Does the elf on the shelf promote naughty behaviour?

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A comment from a colleague who hasn’t got her little one an elf on the shelf as she says it promotes naughty behaviour.
I hadn’t thought about it this way at all as my child thinks it’s great fun and has thoroughly enjoyed the elf over the last 2/3 years.
They have one in his class at school too.
Obviously it’s entirely up to her what she does and doesn’t do with her little one, that’s not what I’m talking about, it’s the naughty aspect.
I never look beyond my nose with stuff as I’m too lazy and a bit thick so is it?
Btw my child has never displayed “naughty behaviour “ as a result of the elf, no crime spree in this house.

No, ours promotes good behaviour, he brings crafts for the kids to do, brings sweets to put on the tree and cards for their school friends, we have a good elf.

How would a elf promote naughty behaviour?

No, not all elves are little twats. Our elf is quite vanilla and tends to just do funny things. Nothing particularly naughty, once glued eyes on pieces of fruit for example.

Well I’ve never known anyone’s child start making snow angels out of flour or hanging from the light shade after having one, but who knows?
Surely they’re just a bit of fun? We don’t have one as I don’t have the energy, but all the people I know just have them doing pranks or bringing crafts/activities? They’re not out robbing banks.

No but the bit I hate about it (& appreciate not everyone does it from this aspect but some do) is the whole ‘the elf is watching you to make sure you behave’. Same as the Santa threat. It’s rubbish parenting. None of us are really not going to give our dc presents on Christmas morning, so why make the threat? At least own your attempts to modify your child’s behaviour, not abdicate they to an imaginary character.

I have a good elf too.

She's helpful, brings DD little things (magazine, chocolate buttons..) from the 'elf shop', leaves DD little notes about behaviour (good and bad), brings Christmas activities...

We've had an incident where DD didn't tidy up her toys, the elf tripped and hurt her leg (which was toilet papered bandaged) and couldn't get to the elf shop.
I've not had to nag DD about her toys since

I'll be sad to see her go.

@BaubleTheLumpOfCoal now that I can get on board with! Natural consequences in action

Yeah I do think it can depending on what your elf does. I personally don't do it at home and never have. Ds 8 isn't fussy and never speaks about it. However at the nursery I work in we do it for the age 3 to 5 kids and we have noticed an increase in naughty behaviour.

One member of staff set it up to look like the elf had had a snowball fight with flour and cottonwool balls. Half an hour later two children were found throwing handfuls of flour at each other because the elfs did. And before anyone says anything about them having access to flour the children have to be allowed to make their own playdough everyday so they have all the ingredients in easy open tubs at their level.

We do try to have the elfs displaying good kind behaviour but this member of staff thought it would be fun if it was a silly set up

I think it's just a bit of harmless fun. We have one and he does do some cheeky things that DS finds hilarious but he also brings DS books and games.
I'm quite sure that I won't find DS trying to hide in the cereal dispenser or attempting to wrap up the Christmas tree!

Ours is just a bit of fun. Nothing naughty, just silly. Although our elves are on strike until DC tidy their rooms. Love the bandaged leg idea!

@Andonandonan One of my finest parenting brainwaves

Now, just to figure out how I can incorporate her into the other 11 months of the year....

If you use the elf as intended it just moves about. All the naughty behaviour or bringing gifts was started by social media attention seekers and imo is pointless, why would one of Santa's elves come to a house and dick about?

Totally get people not doing it, we only did because all of DDs friends had one and she got upset we didn't. I forget more often than not and end up running downstairs before DD wakes up to move the thing.