After my parents dropped that bomb, I don't think I ever trusted anything they said again.

My own similar struggle with that "truth coming out of nowhere" is why I never lied to my son about a fairytale Santa Clause. I told him about St. Nicholas and that Santa was the spirit of Christmas, of selfless giving. I did let him believe the myth along with his age mates. But, I never went to lengths to prove the myth was real to him as did my own parents with us.

When he was about seven or so, he started questioning all those childhood myths. Right before his 8th birthday in December, he lost a tooth, which had been painful. He asked me what the Tooth Fairy had to do with Jesus. I answered it had nothing to do with Jesus. He asked if she was real. I wouldn't lie and answered that it was just something grownups made up to make kids who'd lost a tooth feel better. He immediately asked, "Is Santa real?" It was a direct question. I would not lie to him. I told him the truth. He was able to accept it without trauma because nothing I had previously said about the myth contradicted the truth.

But, telling him that truth did NOT change our gift giving to him. He still got his toys, just the same as he'd have received if he'd still entertained the idea of a real fantastical Santa.