Never Too Old for the Big Guy

Taking a picture with Santa Clause is a holiday tradition for many families with both toddlers and college kids. Some parents think as your kids get older, they won't want to do all these corny and childish traditions such as letters to Santa and sitting on his lap in the mall. But boy were they wrong! No one is too old to have their wish list read to the big guy in the red suit. Many parents frown upon this type of behavior when they should be encouraging their kids. Carrying on these traditions with their immediate family will help them start their own traditions with their future family someday.  

Taking pictures with Santa Clause just adds to the Christmas spirit so I don't see why people feel the need to tell their kids that they're too old. When your freshman in college comes home for the holidays after their first semester away from home, they tend to digress to a child like state because they miss being home. They miss being around family and being a kid. Once you're handed all that freedom in college, that's when some college students truly realize that they're pretty much on their own. They're an adult now. Every adult misses being a kid, whether they agree to that statement or not all depends on the person, but adults get to relive some childhood memories through their kids. Most college students don't have children, so they relive them by going home and acting like a kid around the family. It's a defense mechanism, or a way to cope with being away from home for the first time.  

Parents need to encourage this kind of behavior instead of giving them a stern talking to. When college kids come home for the holidays they want to relive all those good childhood memories, not the ones where they were scolded. Hopefully after a couple of years they will feel more comfortable being on their own and won't feel the need to act like a child, especially if they have kids of their own they can relive childhood memories with. Parents, try to encourage your kids as much as possible because hopefully one day they have traditions such as these with their own kids to ensure that they get a great childhood just like they had. 

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