Are you excited about the holidays coming up soon?

假期即將來臨，您興奮嗎？

I am so excited about the holidays.

我對假期感到非常興奮。

I know not everyone out there celebrates Christmas, but there may be some type of holiday you're celebrating soon.

我知道不是每個人都會慶祝聖誕節，但你可能很快就會慶祝某種節日。

It's fun just to get into the holiday spirit.

融入節日氣氛也很有趣。

Oh, I'm really excited.

哦，我真的很激動。

Yeah, just to maybe see family a bit more, maybe just work a little less or slow down, take some days off and just relax.

是啊，就是想多看看家人，少工作一點，或者放慢腳步，休息幾天，放鬆一下。

I am super excited.

我超級興奮。

So this has been tough. Yeah, lots of family time, right?

所以這段時間很難熬。是啊，很多家庭時間，對吧？

Yeah, this is what we're getting into today, but we do have a really, really, really important caveat for any of our listeners that happen to be listening today with their children.

是的，這就是我們今天要討論的內容，但我們有一個非常、非常、非常重要的注意事項，希望今天收聽節目的聽眾能和他們的孩子一起收聽。

What is it, Aubrey?

怎麼了 奧布里

Yes, so some of you have let us know that you listen with your children, which we love.

是的，你們中的一些人告訴我們，你們和孩子們一起聽，我們很喜歡。

That is awesome.

太棒了

We are going to be talking about Christmas magic and Santa Claus today, and it's a message that you might not want very young children to hear.

我們今天要討論的是聖誕魔力和聖誕老人，你可能不想讓年幼的孩子們聽到這個資訊。

So just a heads up, you may not want to listen to this episode with young children.

所以提醒一下，有小孩的朋友可能不想聽這一集。

Yeah, but we have 2,000 plus other episodes.

是的，但我們還有 2000 多集呢。

So if you're in that moment where you think you want to turn it off right now, go back to our other episodes.

所以，如果你現在想關掉它，請回到我們的其他節目。

So many options for you.

您有很多選擇。

Right, and then come back and listen later without the kids because this is going to be a great episode.

好了，等會兒別帶孩子來聽，因為這將是非常精彩的一集。

We don't want you to miss it.

我們不想讓你錯過。

Yes.

是的。

But we also, not appropriate for little ears.

但是，我們也不適合小耳朵聽。

Exactly, well, let's get into it.

沒錯，那我們就開始吧。

Let's ask the big question, Aubrey.

我們來問個大問題 奧布里

Can I ask you?

我能問你嗎？

Well, let me ask you because my, well, we'll both answer this.

好吧，讓我來問你，因為我的，好吧，我們都會回答這個問題。

I'm going to ask you first, Lindsey.

我先問你，林賽。

How did you find out that Santa wasn't real?

你是怎麼發現聖誕老人不是真的？

Yeah, I just remember having a conversation with my mom.

是啊，我只記得和我媽聊過天。

I think I would, maybe I was a little on the older side.

我想我會的，也許我年紀偏大了點。

I think usually first children tend to learn later, right?

我想，通常第一個孩子會學得比較晚，對嗎？

I think I was about like nine.

我想我當時大概只有九歲。

I was, you know, and I sort of, you know, started to question,

我，你知道，我有點，你知道，開始質疑、

I started to ask the more pointed questions.

我開始問一些更尖銳的問題。

Well, how does this work?

那麼，這是怎麼做到的呢？

How exactly does he get down the chimney?

他到底是怎麼從煙囪裡下來的？

And how can he possibly go to all the houses and the whole world?

他又怎麼可能走遍千家萬戶和整個世界呢？

And my mom started saying things like, well, what do you think?

我媽媽開始說，你覺得怎麼樣？

Like, not in a rude way, kind of more, she didn't want to say it, you know?

不是粗魯，而是她不想說，你知道嗎？

Let's talk about it.

我們來談談吧。

But she wanted to kind of facilitate a space for me, but not tell me the true answer.

但她只想為我提供方便，卻不想告訴我真正的答案。

What about you, Aubrey?

你呢 奧布里

Were you like three?

