Have you ever heard of elf on a shelf? Well I hadn’t until about a week ago.
~~~~~
Description:
Most children want to know how Santa really knew who was naughty or who was nice. Their answer is found with the ‘elf on a shelf’.
When you bring your elf into your home for the first time your children need to adopt him and give him a name. Each year the elf will arrive around the holidays, usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility is to watch your children’s behavior and report it to Santa each night. The next morning after the children wake up, they will discover the elf has returned from the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place.
To preserve the elf’s Christmas magic your children are not allowed to touch it; however, talking to the elf is encouraged. Children can share many secrets with their elf; and while he is under strict orders not to talk to them, the elf is under no such orders where grown-ups are concerned.
Unwittingly, the tradition provides an added benefit: it helps children to better control themselves. All it takes is a gentle reminder that “the elf is watching,” for errant behavior to be modified.
~~~~~~
Sounds awesome if it works right?! We thought it would be a fun Christmas tradition in our family to start. Cooper is at an age now where Santa is fun and exciting. He is certain that Santa is going to bring him every toy in the universe and gives us a gentle reminder about every 15 min; only problem is his demanding behavior doesn’t warrant so many wonderful gifts. Thus – we invited elf on a shelf to join our family.
I was a little concerned that cooper wouldn’t understand the concept. But thought it was worth a shot. We came home and I quickly unwrapped the package and placed the elf on a shelf in his room and then brought him in to show him his new friend. He was SUPER excited… what was it?! I read him the story and told him we needed to pick out a name for him.
Now cooper doesn’t name things. Each of his trains come with names, as well as all of his friends… I have never seen him name anything in his life – so I knew this was going to be interesting. Conversation is as follows:
Me: Cooper, what is the elf’s name?
Coop: I don’t know – what is it?
Me: He doesn’t have a name we have to give him a name.
Coop: What's his name?
Me: You have to tell me what his name is.
Coop: I don’t know what is ‘mame’ is – what is it?
(I wasn’t sure this was ever going to happen)
Me: You get to give him a name – You get to choose – What do you want his name to be?
Coop: ummmmmmmmm
ELEPHANT!
Me: elephant?
(really? elephant? i asked him to name him and THATS what he comes up with?)
Coop: Yes! Elephant!
I asked him to name it, I wasn’t expecting his response to be ‘elephant’ but that's what it was… so meet elephant….
Elephant the elf…. adopted into the Worsham Family on December 12, 2010
So far Elephant has moved from Cooper’s room – to the living room – and then the kitchen. This morning Cooper was highly disappointed when he couldn’t find him. Thinking he hadn’t returned he proceeded to go to his room and cry. We had to remind him that elephant could be anywhere and encouraged him to go look again. He found him, again in the kitchen, and all was right with the world.
Today was the first day he actually talked to elephant. He wanted to show him the present he had picked out for his friend Ryan.
It seems as though each day his behavior is getting better and better… is it possible for elephant to stay throughout the whole year?!?! :)
