In their house, my sister is already using the threat of Christmas big brother against any minor hijinks that their kid gets up to.
Oof, that seems a bit much to me. Does she tell stories about the bogeymen or Baba Yaga, too? I’d rather my child be concerned with the actual consequences for their actions rather than the imagined ones
There’s some research that says Santa, the Easter bunny, etc. are good for teaching kids skepticism. Plus it’s fun. I’ll often move their stuffed animals so it looks like they were doing something when the kids are asleep so they can get a little bit of magic
But, threatening with Santa is actually bad parenting because #1 it’s a bit traumatic of a threat but #2 they’ll figure out damn fast that you’re bluffing. Never threaten a punishment you aren’t prepared to dish out (and never dish out a punishment you wouldn’t feel comfortable explaining to the kid as an adult)
Yes, I agree, a terrible parenting strategy. Also fuck elf on the shelf, since the whole book is about how the elf is Santa’s spy and you can’t question or touch it. I’m pretty sure this is what gave her the awful idea.
Feel you. I got accused by my brother in law of being some kind of psychopath for not wanting Santa in the house.
In their house, my sister is already using the threat of Christmas big brother against any minor hijinks that their kid gets up to.
I have a three year old, so unfortunately, I have another 4 years of this nonsense ahead of me.
Oof, that seems a bit much to me. Does she tell stories about the bogeymen or Baba Yaga, too? I’d rather my child be concerned with the actual consequences for their actions rather than the imagined ones
There’s some research that says Santa, the Easter bunny, etc. are good for teaching kids skepticism. Plus it’s fun. I’ll often move their stuffed animals so it looks like they were doing something when the kids are asleep so they can get a little bit of magic
But, threatening with Santa is actually bad parenting because #1 it’s a bit traumatic of a threat but #2 they’ll figure out damn fast that you’re bluffing. Never threaten a punishment you aren’t prepared to dish out (and never dish out a punishment you wouldn’t feel comfortable explaining to the kid as an adult)
Yeah, it’s not the very idea of Santa I’m railing against here, it’s using him as a bogeyman to control behaviour.
Yes, I agree, a terrible parenting strategy. Also fuck elf on the shelf, since the whole book is about how the elf is Santa’s spy and you can’t question or touch it. I’m pretty sure this is what gave her the awful idea.