Jan. 3, 2025

We Are The Hansons Fantasy Magic and Parenting

We Are The Hansons Fantasy Magic and Parenting

We Are The Hansons is a one-of-a-kind podcast blending the magic of parenting and the wonder f fantasy. Dive into the enchanting world f a family with 13 children, where we explore real-life parenting adventures, discipline strategies, family values, and life lessons. Along the way, we'll weave in stories of imagination, creativity, and the role of fantasy in nurturing young minds. From navigating the challenges of raising kids to discussing topics like Santa, the tooth fairy, and the easterbunny, this podcast is a heartwarming and magical journey for parents, dreamers, and anyone seeking inspiration for family life.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-are-the-hanson-s-family-life-practical-tips-self-care--6044253/support.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

WEBVTT

1
00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.960
Hi, and welcome back to We are the Hansens. I'm

2
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:13.000
Maya Hanson, and today we're diving into the topic that

3
00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:17.399
often sparks lively debates among parents. Do we tell our

4
00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:20.679
kids about Sannah, the tooth fairy, and the Easter Bunny.

5
00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.640
This is such a fun and meaningful topic because it

6
00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:27.760
really gets to the heart of what we want childhood

7
00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:30.920
to look like for our kids. We'll talk about the

8
00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:35.759
approach in our family, why we made the decision we did,

9
00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:40.000
and how these little traditions are the lack of them,

10
00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:45.600
fit into the bigger picture of our parenting journey. We're

11
00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.799
going to start off by talking about the magic of childhood.

12
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:53.399
Let's start with this idea of childhood magic. For many

13
00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:57.560
families enjoy of pretending there's a Sana, a tooth fairy,

14
00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:01.119
or a giant bunny delivering a as part of the

15
00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.280
magic of growing up. There's a sense of wonder and

16
00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.079
excitement that comes with those stories. But does buying into

17
00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:12.599
these myths takeaway from teaching our kids the importance of

18
00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:17.439
truth or can it just be harmless fun for us?

19
00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:20.879
This is one of the first things we talked about

20
00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:25.359
when deciding how to celebrate holidays. And handle these traditions

21
00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:30.000
as us parents. In our family, we took a mixed approach.

22
00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:34.439
We wanted to keep the magic alive but also stay

23
00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.599
true to our values. For example, we do talk about Sanna,

24
00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:41.519
but we frame him as part of a fun and

25
00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.159
storytelling around Christmas. The same goes for the tooth Fairy

26
00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:47.959
and the Easter Bunny. We say things like it's all

27
00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:52.200
in if you believe. I tell my kids that all

28
00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:56.079
the time. That way, it's clear that these are traditions

29
00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:59.519
we choose to enjoy. This approach gives us room to

30
00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:04.200
have fun without creating confusion when the truth eventually comes out,

31
00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:06.879
when the questions come. I mean, this is kind of

32
00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:10.800
a tricky part. What we do is when our kids

33
00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:13.960
start asking is Santa real? Or did you put that

34
00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:18.319
money under our pillow? For us, this is where honesty

35
00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.400
comes in. We've always said what do you think and

36
00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.280
then followed their lead. You know, if they're ready to

37
00:02:25.400 --> 00:02:28.120
know the truth, then we'll explain it in a way

38
00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:32.639
that celebrates the joy of giving and the fun of tradition.

39
00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:37.960
Here's some stuff that we emphasize. These stories are just

40
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:42.280
the way we celebrate. They're not the main thing Christmas

41
00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:46.639
is about family and giving and faith. For us, losing

42
00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:51.520
a tooth is a milestone that is celebrated. Easter is

43
00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:56.360
a reminder of hope and renewal. The fun characters are sprinkles.

44
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.879
They add color, but they're not the whole dessert, if

45
00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:03.680
you know what I mean. Respecting other families, that's a

46
00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:08.120
big thing. One of the big challenges with today's traditions

47
00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:12.919
is navigating with other families and how they proceed with

48
00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.199
the magic. We always remind our kids that other families

49
00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.759
might believe different things or celebrate in their own way,

50
00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:23.400
and that's okay. It's not their job to tell someone

51
00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:27.960
else's kids what's real or not. It's about the respect.

52
00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:30.759
At the end of the day, whether or not you

53
00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.680
do Santa, the tooth Fairy or the Easter money is

54
00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:38.520
a personal choice of yours. What matters most is the

55
00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:42.560
love and the values you're building in your family. For us,

56
00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:47.319
these traditions are just small pieces of the puzzle, a

57
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:50.840
way to laugh, imagine, and celebrate together. So what do

58
00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:53.800
you do do you include these traditions in your family?