你當時才三歲嗎？

Sounds like your mom handled it really well.

聽起來你媽媽處理得很好。

No, I never,

不，我從來沒有、

I have never had a conversation with my parents about Santa not being real.

我從未和父母談論過聖誕老人不是真的。

Like I was high school, college,

就像我在高中、大學一樣、

Santa was still bringing presents.

聖誕老人還在送禮物。

And like, it's like at some point I just knew, but we just never had a conversation.

就像，就像在某些時候我就知道，但我們從來沒有交談過。

I never asked.

我從沒問過。

It was like, don't ask, don't tell.

這就好比，不要問，也不要說。

If you believe he will keep bringing you presents.

如果你相信他會一直給你送禮物。

We just never talked about it.

我們只是從未談過這個問題。

Wow, that is so interesting.

哇，太有意思了。

We all have our own unique experience.

我們都有自己獨特的經歷。

I mean, I know for sure if you're a middle child or a third child, you probably learn earlier usually, but in some cases things aren't talked about in households too, right?

我的意思是，我知道如果你是中間的孩子或第三個孩子，你可能通常會學得更早，但在某些情況下，家庭裡也不會談論這些事情，對嗎？

And it depends on the child.

這取決於孩子。

So I'm going to share sort of what's happened to some of my kids.

是以，我將與大家分享發生在我的一些孩子身上的事情。

But first we want to share this amazing question we got that inspired this episode.

但首先，我們想與大家分享我們收到的這個令人驚奇的問題，它激發了本期節目的靈感。

Lindsay, can you read this question for us?

林賽，你能為我們讀一下這個問題嗎？

All right, here we go.

好了，我們開始吧。

Absolutely.

當然。

And just one more caveat, if any of our listeners have joined in recently before we did our last caveat, if you're listening with a young child, maybe listen to another episode today, all right?

還有一個注意事項，如果有聽眾在我們最後一個注意事項之前加入了我們的節目，如果你正帶著年幼的孩子收聽，也許今天可以收聽另一集，好嗎？

And then come back on your own to listen in.

然後自己回來聽。

Here we go.

開始了

Hello, everyone.

大家好

I'm Mai from Japan.

我是來自日本的舞。

I enjoy listening to your podcast and the stories of each host every day.

我喜歡每天收聽你們的播客和每位主持人的故事。

I have a question.

我有一個問題。

I'm very curious how children in the U.S.

我很好奇美國的孩子們是如何做到這一點的。

who believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy eventually end up.

相信聖誕老人和牙齒仙女的人最終都會完蛋。

I have a nine-year-old daughter who recently asked, does Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy really exist?

我有一個 9 歲的女兒，她最近問我，聖誕老人和牙仙真的存在嗎？

It was so adorable to watch my daughter believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, but I honestly don't know how to answer the question.

看著女兒相信聖誕老人和牙仙的樣子，我覺得非常可愛，但說實話，我不知道該如何回答這個問題。

This is not a question about English, but if you could introduce my question on your podcast, could you tell me your experience or any heartwarming story if you have one?

這不是一個關於英語的問題，但如果您能在播客中介紹我的問題，您能告訴我您的經歷或任何感人的故事嗎？

Oh, that is beautiful.

哦，太美了。

It's an amazing question.

這是一個令人驚奇的問題。

And it is about English, right?

它是關於英語的，對嗎？

Because a lot of you are teaching your children to be bilingual or you have immigrated somewhere where your kids are starting to create their own traditions.

因為你們中的很多人都在教自己的孩子學習雙語，或者你們已經移民到某個地方，孩子們開始創造自己的傳統。

You're creating your own family traditions in an English-speaking country.

您正在英語國家創造自己的家庭傳統。

And you do need to know, how do I say this?

你確實需要知道，我該怎麼說呢？

What are the phrases I would use?

我會使用哪些短語？

What are my kids learning at school?

我的孩子在學校學什麼？

It's interesting.

這很有趣。

There's a lot to think about.

要考慮的事情很多。

Oh, 100%.

哦，100%。

And thank you to Mai for asking this question.

