– David Bly thinks that the Santa Claus’ mythology undermines good parenting principles, sending children the message that love is conditional. Naughty children will be off Santa’s gift list. Should kids’ good behavior result in material rewards or should we teach them that doing the right thing is its own reward? What is the price of moral conduct?

– Another inconvenience for the parents is the risk of losing their credibility. How many threats about Santa’s wrath are finally put into effect? Probably very few, which is good news for the kids on Christmas Day, but an infringement of a basic parenting rule: If you want to be taken seriously, don’t make empty threats.

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