59
00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:57.199
Why or why not? Think about those questions and ask

60
00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:01.400
yourself those questions. One concern we hear a lot from

61
00:04:01.479 --> 00:04:05.039
parents is will my kids be disappointed or miss out

62
00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:07.759
on something if we don't fully commit to the idea

63
00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:11.240
of Santa, the tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny. That's

64
00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:14.520
a valid worry for us. We found that kids are

65
00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:19.000
incredibly resilient when it comes to these things. They might

66
00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:23.560
be momentarily disappointed when they learn the truth. What they

67
00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.879
value more is the time, effort, and the love you

68
00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:32.279
pour into creating special moments. Our kids know that every

69
00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:36.480
holiday is a big thing. When we stop focusing on

70
00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:42.000
the characters and started focusing on family traditions like baking cookies,

71
00:04:42.040 --> 00:04:45.920
decorating together, or even writing funny notes from Santa, we

72
00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:50.519
noticed our kids just as excited, if not more. How

73
00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:54.399
we keep the magic alive without the miss Just because

74
00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:58.959
we don't fully embrace the miss doesn't mean there's no

75
00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:04.199
magic in our home. Instead of emphasizing Santa, for example,

76
00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:07.959
we might plan a day where everyone becomes Santa for

77
00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:11.680
someone else in the family by doing secret acts of kindness.

78
00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.639
For the tooth Fairy, we might leave a handwritten note

79
00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:19.839
along with money, celebrating their milestone and encouraging good dental habits.

80
00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:22.680
It's always so exciting to see your kids get up

81
00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:26.920
and they're scrambling around just looking for a note that

82
00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:30.279
was left from the Easter Bunny or Santa or the

83
00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:33.720
tooth Fairy, and Easter becomes less about the bunny and

84
00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:37.720
more about scavenger hunts, decorating eggs, and focusing on what

85
00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:41.399
the holiday means to us spiritual. The magic isn't gone,

86
00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:46.639
it's just it looks different and the best part, it

87
00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:50.120
feels even more personal and intentional. You know, when we

88
00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:52.759
had to break the news to our kids, here's a

89
00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.759
fun one. What do you do when your kids figure

90
00:05:55.879 --> 00:06:00.519
out on their own and confront you. We've had a

91
00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.720
few kids come to us saying, I know Sanna isn't real.

92
00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:08.680
You know when they looked at us with that slight betrayal,

93
00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:12.920
that's okay. We've used these moments to affirm their growing

94
00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:17.360
independence and reasoning skills will tell them you're absolutely right.

95
00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.920
And now you get to be part of the magic.

96
00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:23.160
For the younger kids, giving them a new role in

97
00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:27.839
the tradition helps them transition from believer to creator, which

98
00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:32.000
makes them feel included rather than excluded. You know, when

99
00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:35.759
Madison found out about Sanna, the Easter Bunny and the

100
00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:39.399
tooth fairy. She didn't tell me right away. She waited,

101
00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:42.560
but her friend at school told her that there wasn't

102
00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:46.399
a Sana. And she came to me and I said, oh,

103
00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:48.399
we got to get Santa's cookies ready. And she gave

104
00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:50.360
me this look and I was like, what's wrong, and

105
00:06:50.399 --> 00:06:54.759
she goes, Mom, your Sana. You know. I giggled a

106
00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:57.759
little bit and I said, well, now you know, and

107
00:06:57.800 --> 00:07:02.360
now you can help be Sanna. So she giggled. You know.

108
00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:06.000
She wasn't really disappointed, but she knew her friends told

109
00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:10.600
her so. Another reason we've approached this topic carefully is

110
00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:14.120
because we want our kids to understand that gifts and

111
00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:20.040
surprises come from people who love them, not just magical characters.

112
00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:23.879
We want them to appreciate the thoughtfulness behind a gift

113
00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:28.319
and learn how to give generously to themselves. For example,

114
00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:31.680
around Christmas, we encourage our kids to pick up, you know,

115
00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.040
just a small gift for each other, just one small gift.

116
00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.319
This reinforces the joy of giving, which is ultimately what

117
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.600
we want to carry into adulthood. Before we wrap up,

118
00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.680
let's answer a couple of questions we've received from listeners.

119
00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:53.480
One of the questions is what if my kids ruin

120
00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.439
the magic for their friends, this is a big one.

121
00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.839
We've been there. We've taught our kids to respect that

122
00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:03.639
all their families believe. If a friend says, Sanna bought

123
00:08:03.720 --> 00:08:07.920
me this, we've coached our children to say something positive,

124
00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:13.240
like that's so cool, rather than Sanna isn't real. It's

125
00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:18.399
a great lesson in kindness and respecting differences, because you

126
00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:21.879
don't want to be that person, or we don't want

127
00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:24.600
our kids to be that person that tells their friends

128
00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.759
that we had a little girl that is friends with

129
00:08:28.839 --> 00:08:32.720
Torn and Anna tell them Santa wasn't real, but Torn

130
00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:37.600
was a little believe in it. Anna. She said, no,

131
00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:41.759
Santa's real. And I've always taught them that you have

132
00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:46.399
to believe and if you believe it, that's okay, and

133
00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:51.919
if you don't, that's okay too. Another question that has

134
00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:55.440
been asked is what age is appropriate to tell the truth.

