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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to do Elf on the Shelf for my class?

92 replies

Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 19:14

Just looking for your thoughts really... I've bought Elf on the Shelf as I thought my year 4 kids would love finding him each morning. I'm not planning to tell them he's spying on them for Father Christmas though as I don't want to upset them/ be unfair to children of other faiths. My AIBU is will I get parents complaining it ruins EOTS at home/isn't fair on kids/it's too commercial/other complaints I've not considered? I feel a bit like I can't win at the moment so don't want to make a rod for my own back.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 19:55

fern it's this, though the book's not great

AIBU to do Elf on the Shelf for my class?
OP posts:
theaveragewife · 28/11/2017 19:55

My dd is Y4 and they had EOTS in reception & Y1, she would absolutely love to have one in Y4 and has said so many many times! I think it's a great idea!

CappuccinoCake · 28/11/2017 19:56

I don't like it at all but I think I'm in a minority.

Both my children like to know categorically if something is true or not and don't cope with the feeling they are being lied to as they will then not trust anything the teacher says again....

But we are all a bit weird.

CappuccinoCake · 28/11/2017 19:57

(I've had to warn them before the ufo/break in type scenarios that thankfully our school doesn't do now.)

Thingsthatgo · 28/11/2017 20:03

Maybe you could do similar, but with a different toy. Naughty dinosaurs, or a cheeky gruffalo. Do you have a class mascot who could create some mayhem in December?
That way if the kids has eots at home it won’t be doubling up, and it makes it less Christmasy (because even if you don’t say he’s spying for Santa, one of the kids is bound to already know and spill the beans).

WhirlwindHugs · 28/11/2017 20:03

I don't like EOTS, but would be totally happy for my Yr 4 child to do it at school. She would love it, and using it for learning prompts is a great idea.

NorthStarGrassman · 28/11/2017 20:06

My dd is in Y4 and would absolutely love this. I'm not a big fan of elf on the shelf but I wouldn't complain about her doing it at school. Would admire the teacher mightily for putting all that effort in - are you sure you want to commit to having to come up with something every day?! Grin I really don't agree with it being unimaginative - ok so lots of people have an elf but you need a lot of imagination to come up with lots of exciting things for it to do, especially if you're engaging 30 kids and working it into their learning.

ferntwist · 28/11/2017 20:07

Looks fun Bottom!

Original poster
Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 20:09

arbitrary I'm not sure whether to hope you're one of my lovely parents or panic I've outed myself, but thank you x
thingsthatgo that's a brilliant idea! We do have a mascot they love and I could return EOTS. Our mascot's adventures could go in his diary too! Thank you! Dilemma solved Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 20:10

Pinterest will save the day I feel on the imagination front!

OP posts:
ArbitraryName · 28/11/2017 20:12

Haha bottom. I suspect a great number of Y4 teachers are dealing with a couple of parents with chips on their shoulders. I also suspect that the ones who complain about everything (often in a completely contradictory way) are usually arses, whatever the school.

Creambun2 · 28/11/2017 20:13

Elf on a shelf is vulgar.

steppemum · 28/11/2017 20:18

well, the way you are doing it sounds fun and it could be a good thing for the class.

BUT, I really hate EOTS. I hate it because it is supposed to be the elf watching you to see if you are naughty or good and reporting back to Santa.
I absolutely hate that, and have never done good = santa thing with my kids. I would be pretty cheesed off if a teacher introduced that as I think it is actually quite nasty.
So, as long as you steered away from that, you can do what you like!

theaveragewife · 28/11/2017 20:19

Yes, we have a few of those at our school too...I feel for you teachers Wine Cake and much thanks Bottomofsmughill

Original poster
Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 20:24

You lot are really cheering me up tonight, thanks! cappucino when I've had kids like yours I just whisper to them that this is pretend and a game for fun - they've always been quite pleased to be in the know and it's not the end of the world if it isn't supposed to be actually reporting to FC! creambun I used to agree it was vulgar but now I like the idea of the adventures! Similarly I've also used comic sans recently. Is this a slippery slope?!

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 28/11/2017 20:24

Not a single person I know in real life does the 'elf is watching you' thing just as not a single person I know gives coal to their naughty children in lieu of wants presents.

I am a big fan of EOTS because the kids really enjoy it. Knock yourself out OP. Grin

LaurieMarlow · 28/11/2017 20:25

Santa presents (fucking auto correct)

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 28/11/2017 20:27

Do it! I'm the sort of person who would be grateful school did it so I wouldn't have to!

CappuccinoCake · 28/11/2017 20:29

You sound a lovely teacher, Bottom :)

MakeMisogynyAHateCrime · 28/11/2017 20:30

I wouldn't be particularly happy for you to do that with my DC.

HELENSCRESCENT · 28/11/2017 20:31

My daughter is yr4 and would love this :)

MakeMisogynyAHateCrime · 28/11/2017 20:32

And I add, that I think your ideas are very imaginative but that two of my DC are quite obsessive about people getting into trouble and would get very upset.

Original poster
Bottomofsmughill · 28/11/2017 20:34

makemisogynyahatecrime can I ask why? Would you be ok with the idea of the class mascot doing daily adventures instead?

OP posts:
Clandestino · 28/11/2017 20:35

I hate that little buggery stalker with passion. YBVU

dancinfeet · 28/11/2017 20:39

Depends on your year 4's. I can think of at least three year fours that I teach that would find the whole thing ridiculous (and a few of my year 3's would too), a few that would probably not care either way but would go along with it for the sake of the more enthusiastic kids, and another who would be delighted, if I did this in my class. I would say infant school age (up to year 2) go for it, after then you are very much on divided territory as you go up to Junior school ages. Personally I hate Elf on the Shelf (and I say this as someone who teaches kids from age 2 all the way up to 18 years), but it may be because it wasn't a 'thing' when my two teenagers were small.