Preschooler asks if Disney princess (Elsa, Ariel,ect) are real. Are you ruining the fun and saying no? Or lying?

I always knew Disney wasn’t real. Didn’t take any of the fun out for me. Same with Santa. I ask the same question though, what do you think? Let them process through it and decide how they want to move forward. Things that aren’t real can still be fun.

Here's the thing. People are convinced that lying to children will help protect their innocence when really you're setting yourself up for either no contact relationship or a lack of trust where you have to earn that back later in life

As a teacher I've been asked about lots of things being real and my reply is always 'they are as real as you believe them to be'

I always say it’s pretend that way when there’s scary parts he knows it’s just pretend

I think that’s a little dramatic given the situation I am describing. I hope to raise children who understand intent and nuance and the complexity of these situations.

If my children want to go no contact because I told them princess magic is real when she was 4, then I will have failed as a parent.

My 4.5 year old hasn’t ever asked me if a princess is real, but he also knows any character in a movie is just that - a character. I don’t think that ruins the magic for them! We went to dinner on vacation the other day and he had on buzz lightyear shoes, a Toy Story shirt and brought woody and Jessie figures with him 🤣