135
00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.679
There's no magic age. There isn't. It really depends on

136
00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.759
your child's curiosity and maturity. Some kids figure it out

137
00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:08.639
at six, others at ten. Follow their lead and when

138
00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:14.120
they're ready, turn it into a conversation about family values, creativity,

139
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:19.559
and the joy of celebrating traditions together, because every parent

140
00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:24.440
that has children will celebrate different, will believe different, and

141
00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:28.279
will do things a lot different. I have always taught

142
00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:33.080
my kids that Sannah is magical and if you believe

143
00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:37.360
he will come. Same goes for the Easter money, same

144
00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:43.279
goes for the Tooth Fairy. Them magical moments your kids

145
00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:47.679
are going to always remember. And it's nothing worse, I'm

146
00:09:47.879 --> 00:09:52.600
telling you from experience than getting let down that Sana

147
00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:57.480
is not real. But after you find out that he

148
00:09:57.639 --> 00:10:01.480
is not real, you start to understand and why your

149
00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:04.320
parents told you that there was a Santa Clause or

150
00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:08.000
a tooth Fairy or an Easter Bunny, because the magic

151
00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:11.879
was there. And that is the best feeling in the

152
00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:16.919
world to know that, oh my god, it's magical. Santa

153
00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:20.120
Claus is coming, the Easter Bunny is gonna bring baskets

154
00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:23.440
of candy, we get to dye Easter eggs, or the

155
00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:26.039
tooth Fairy is gonna come and he's gonna leave us money.

156
00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:30.879
That is magical for a child. A child loves that.

157
00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:36.360
You know when they are ready to not believe anymore,

158
00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.480
that is their time, not ours. You need to continue

159
00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:46.399
to let them believe until they're ready to understand that

160
00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:52.600
he isn't real, because that magic is amazing for a child.

161
00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:55.159
And I know a lot of parents that have small

162
00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:59.360
kids that their kids don't believe anymore because their parents

163
00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:03.799
told them, and they don't seem like as an outsider

164
00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:07.559
looking in, my kids are pretty happy kids, especially around

165
00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:11.639
the holidays. And when I see a child that doesn't

166
00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:18.360
believe in magical mythical whatever, Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy,

167
00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:22.159
the Easter Bunny, they don't seem as happy around the

168
00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:26.559
holidays as my children do around the holidays. And maybe

169
00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:30.320
it's just me. I've seen a couple families that kids

170
00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:33.120
are little seven and eight years old and they don't

171
00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:36.399
believe anymore, and them kids are not as happy as

172
00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:40.480
my children in the holiday season. My kids are so excited,

173
00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:43.879
you know, They're always willing to jump in and help

174
00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:48.320
do cookies and baking and all that stuff and decorating.

175
00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.879
And then the kids that don't believe, they don't do

176
00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:56.679
that very much. I don't know, maybe it's just me,

177
00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:01.279
but I've seen it with a couple families, and I'm

178
00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:05.080
just glad that my kids still believe, or at least

179
00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:08.279
the little ones. And Madison has been a big help.

180
00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.720
I know she doesn't believe anymore, but she has been

181
00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:17.679
a big help to keep that believing alive because magical

182
00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:23.559
moments that have been brought into our home. My kids

183
00:12:23.559 --> 00:12:28.080
are so anxious and Maddie is Sanna's coming with big

184
00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:32.480
cookies and they get so excited. It's I'm telling you, guys,

185
00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:35.759
it is a great feeling. And I'm sure that other

186
00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:41.679
parents listening that kids still do believe. I guarantee they

187
00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:44.919
feel the same way. It is great. At the end

188
00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.879
of the day, what matters most is creating a home

189
00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:51.639
filled with love, joy and meaning. Whether you choose to

190
00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:56.399
embrace Sannah, the tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny, or

191
00:12:56.440 --> 00:12:59.519
take a different path, the real magic is in the

192
00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:05.000
memory you build as a family. If that ain't the truth,

193
00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:11.200
thank you for joining me in this heartfelt discussion. As always,

194
00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:15.480
I'd love to hear your thoughts. What traditions have you

195
00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:19.039
created for your family? Share with us on social media

196
00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.559
and we are the Hanson's Page, or you can also

197
00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.240
send us an email at We are thee Hanson's Show

198
00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:31.120
at gmail dot com and we will try and reach

199
00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.960
everybody that sends us an email or sends us a

200
00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:37.879
message on our Facebook page. We are the Hansens. I

201
00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:40.720
want to hear from you. I want to know your thoughts.

202
00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.159
Don't forget to tune in next time for we are

203
00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:47.840
the Hansens, and until then, keep creating your own magic,

204
00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.960
however that looks for your family. Thank you,