The not so naughty elf on our shelf

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elf on the shelf sitting in a Christmas tree

The elves are back! This little guy being back in the shops means that it's finally Christmas time. If this is your first time seeing the elf I'm sure you're wondering, but what's the point? 

The elf comes alive at night and ends up getting up to mischief. The child comes downstairs to find out what the elf has got up to during the night. The Elf on the shelf watches the child's behaviour throughout the day and then reports back to Santa if the child has been naughty or nice.

While the initial concept seems a good idea, it is flawed. How can we teach our children to behave when the elf themselves misbehaves? If anything the elf sets a bad example.   

SHow to use the elf and still promote positive behaviour. 

I have found a resource that has a Christmas kindness countdown. It is abit like a kindness advent calendar. The idea is that the child sticks a bauble onto Santa's beard for each day and they carry out the kind thing marked on the beard.

My concept to include the elf is that he hides that night with the next days bauble, the child then has to find the elf and bauble that morning before they can pick the kind act for the day. This helps to reinforce positive behaviour more so than threats of not getting presents. 

Jamie really enjoyed hunting for the elf last year and helped him realise that acts of kindness can be big or small.

To find this resource head to www.twinkl.co.uk and let me know if your child had fun finding the baubles and being kind to others.


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