Truth vs. Fiction

I was thinking a bit more about my daughter's first loose tooth and that led me to think about the truths versus the not so truths we teach our children.  Specifically I was thinking about the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny.  Most parents, including myself, tell our kids that the Tooth Fairy will take your tooth and leave money.  We tell our kids that Santa Claus brings presents to good kids at Christmas.  We tell our kids that the Easter Bunny hides Easter eggs for kids to search and find on Easter morning.  Obviously none of this is true.  There is no Easter Bunny.  There is no Santa Claus.  And there is no Tooth Fairy.  Here's my question...should we be teaching our kids these myths?

As a Dad and a science teacher I've made it my goal to not pass along science misconceptions.  Yet I have no problems playing along with the idea of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.  Am I contradicting myself?  At first look my answer is yes.  When I tell my kids that Santa Claus is bringing them presents at Christmas I am clearly misleading them.  But then again, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are all part of a childhood innocence that all children deserve to have.  It seems cruel to tell a 3 or 4 year old that Santa Claus isn't real.  What purpose does it serve?

I think the key to handling this issue is to not directly tell your child that Santa Claus/Tooth Fairy/Easter Bunny are not real.  All children will eventually ask their parents whether these "people" are real.  They'll hear things from other kids in school and begin to question.  So when my daughter asks me the serious question of whether Santa Claus is real, I'm not telling her no, but I'm also not telling her yes.  I want her to think it through herself so I'll ask her questions such as "Well, what do you think?"  "Why do you think he's real/not real?"  In time she will answer those questions and come to the conclusion that Santa Claus is not real, but there's no need for me to push it.  After all, she's only my little girl for so long.  Why take the 'little' away before it's time?