Why Elf on the Shelf Doesn't Make You a Bad Parent

Think back long and hard to last year, Christmas time. Chances are you have heard or seen at least one clever, witty person you know posting some ridiculous photo of their Elf partaking in his or her nightly antics, followed by another person complaining about their “damn elf”. Following right along suit, there seems to be a bit of drama surrounding the holiday elf and whether or not partaking in the annual tradition makes you a good parent (read: socially correct parent) or a crappy parent (read: who propels unnecessary spoiling of his or her children). Regardless of what adults think, kids undeniably adore the Elf and the magic that surrounds it.

We're here to tell you that partaking in the Elf doesn't make you a terrible parent at all. And here's why....

Setting up a tiny scene in your living room with a 7" tall Elf actually provides your children with a variety of experiences that could only be compared to that of books and movies.

It encourages imagination.

In the digital world we are living now kids don't have a ton of opportunities to let their imaginations run wild. Studies show that imagination is essential and valuable to cognitive development but as parents, we do very little to encourage fantasy and imaginative play. Good news, the holiday elf fuels an imaginative wonderland for an entire month!

Let them be little.

I've you've participated in any social media since the dawn of the internet you have probably heard someone say "Let them be little" in reference to allowing our kids the opportunity to play, be messy, eat what they want, and encouraging them to enjoy childhood in general. This goes hand-in-hand with encouraging imagination, but seriously, let them enjoy the elf and more importantly just let them be little!

You may be surprised at how the nightly Elf antics may enlighten you on bits and pieces of your child's personality that you don't often see.

Can be used to do good!

It should be clear---we're not encouraging anyone to introduce an Elf into the family that delivers treats and goodies each night. That is not sustainable for anyone, plus it doesn't send a good message to your children. We do believe that you could introduce an Elf that encourages your children to do good things! Could be a small deed like hugging a friend, or a big one like volunteering at the local animal shelter. No shame in using the imaginative Elf to encourage positive actions!

Helps you learn more about your child.

At the age where your children are able to participate in elf magic, it's likely they are developing, or have recently developed a personality independent of what you're familiar with. Whether they go to Parents Day Out 1 day per week, or Elementary School 5 days per week, they are becoming their own person. You may be surprised at how the nightly Elf antics may enlighten you on bits and pieces of your child's personality that you don't often see. Do they have a super sense of humor? What exactly gets them laughing the hardest? If you pay close enough attention, you may just learn something new about your kid!

If you are ready to join in on the Elf fun, it's not too late! Grab an elf, and you're ready to go. Stay tuned for more details on how to pull of the perfect Elf experience for your littles

Cheers!

Maddie