Oh YES! That Father Christmas Threat

How many of us use the Christmas threat as way to hopefully get our children to behave I know I do! and as Christmas day approaches, the elf has now become the major threat. There is no chance that either my wife or myself haven’t used this threat. Because we have on numerous occasions. But does it work?

The problem with this particular threat is in my opinion it falls on deaf ears, or least it falls on very deaf ears as far as my seven year old twin girls are concerned. It goes straight over their heads. They have very quickly worked out that our threats to make them behave are a waste of time, because I think we have used it far too often! It never ceases to amaze me how often we resort to use Father Christmas or the Easter bunny to get our children to behave because it never works.

So here are few times recently that I have used the Father Christmas threat!

1. Bedtime

I can guarantee we have all been here once or twice. The kids are getting more excited as Christmas approaches and at bedtime they just won’t go to sleep. I can actually hear myself saying, “Father Christmas won’t stop here unless you get to sleep right now!”

2. Leaving the house

Children are notoriously slow at leaving the house especially on the morning school run when you are late and getting out of the house is a nightmare. Yep! You got it Father Christmas won’t stop here unless we are in the car and on our way to school in two minutes.

3. Five Year Old Twins Arguing

This seems to happen on a more regular basis nowadays in our home. As the girls grow older they seem to have those sibling disagreements, which can get out of hand, and of course we step in at this time of year with those immortal words. Father Christmas won’t stop at our home if you two don’t start behaving.

4. Eating their food

We are very lucky that our twin girls tend to eat most of what’s put in front of them, but when you have cooked tea and they decide for no reason that they don’t want it, what else is left to say? That’s it you know, “Father Christmas won’t stop here unless you eat all your tea!”

This is just a few instances of when I have used the Father Christmas threat. Next in the list will be the easter bunny. As parents we use anything and everything to get our children to behave and do what we want them to do when we ask them. I worked out I have been using this particular threat for about 19 years off and on. Why I will never know! It simply doesn’t work. Haha!

Do you use the Father Christmas threat? If so, what are you trying to get your children to do? I would love to know, in the comments below.