Little girl in Miami tells Santa she doesn't want to sit on his lap and his reaction goes viral

 After waiting in an endless line, most children sit on Santa's lap for a quick chat and an obligatory photo.

But one kid from Miami wasn't having it. She told Santa “No” – and he was very happy to hear it.

"When he said, 'No,' I was thinking, 'Well, I'm Santa. It's a big responsibility,'" Steve Lantz, a priest and paid Santa Claus in Miami, Florida, told Fox News Digital.

Lantz said, "Because you're not just a celebrity impersonator – there's a legacy. Even before he was Santa, he was the Bishop of St. Nicholas, Myra."

"I have to fix this."

Last week, Katie Love and her three-year-old daughter Adele prepared to meet Santa Claus at the Ritz Carlton Biscayne in Miami.

"They were having a holiday party and my daughter had been so excited for weeks to meet Santa and tell him she wanted a purple bike for Christmas," Love, a social media strategist, told Fox News Digital.

"We're actually Jewish, but he's obsessed with all things Christmas," the mom said.

While they waited in line, Love said her daughter watched children walk up to sit on Santa's lap.

"I could tell she was a little nervous," Love told Fox News Digital.

"So I said, 'Adele, you can go there, but you don't have to sit on her lap. It's your choice. You can decide what you feel most comfortable with.'"

Then finally it was Adelie's turn to go up and talk to Santa.

Sitting in a gorgeous red upholstered chair, Santa asked her if she would like to sit on his lap. And the child replied, “No.

"This could have been a moment for Santa to make him feel awkward or uncomfortable, or he could have just ignored it," Love said.

But instead, Santa confirmed Adele's decision.

"The idea of exchanging physical touch in order to get something or to get a present is a concept that I want to move away from, as I am trying to teach my daughter to be a confident woman."

"I'm thinking this is my opportunity to become a legitimate Santa as a minister," Lantz said.

"So I'm not thinking about the 'ho ho hos.' I'm just thinking about what's good, what's loving, what's kind, what's right, what's godly."

Katie Love took out her phone and started recording.

Lantz told little Adele it was her choice whether or not she sat on his lap — a message Love said she wanted her daughter to hear.

"He told her it's her body and she has to decide — and not even Santa can make that decision for her," Love said.

"And I thought that was a really incredible moment because the idea of sitting on Santa's lap is so old," the mom said. "The idea of exchanging physical touch to get something or receive a gift is a concept I want to move away from, because I'm trying to teach my daughter to be a confident woman."

Love posted the video to her TikTok account – where it received nearly two million views.

"I didn't expect the video to be a hit with so many people, but I got so many messages and comments from people saying they felt the same way," Love said.

"We love an educated Santa," one TikTok user commented.

Another user wrote, "Way to teach your little lady some boundaries early."

Another person commented, "Attention all Santas."

Lantz, himself a father of two young children, said there is a song called "My Body" that he and his wife have taught their children.

"I think that teaching my daughter that ‘no’ is a complete sentence, and that she should be empowered to say it without ramifications, has been really important."

It's part of the curriculum to help protect your children from sexual abuse," Lantz said.
The chorus is, "My body ain't nobody's body but mine." You move your own body. Let me run my business. Instead of warning them about devils and creating fear, we thought, let's teach them how valuable their bodies are, how valuable they are and that they control their bodies, not adults.'

Some viewers said they thought the little girl seemed confused by the entire conversation — and neither Love nor Lantz could deny that.

"Her mom said she was probably more confused that I didn't respond to her request," Lantz said. "She's probably going, 'Wait. I said I wanted a purple bike, and you're telling me my body is my body.'"

Love said that other commenters on TikTok thought Adele was "too young" to teach such lessons.

"I don't really agree with that," he said.

"Children have very little control, and it's very important for her to understand who touches her body and who she wants to give physical touch to. I don't think it's something she needs to wait to learn." Is. "

The bigger message, Love said, is that women should stand up for themselves and listen to their conscience.

"I think teaching my daughter that 'no' is a complete sentence, and she should be given the right to say it without any repercussions, is really important," Love said.

"I grew up 

saying 'yes' and trying to be a people pleaser. We were just taught to be polite and hug uncle, we don't want to hug Santa or sit on his lap Were. In this – his first season as a paid Santa – Lantz said he's already learned a lot.

"One thing I've learned, and you learn it very quickly, is that every child matters," Lantz said.

He said, "You have to deal with the kid in front of you. You can't worry about the line. And so you treat every kid special and don't rush."

At home, Adley is an affectionate baby who gives her mom and dad hugs and kisses all the time, Love said.

But she knows how to draw the line.

“Children can have a magical conversation with Santa without even having to sit in a stranger's lap,” Love said.

"As she grows up, I hope this is something she'll remember and that will lead her on a path to feeling strong and empowered.