I don\u2019t like the mischievous elf on or off the shelf. There, I said it. Some parents may wag their tongues and refer to me as Grinch, Scrooge, or holiday party-pooper. Wag away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, a children’s book, written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, was self-published in 2005. Eventually, it became a Christmas craze that turned into big business. Giving the benefit of the doubt to elf\u2019s creators, their purpose wasn\u2019t to encourage world-wide parental deceit. They didn\u2019t originate a spying Santa or the popular stakeout song. \u201cHe sees you when you\u2019re sleeping. He knows when you\u2019re awake. He knows when you\u2019ve been bad or good.\u201d Were Aebersold and Bell manipulated by greedy manufacturers? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s why the Elf on the Shelf should be shoved back into the bag. Several younger children have confided in me about their fear of elf. They refuse to be alone in rooms where elf is lurking. They fear elf will tell Santa when they misbehave. They believe elf is observing them at home, at school, on the bus, and everywhere. Hmm\u2014that sounds like paranoia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kids know if you are on the naughty list, you don\u2019t get gifts from Santa. So, Santa and the sneaky elf are in cahoots. What\u2019s next? An elf surveillance chip in the forehead to monitor kids in the bathroom? \u201cElf on the Toilet Shelf.\u201d He sees you when you\u2019re flushing. He knows if you are brushing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Children believe what parents tell them. And when they develop doubts and question parents, they become even more confused when parents keep up the make-believe story (i.e., sham, charade, lie). Yes, I know most parents mean well, however\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parents that threaten kids with elf to control disruptive or dishonest behaviors need their own \u201cSupervisor Elf on the Workplace Shelf\u201d or \u201cBoss Elf on the Desk\u201d or \u201cSpy Elf in the Break Room.\u201d What about \u201cElf in the Car\u201d to report adults for speeding or road rage? Or what about \u201cElf on the Bedroom Shelf\u201d to keep spouses\/partners from dirty fighting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read the following description: \u201cThe Elf on the Shelf\u00ae is a fun-filled Christmas tradition that has captured the hearts of children everywhere who welcome home one of Santa\u2019s Scout Elves each holiday season. The magical Scout Elves help Santa manage his nice list by taking note of a family\u2019s Christmas adventures and reporting back to Santa at the North Pole nightly. Each morning, the Scout Elf returns to its family and perches in a new spot, waiting for someone to spot them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think Elf on the Shelf is a tattletail. Merriam-Webster\u2019s definition of tattletail: someone (such as a child) who tells secrets about what someone else has done: informer. “I watch and report on all that you do!” the elf warns in The Elf on the Shelf book. Should he be renamed \u201cBig Brother Elf on every Shelf?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parents, do not shift your discipline responsibilities to a toy elf. When the gig is up, how are you going to teach teens to respect and obey house rules? To manage and self-regulate emotions, instant gratification, and impulse control? The elf is a negative parenting tool. Children need to learn about consequences and how to make better decisions and wise choices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a 2012 article in Psychology Today, David Kyle Johnson Ph.D. writes \u201cMy argument is threefold. It\u2019s a lie (that does not encourage imagination), it threatens your parental trustworthiness, and it encourages credulity. But The Elf on the Shelf is basically a steroid shot for the Santa Lie\u2014a physical reminder of the Santa lie in your house for a whole month. So it should not be surprising that my objections to the practices surrounding The Elf on the Shelf are similar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parent Redemption<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Come clean. Tell your kids the tattling elf is not alive. He\/she is just a toy and have no magical powers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, families can pretend with elf by creating funny scenarios, but no more spying and flying lies. Invite the kids to make-up comical scenes with toy elf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or throw elf away after explaining that mom and dad were behind the pranks. Parents aren\u2019t perfect\u2014you can learn from this. This modern-day holiday-hyped tradition needs a permanent timeout. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Elf on the Shelf is certainty a Christmas controversy. I say put the Elf on the Shelf back in the box with double locks. What say you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n