon as a white lie has a right to exist. - When an adult consoles a child and says that their deceased pet has gone to heaven for dogs (cats, hamsters, etc.), perhaps this is better than telling them that "we are all dust and to dust we will return," they say. Well, on the other hand, fantasies about the existence of Santa Claus are not only for children. This is also a chance for adults to return to the time when they themselves believed in miracles. - The popularity of stories about Harry Potter, Star Wars, Doctor Who clearly illustrates the desire of adults to return to childhood. Many people yearn for that time in their lives when their ability to imagine was welcomed. And there is no place for imagination in adult life, says Dr. Mackay. And they conclude that adults probably just need to believe in something better, in the possibility of returning to childhood, lost long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Otherwise, the harsh adult life sometimes becomes simply unbearable.