In the houses of many, December 1st doesn’t just mean it’s closer to Christmas, winter, or the change of the month it’s Elf Arrival time. While I adore the creativity behind each story and it gets people talking about traditions which is lovely, who has the time?!
My son, now 10, has been asking for it for years. Teachers even had him visit the school last year yet I continue to refuse but I can’t even tell him why! A lot of his friends are completely enamored by the idea of a month long little guy watching them. It’s brilliant with regards to marketing and selling the idea through a book, I applaud the author for the phenomenon created but it sure does put me in a bind.
My son wants to buy the Elf on the Shelf with his own money yet I still refuse to let him. He asks for all of the extras, and once again needs to know the why behind the no. I don’t blame him but I really don’t have time to devote the amount of time I would to being creative with it. So instead, I continue to refuse to adopt the Elf and simply tell him I’ll explain later why I keep saying no.
Do I feel like the mean mom? Absolutely, always. Do I feel I have time to make suppers and some time for my own sanity… sometimes. And I guess that matters, too… it will just take years for him to realize that, and maybe when he has a kid himself he’ll appreciate all the other ways I’ve been creative.
No Elf on the Shelf in my house,
Sarah