This time of year is often filled with hope, joy and a belief in one special individual (No I do not mean Justin Bieber lol). Children's belief in Father Christmas, Santa Claus or even Jolly Old Saint Nick has been something that has gone on without question for hundreds of years and even the description of a large man in a jolly red suit stems back to the early 1400s.
Why should Children 'believe'?
A belief in a higher being that is not necessarily God or a religious figure is something that as adults we should encourage in children. Without the belief in Father Christmas or the Tooth Fairy many children would in some ways lose faith in the fairy tale and could end up being more pessimistic towards other 'beliefs'. Some have mentioned the possibility of not letting their children believe in magical stories but is this not essentially telling the children not to have an imaginative and creative mind? I can often recall dreams and stories as a child of far off places with magical creatures and wanting them to be real but they would only exist in my imagination, these magical images in my imagination were always prompted by family and friends asking me to share and to be creative so if we refuse to let a child believe in these stories they may loose all ability to imagine a world that is entirely their own.
Myself (like many others my age) grew up with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books and Warner Bros. film adaptations, centred around this magical world which, to the reader/viewer was not only believable but felt entirely real. This belief in a magical world became a fundamental part of not only my childhood but many others around me, from my parents, grandparents and even my younger cousins that are too young to even remember the release of the books! As a creative person myself, watching a favourite series of books become this visible world right before my eyes helps prompt the imagination further. So, if my parents were to disallow the belief of a large magical bearded man in a jolly red suit then surely books and films such as Harry Potter shouldn't be present in the child's life but then children would loose their imaginative and creative side which as teachers we all know that a child's imagination is a power that is rivalled by no other!
Are Childhood Beliefs being Commercialised?
'It's not Christmas till the Coca-Cola advert comes on!' How has a worldwide celebrated holiday become dependent on a brand of fizzy drink? When put like that it sounds ridiculous don't you think? For many years now myself and colleagues have often joked when saying that it is not Christmas till the Coca-Cola advert is played but surely this can not be the case with children as well. As soon as it turned December 1st the children would come up to me and say 'I had chocolate for breakfast!' with the biggest enthusiastic grin you will ever see. Some even say that they have sent their letters off to Father Christmas, they look so excited and we join in with their belief, 'What did you ask for then Jimmy?' surely this is something we must always promote for as long as the child believes so should we.
Giving a child something to believe in is in many ways human nature when it comes to bringing up children (depending on cultural and religious differences of course) and this is something us as teachers should expand on, teaching them to focus their imagination into creative ways as a child's imagination is a gift that should never go untouched.
I shall leave you with one final thought.. Would you not give so much to be able to think that magic was real and that Father Christmas has flying reindeer just one more time? I know I would..
Thanks for reading, remember to keep believing :) - If you don't believe in something you'll fall for anything... (wise words no idea where from mind you!)
