Warning: today I’m going to present an idea that you may not want your kids to hear, so I recommend listening to this when you’re away from your children.
The holiday season is upon us, and there are so many things about this season that I love; cozying up by the fire, watching football games, the general sense of the occasion and that it’s a special time of year. But there is something that I don’t love, and you might not even realize you’re doing it.
You might have heard of Elf on the Shelf, and you might even be using it as a way to make sure your kids behave during the holiday season. You know the drill – you tell your kids that if they misbehave, the elf will see everything and tell Santa not to bring them any presents. But there’s a big issue with using the elf in this way, and I’m explaining my problem with it this week.
In this episode, I’m sharing why using Elf on the Shelf as a tool to keep your kids behaving during the holidays is actually fear-based parenting. I’m showing you how to stop using Elf on the Shelf as a tool for punishment and instead start using it to connect with your kids, and some tips to help you move away from fear-based parenting during the holidays.
What You'll Learn:
What fear-based parenting is and why it’s such a problem.
How you might be applying fear-based parenting without realizing it.
Some tips for using Elf on the Shelf as a tool for connection and cooperation with your kids.
Why getting curious, not furious, is even more important at this time of year.
How the holidays might bring extra emotions for your children and why you need to let them have them.
Why threats and punishments are never the way to get your kids to behave.
How to notice if you’re using fear-based parenting around the holidays.