感謝 Mai 提出這個問題。

It's a great question.

這是個好問題。

Before we do get into it,

在我們開始討論之前

I want to request for our listeners to hit that follow button, because we're looking at 2025 and we have options.

我想請聽眾朋友們點擊關注按鈕，因為我們正在關注2025年，我們有選擇。

I know for me, the podcasts that I actually follow are the ones that drop into my queue.

我知道，對我來說，我真正關注的播客是那些進入我隊列的播客。

And those are the ones I end up listening to, right?

我最後聽的就是這些，對嗎？

I don't go searching for others very often.

我不經常去找別人。

Same.

一樣。

Yeah.

是啊

So that's the way to make English a habit and to learn the right values, what we think are the right values around English, which is connection, not perfection.

是以，這就是讓英語成為一種習慣的方法，也是學習正確價值觀的方法，我們認為英語的正確價值觀是聯繫，而不是完美。

Human connection, okay?

人與人之間的聯繫，好嗎？

Yes, absolutely.

是的，當然。

So hit that follow button, everyone.

大家快按下關注按鈕吧。

We love it.

我們喜歡它。

Okay, so I have been asked this question because I have four children.

好吧，有人問我這個問題是因為我有四個孩子。

And I think I have a good answer.

我想我有一個很好的答案。

So I'm excited to share.

所以我很高興與大家分享。

I want you guys to stay to the end to hear a couple of different answers because kids are very different.

我希望你們留到最後，聽聽幾個不同的答案，因為孩子們的情況千差萬別。

And each parent knows this.

每個父母都知道這一點。

If you have more than one child, it's going to work differently.

如果您有一個以上的孩子，情況會有所不同。

They're going to need maybe a little different answer.

他們需要的答案可能會有些不同。

But first, I think it's interesting this isn't just about Christmas, right?

但首先，我覺得有趣的是，這不僅僅與聖誕節有關，對嗎？

There are a lot of things where parents tell little white lies to their children.

在很多事情上，父母都會對孩子撒一些小謊。

We have Elf on the Shelf, which is supposedly a real elf that goes to Santa.

我們有 "書架上的精靈"，據說是一個真正的精靈，會去找聖誕老人。

And then it moves every night.

然後它每晚都會移動。

And this is kind of a little white lie.

這是一個小謊言。

And then the tooth fairy, Mai pointed out as well, a lot of parents, the children hide their teeth under the pillow and then it disappears and there's money.

小麥還指出，很多家長都會讓孩子把牙齒藏在枕頭下面，然後牙齒就會消失，然後就有錢了。

And the tooth fairy has replaced the tooth.

牙仙也換掉了牙齒。

So there are kind of a lot of lies that we tell children, right?

所以，我們對孩子撒了很多謊，對嗎？

Yeah, Elf on the Shelf, I think must be new.

是啊，我覺得 "書架上的精靈 "一定是個新玩意兒。

Because my niece, sorry, my niece does that, or she did.

因為我的侄女，對不起，我的侄女就是這麼做的，或者說她就是這麼做的。

I think she's past that age by now.

我想她現在已經過了那個年齡了。

But this must be new because we definitely didn't have-

但這一定是新的，因為我們絕對沒有--

It's newer.

它比較新。

It comes with a book that came out maybe 10 or 15 years ago.

它還附帶了一本 10 年或 15 年前出版的書。

It's been a little while, but newer than when we were little, right?

雖然時間有點久，但總比我們小時候新吧？

And so there's a little stuffed animal elf that you're supposed to bring out or shows up on December 1st.

所以有一個毛絨動物小精靈，你應該在 12 月 1 日帶出來或出現。

And then keeps an eye on the kids to make sure they're good, which is kind of creepy.

然後盯著孩子們，確保他們乖乖聽話，這有點讓人毛骨悚然。

And then moves every morning is in a different spot.

然後，每天早上都在不同的地方移動。

But our kids have loved looking for the elf every morning to find out where she has ended up.

但是，我們的孩子們喜歡每天早上尋找小精靈，看看她去了哪裡。

And it's really hard to remember to move her.

