Who is watching if Santa is being good?

Every one loves Santa Claus, our generation loved him because he stood for hope, a caring grandfather and someone who is fair, after all he gives gifts only to kids who have been good throughout the year.   Well, he has a gold book and a black book and he watches children all year long and makes his entry in the gold book every time a child is good and a child gets a black book entry if they have been wicked or naughty.

But who is keeping track of whether Santa has been good? Did you know that Santa could be smelly? Santa can grope little boys and girls inappropriately? Santa can be a drunk or a drug addict? Santa could be having many contagious diseases?   Let’s be practical, the Santa Claus that your child encounters is a hired man/boy who is just wearing a suit, and trying his best to convince the kids he is Santa. How much do we know about these Santas that we so willingly ask our kids to go and hug, shake hands with, sit on their lap? In countries around the world there have been instances where ‘Santa’ has been arrested for drinking, touching kids inappropriately etc. so this means that there could be a pedophile lurking behind the beard and rosy cheeks? Isn’t it the perfect opportunity for them? As   parents are urging their kids to ‘go to’ the Santa, ‘go kiss’ the Santa, ‘go sit’ on his lap.

Well, sad as it may sound, it’s time to keep an eye on these new age Santas. Warn our kids and watch them carefully when kids are with Santa. But how would you be able to keep an eye on all the Santas that your kids encounter this year? There is the Santa in school, the Santa at the mall, the Santa at a child’s party, the Santa in your own housing society.

 Keep a watchful eye on all Santas with these pointers-

1.     Ask your child’s school/housing society/or friends, to have a safe parent or teacher dressed as Santa and not hire one from outside.

2.     Get the hired Santa suit laundered.

3.     Talk to this Santa about the dos and don’ts with the kids; ask them to only shake hands with the kids and not to take the kids on their laps.

4.     Not to kiss or get kissed.

5.     Always have at least two other safe adults monitoring Santa.

Warn your kids about Santa Claus without killing the myth and belief.

1.     Teach your kids to only shake hands with Santa

2.     If you are clicking a photo of your child with Santa, be vigilant about Santa’s ‘hands’.

3.     Please do not ask your child to hug or kiss Santa. The suits that they hire are hardly clean so let’s not pass unnecessary germs to our kids.

4.     Teach your child about good touch bad touch before meeting Santa, and talk to your child that even Santa cannot be allowed to give bad touch

Try to keep your child’s belief in Santa alive as long as possible but important that you also believe in safety of your child. Maintain a balance. Merry Christmas.