Santa applauds a little girl who didn't want to sit on his lap: 'Way to stand up for yourself'

• Santa's tactful response to a child who declined to sit on his lap went viral.
• The man in the costume was praised for respecting and encouraging the toddler's boundaries.
• Some viewers suggested it was time to do away with the festive tradition altogether.

After a toddler declined to sit on a costumed Santa's lap, the man behind the beard was applauded for respecting the child's physical boundaries, and sharing an important lesson on bodily autonomy.

On December 11, TikToker Katie Love posted a video that showed her 3-year-old toddler Adley standing beside a man decked out in full Santa costume.

Love had taken her daughter to a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Miami, Florida, to see the Santa attraction, after Adley had talked about it for weeks, Good Morning America reported. Upon arriving, however, Adley told her mom she wasn't sure if she wanted to sit on his lap as the other kids had done.

In the video, the man in the costume, Steve Lantz, who is a part-time Santa according to the outlet, recounted how he had asked Adley if she wanted to sit on his lap, but she had declined the customary Christmas pose.

"This is her body, and she's in control of her body," Lantz said as he gestured towards Adley. "Way to stand up for yourself."

Lantz continued to praise the toddler, and said even Santa Claus could be turned down in such a way if she saw fit.

Love could be heard agreeing with the sentiment behind the camera, and wrote in the video caption she was grateful to Santa "for respecting my daughter's choice & even applauding her for it!"

In recent years, conversations around teaching children about bodily autonomy have become more common, as some parents and educators are emphasizing allowing kids to decide for themselves whether they want to be touched or hugged, and helping them understand consent and boundaries.

The TikTok, which received 2.1 million views and over 3,400 comments, was interpreted by many as a perfect example of how to encourage these values in children.

"We love an educated Santa," one viewer wrote in the most popular comment which received over 11,800 likes.

Others suggested that it might be time to do away with the tradition of kids sitting on Santa's lap in general, and that it would work just as well to have children pose while standing beside him.

Further comments praised Adley too for establishing and standing firm by her own boundaries, although some joked she looked ready to get back on topic and reel off her gift wishlist by the end of the video.

Love has over 16,400 followers on TikTok where she uploads videos sharing insights into mom and toddler life. She told Good Morning America that she was "so proud" of her toddler for voicing her feeling.

"I want Adley, even as a toddler, to always feel in control of her body, of her actions," she told the outlet.