GREENSBORO, N.C. — Christmas is less than two weeks away. With Christmas comes Santa Claus, a time-honored tradition of taking children to see Santa. But, sometimes, visits with Santa can be nerve-wracking for little ones.
A great way to prepare your child to see Santa is to talk to them about Santa. Share your experiences. Talk about the great things about Santa. Read books, watch movies, and talk to other parents and their children about their experiences with Santa.
Not all children want to sit on Santa's lap. And it's okay if they don't. Your child can stand beside Santa. Maybe your little one will want to sit on the floor near Santa. Or, perhaps, they want to keep their distance but be in the same area as Santa—anyway is good. You can hold your child in your arms as they see Santa if that makes them more comfortable.
If your little one is nervous about seeing Santa, you want to normalize how they feel. You can tell them it's natural to be a little nervous to see someone they don't know but have seen in movies and books. Maybe share stories from your own childhood if you or someone you knew was a little nervous about seeing Santa and talk about how you overcame it. My advice is to encourage your little one to see Santa, but don't force it. If you force it, then they may associate negative feelings with Santa.
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