而且，要記得移動她真的很難。

Ours is a little girl, Julia.

我們家是個小女孩，叫朱莉婭。

It's hilarious.

太搞笑了

They love it, but that's the first thing I thought too, creepy, kind of creepy.

他們很喜歡，但這也是我首先想到的，令人毛骨悚然，有點令人毛骨悚然。

And one more job for parents to have to do.

家長們又多了一項工作。

I have to set an alarm in my phone for both the tooth fairy and the Elf on the Shelf to remember these things.

為了記住這些事情，我必須在手機上給牙仙和小精靈都設一個鬧鐘。

Look at this, yes.

看看這個，沒錯。

Oh, wow, I love it.

哦，哇，我喜歡。

So what do we want our listener, my, and the rest of our listeners to know then?

那麼，我們想讓聽眾、我和其他聽眾知道什麼呢？

Do we go ahead and answer this question?

我們要繼續回答這個問題嗎？

So her actual question was, children who are told these things and who believe these things, like parents telling, how do these kids end up?

所以，她的實際問題是，那些被告知這些事情並相信這些事情的孩子，比如父母告訴他們的，這些孩子最終會怎樣？

So I think the question is kind of like, does this affect a person to have their parents lie to them?

是以，我認為問題的關鍵在於，父母對自己撒謊會不會影響一個人？

And so I researched that a little bit.

於是，我對此進行了一番研究。

We're going to talk about this a little bit.

我們將對此稍作討論。

What factors should you consider when you are telling these little white lives?

在講述這些小白的生活時，你應該考慮哪些因素？

Like what are the possible consequences?

比如可能會有什麼後果？

Yeah, it makes me think of, what is it?

是啊，這讓我想到了什麼？

Miracle on 34th Street, where, do you remember that movie where the girl was always told that he didn't exist?

你還記得那部電影嗎？ 《第34街的奇蹟》裡的女孩總是被告知他並不存在。

And that was just the parents' parenting style.

而這僅僅是父母的教養方式。

And then some magical things happened in the movie, right?

然後電影裡發生了一些神奇的事情，對嗎？

Do you remember that?

你還記得嗎？

Yes, yes, vaguely, but yeah, same kind of thing.

是的，是的，含糊其辭，但沒錯，是同一類事情。

And almost every Christmas movie does this really well, where it's like, if people believe, then Christmas magic exists, right?

幾乎每部聖誕電影都能很好地做到這一點，就好像只要人們相信，聖誕魔法就會存在，對嗎？

But it's interesting, at least in the US, most parents do promote the myth of Santa Claus, right?

但有趣的是，至少在美國，大多數父母都在宣揚聖誕老人的神話，對嗎？

Most children accept it as real.

大多數孩子都認為這是真的。

You found out at about nine.

你大概九點鐘發現的

My twins are 10 and still believe in Santa Claus, but they are right there where you were.

我的雙胞胎姐妹已經 10 歲了，仍然相信有聖誕老人，但她們也和你一樣。

They're starting to ask questions.

他們開始提問了。

They're starting to hear other kids at school talk about it not being true.

他們開始聽到學校裡的其他孩子說這不是真的。

So it's interesting.

所以這很有趣。

Some families never openly talk about whether Santa is real or not, like mine didn't.

有些家庭從不公開談論聖誕老人是真是假，我家就是這樣。

And some families tell their children quite early.

有些家庭很早就告訴孩子。

So then it becomes tricky because the kids at school, some of them are like, you know, mocking other students for believing.

這就變得很棘手了，因為學校裡的孩子們，有些會嘲笑其他信教的學生。

That's too bad.

這太糟糕了。

And I think especially if, like I said earlier, if you're an oldest child, you probably will believe longer because they want to keep it going for your brother or sister, because generally the siblings can tell each other, and then if you're the younger one, it gets ruined pretty young.

我認為，尤其是如果，就像我剛才說的，如果你是大孩子，你可能會相信得更久，因為他們想讓你的弟弟或妹妹繼續相信，因為一般來說，兄弟姐妹之間可以互相告訴對方，而如果你是小孩子，很早就會被毀掉。

Right, yeah, no, we don't want that.

