Every year around this time, researcher Rianne Kok of the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB) is inundated with calls from the media. Can she say anything about Sinterklaas? This year, she is once again focusing on the question: is it okay to lie to your children about Sinterklaas?
Dr Rianne Kok is an associate professor of Clinical Child and Family Studies at ESSB and conducts research into lying. Specifically, she looks at how often and when parents lie to their children. And what effect does this have on children?
We often lie, even to our children
''The majority of parents say they don't want to lie to their children,'' Kok explains in Rijnmond. ''But if you ask further questions, nine out of ten parents admit to doing so in practice.'' The researcher cites casual lies as an example: 'No, there's no onion in the pasta sauce.' Or they lie about what time it is, for example, when children are not yet able to tell the time.
Lying about Sinterklaas is not harmful
When it comes to Sinterklaas, Kok has been giving the same advice for years: do what feels right for you and your child. Her research shows that lying about Sinterklaas has no harmful effects. But if your child has trouble sleeping or thinks about it a lot, it may be time to reveal ''the secret.''
How children react when they hear the truth about Sinterklaas also varies from child to child. In an interview with NRC, Kok says: ''A third to half say: I was a little angry or sad, but that didn't last long. One in five say: I doubted whether I could still trust adults, but not for long.''
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More from Rianne Kok in the media about Sinterklaas (in Dutch):
These parents do not want to lie about Sinterklaas. “It remains just as enjoyable” - NRC
Sinterklaas: a magical time or a period of stress and panic? - Kinderopvangtotaal
Is it harmful to your child to lie about Sinterklaas? (with postdoc Lisanne Schröer, from Rianne Kok's research group)
And hear Rianne Kok talk about Sinterklaas in this radio interview, starting from 06:50 (in Dutch):
NOS Radio 1 Journaal - 04 december 2025 - NPO Radio 1 Gemist | NPO Radio 1
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