Need imaginary

Rich and fertile imagination takes up much space in the lives of our children. A clearly understandable since between 2 and 6 years, our toddlers live in a world of pleasure (governed by what Freud called the pleasure principle), to a thousand places in our society Cartesian adult imprint of reality, restrictions and frustration. Through their world where live Santa Claus, elves and fairies, our children therefore seek to build a more gentle, more accessible, reassuring. "The Father Christmas symbolized for them the goodness and omnipotence and the satisfaction of desires, the analysis Edwige Antier pediatrician.

It is he who gives without counting ... it is a metaphor of the gift. "

Acting

"This metaphor, our children have therefore need to grow strong, "said Agnes Florin, professor Psychology. "Until age 6 or 7 years, Edwige Antier continues, it is useless to tell them the truth. The Magic of Christmas operates on them so reassuring." Anyway, says Agnès Florin: "their require imagination is such that they often persist in wanting to believe it even if their parents say otherwise.


 

Brain maturation

Anyway, the truth be revealed or not, 6 years before the child can not think logically and down-to-earth. Depending on what Piaget called the preoperational stage, his thinking is dominated by his perceptions, often far from the real world.

"The organization brain starts up again. About 3 years, the intense training of synapses increases in the center of the floor and the frontal lobe, the pediatrician confirms Hugo Lagercrantz. The child then begins to tell and to tell stories, but he has trouble differentiating fantasy from reality. "

Acting

This learning the difference between reality and fantasy may naturally start after 6 years. According to pediatrician Henry Aloussaque "from theentry CP, then it evolves into a more demanding and he learns to master the concepts of time, space, logic, constraint, the child develops another shape imaginary, more conscious, voluntary, which will gradually emerge from its reality. "That's when her parents can lend him the truth." Often, at this age children are happy to return the confidence of adults, the expert concluded. It is a way for them to feel responsible. "
 

How to explain the reality?

A child does not pass directly from the phase of "I believe in Father Christmas "Than the" I do not believe it. "He asks first. This led him to understand the truth gradually.

- If he asks questions, ask him what he thinks. According to his response, you will understand if he is ready or not to hear the truth.

- If he discovers the truth, the praise and tell him he is now a major. He will feel proud and responsible.

- If he continues to believe despite his 8 years or 9 years, begin to speak of Father Christmas conditional. One way to tell her the truth step.

Did you know?

6.99 years is the average age at which children no longer believe in Santa Claus