對，是的，不，我們不想那樣。

Yeah.

是啊

So we're going to quickly go into a few of the things.

是以，我們將快速介紹其中的幾件事。

I researched a little bit online.

我在網上做了一些調查。

Just the sort of the things to consider when you're deciding, should I tell my children this is not true?

當你決定 "我是否應該告訴我的孩子這不是真的？

Like when, can I be, how, you know, what age?

比如說，我什麼時候可以，如何，你知道的，什麼年齡？

So first is to consider the developmental stage.

是以，首先要考慮發展階段。

And what I found was basically, children are able to distinguish fact from fiction in very early childhood.

我的發現基本上是，孩子們在很小的時候就能區分事實和虛構。

And that this is going to be a very personal thing for each child.

對每個孩子來說，這都是一件非常私人的事情。

If your child has a reason to have trust issues, if they're questioning whether it's real or not, if they're saying, just tell me, kids at school are telling me like, then you're going to want to follow your own instincts, but it might be time to just be honest, like your parents were, Lindsay.

如果你的孩子有理由產生信任問題，如果他們懷疑這一切是真是假，如果他們說 "告訴我吧，學校裡的孩子都這麼告訴我"，那麼你會想遵循自己的直覺，但也許是時候像你的父母林賽那樣坦誠相待了。

And maybe like your mom did, instead of outright saying, okay, Santa's not real.

也許就像你媽媽那樣，不要直接說 "好吧，聖誕老人不是真的"。

Say, what do you think?

你覺得怎麼樣？

She wanted me to come to the conclusion.

她想讓我得出結論。

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

是啊，是啊，是啊。

My mom actually was a child psychologist.

我媽媽其實是一名兒童心理學家。

So she was a child developmental psychologist.

所以她是一名兒童發展心理學家。

So maybe that's where that came from.

也許這就是它的由來。

So give her a little credit for sure.

所以，給她點贊是肯定的。

Yeah, I can see that.

是的，我明白。

And she probably knew that.

她可能也知道這一點。

Just number two here is, you want to think about how it could affect a relationship.

第二點是，你要想一想這會如何影響人際關係。

So for me and allowing my children to still believe Santa exists, there is no effect to the relationship, right?

所以，對我來說，讓我的孩子們仍然相信聖誕老人的存在，並不會影響我們之間的關係，對嗎？

It's not something where it's creating this potential loss of trust, right?

這不會造成潛在的信任缺失吧？

We are building trust together.

我們正在共同建立信任。

And it will be, once my kids find out, it will be something that they'll see it as like, oh, you know, mom and dad did this in order to make Christmas magical and fun, rather than like they were trying to deceive us.

一旦我的孩子們知道了，他們就會覺得，哦，爸爸媽媽這樣做是為了讓聖誕節變得神奇有趣，而不是在欺騙我們。

Of course, now that is so important for them to come away with the right message, right?

當然，這對他們獲得正確的資訊非常重要，不是嗎？

Yeah, it's tricky.

是的，這很棘手。

Yeah, and then the impact of the child.

是的，然後是孩子的影響。

What do we need to know here?

我們需要知道什麼？

Yeah, so this is where we get, there are a lot of different opinions, both among child psychologists, among parents.

兒童心理學家和家長們都有很多不同的意見。

Some will definitely say that like any lying encourages children to be dishonest and think dishonesty is acceptable.

有些人肯定會說，任何謊言都會鼓勵孩子不誠實，並認為不誠實是可以接受的。

Others will say you can help them see the magic of Christmas as different, as like a way to be creative and just to believe in the impossible, right?

其他人會說，你可以幫助他們看到聖誕節與眾不同的魔力，就像一種發揮創造力的方式，讓他們相信不可能的事情，對嗎？

And that that's a net positive.

這是一個淨積極因素。

Yeah, because later in life, some aspects in life do feel magical.

是的，因為到了晚年，生活中的某些方面確實讓人感覺神奇。

Aspects of reality can feel very magical in life, so maybe this is just warming them up to the magic that does exist in life.