I refuse to believe there’s any such thing as a 6th grader who could believe in Santa Claus. Unless the child is very ‘slow.’
I figured it out in kindergarten, and even then it wasn’t exactly a mind-blowing revelation.
Any 11-12 year old who says he believes in Santa is probably just saying that to please an overbearing parent.
I mean if you have an all out believer who wants to sit on Santa's lap and thinks that's Santa - yeah - that's a bit much, but...
my son is in 5th grade and I know lots of kids of all ages.
They are all different.
I have never told my son straight up that Santa isn't real.
A couple of years ago he saw a lot of talk on TV, watching grown-up shows, about the Santa charade. He told me he knew Santa was not real because he saw (Everybody Loves)Raymond say it. I just said “Well we'll see if he brings any presents or not.”
I hide the presents and put them under the tree for a morning surprise each year.
He still says stuff like “Mom - Santa isn't real is he?”
It's like he's not all the way there yet - wanting to give up the thought of Santa - even though he knows that logically Santa is an impossibility.
I don't have the heart to tell him definitively. I just leave it very vague. And I'm sneaking all the presents around this year too - it seems like part of the fun.
When I was a kid I think I always knew - but I never even asked my parents about it. I just let it all happen. It was good.
I think this teacher should have done what the FReeper teacher commenting upthread did - say something like “well I hope he stops by my house this year” - then a quick redirect.
No harm done that way.