I'm so on the fence about getting an Elf.
Do I let him in?
Or, slam the door in his face?
Every mother I know swears by The Elf On The Shelf, Christopher Elf, or some other thing they use to instill fear of a pissed-off Santa. Or basically, a deferral of blame for being an Asshole parent for a month.
What I don't get is how can this little elf be so effective at getting a child to behave?
How can an elf bouncing around the house, multiple times a day, playing the odd prank, turn my kid into a perfect little Christmas Child?
I know moms who have had their elf for seven years.
Seven.
FYI: The word on the street is that once you let the elf in, you can't shut it out the next year. That elf becomes a Holiday tradition until your child stops buying into it.
Which, in my case with a four-year-old, that Elf could become a fixture for eight years!
Oh. Hell. No.
I don't want to deal with the multiple daily moves and random pranks. It sounds tedious.
FTD thinks it "could be fun."
My nephews, who LOVE their Christopher Elf, keep asking where our elf is. They are freaked out about my tree being up, but no elf has arrived. I'm running out of confused looks and crap excuses.
Is the Elf becoming standard now? Does everyone, but me, have an Elf?
Damn Elf.
How much does it suck to know in a two weeks when the elf goes back to Elfland, your perfect little Christmas angel is going to turn back into a heathen shit? Why not have a year long elf?
Even though I'm leaning towards skipping the elf this year, I'd love to know what you think. Is the elf really improving your child's behavior? It is really worth the trouble and mess?
5 comments:
We have no elf. I will get rid of any elf that comes at us. I detest it and the message it sends, honestly. I don't want to endorse Big Brother Santa. ;-)
It is also just something to add stress in my house, including the kids. Well, the older one. Three year olds are learning their emotions, learning to behave. He gets consequences for his behaviors, he doesn't need an added worry that when he screws up the Elf AND Santa are also going to be mad.
Others like the elf, that is their thing. It is not for my family. We don't know "elfers" so the kids don't ask. I have been trying to figure out what I will say about the elf as kids get older. I think I'm going to say something to the effect that I am not letting a spy in the house. ;-)
Good luck on your decision.
LOL~ It is a spy in the house! I also think some of my dumping on the Elf is misdirected anger or fear about my son turning into a present and santa obsessed kid. The Holiday season is about SO MUCH MORE than being good for Santa.
Teach Elf their own.
We have only just got one but more with the idea of a fun tradition rather than a spy for Santa (not that I'm telling the kids that). I doubt it would have any more impact on my kids behaviour than the "Santa's coming to town" carol but it doesn't hurt to have some fun.
We do love the Santa's coming to town song. Though, I'm not sure the kid has made the connection. At least, he's not acting like it!
We were given an elf. It doesn't play pranks, bring presents, or do anything other than sit where we put it lol we do (somehow) remember to move it every night! But it's more just something fun for Arianna to look for every morning, than Santa's little snitch lol
Post a Comment