To think that this mother is disturbed and needs help?

[IrisAtwood]

A woman laid chicken bones and ketchup out with an Elf on the Shelf hat so that it looked like a Grinch toy had eaten him. Her five year old was distraught and is now frightened of the Grinch. She thought it was funny.

metro.co.uk/2020/12/03/mums-grinchy-elf-on-the-shelf-prank-goes-wrong-and-leaves-son-in-tears-13696898/

He just looks creepy to me! I have no opinion on the other stuff except it seems like a LOT of effort. He wasn't around when Dd was growing up I don't think.

I would be sympathetic and think she just misjudged it if it wasn't for her responses. They are grim and self absolving. No sympathy in them for her child either.

I don't judge people doing elf on the shelf! Should have made that clearer. I find it creepy but don't think it's particularly damaging (the pearl clutcher in me does think my DC would find it creepy like I do) but what this woman did I do judge and think it's kind of shitty.

She should know her kid well enough to know whether he would find it funny and if it was done with the intention of upsetting him, it was cruel. I suspect my 9yo would actually get a laugh out of it but maybe not when he was 5.

Obviously that's bad parenting and completely inappropriate for a small child, but dare I ask that this not become a "see, elf on the shelf is just inherently evil and it's impossible to do it in a fun and harmless way" load of bollocks?

Well, I can ask.

Ugh. Disturbing.

Some people have very little understanding of children and just how traumatising something like this can be for them.

She is living in her adult world and can't remember/ relate to being a child. Not a great starting point for being a mum.

I'd do it. But only now mine are 16, 15 and 12. Their humour is as dark as mine. But not at 5.

An elf moving every night is disturbing because it reinforces the fact that the elf is 'real'.
Unlike Father Christmas who no one ever sees.
This is a real object in the real world that seems to be able to move by itself and your parents are telling you that this toy moves on it's own at night. And it has a sinister part in that it's watching you and telling Santa if you are bold.

Dh showed me that yesterday. I actually think it's hilarious, though a bit gross. Elf on a shelf creeps me out way more than that though.

I’d get the last laugh if I was her kid on Christmas day. “Look mummy. Elf on the shelf has flushed your Jean Paul Gaultier and Red Bull Six pack down the lavvy. Naughty Elf!”

My kids would have loved that. But they're odd little monsters though.

That’s a nasty trick to play on a child especially at 5 years old - not right

I'm the type of person to have an Annabelle or a Chucky doll being mysteriously moved round my house over an Elf any day.

I find the whole elf on the shelf thing really odd. But then again i am not from the UK and had never heard of it befoire, and am not christian either.

@sadie9

An elf moving every night is disturbing because it reinforces the fact that the elf is 'real'. Unlike Father Christmas who no one ever sees. This is a real object in the real world that seems to be able to move by itself and your parents are telling you that this toy moves on it's own at night. And it has a sinister part in that it's watching you and telling Santa if you are bold.

I'm almost 40 and I still give toys the side eye every now and then after watching Toy Story. They must be really good cos no matter how quietly I creep and how fast I open a door I've never caught the buggers moving yet.

I can see how it might be funny to an adult, but that's cruel if she did show her 5 year old.

I'm with those who find it funny for adults but not for a child.

@Whatnext2018

Poor kid..awful thing to do.

Out of interest, why do some think Elf on the shelf is disturbing? I don’t do it..yet, my Dd is still quite young, but a few I know do.

Oh- did I misunderstand what it was for? (possibly).i thought it was to sort of spy on kids and report back to santa if they were naughty. I am pretty sure this is how it was explianed to me by a colleague (who does it) but maybe that is not it from the other comments?

I have to admit, I laughed reading that. Probably should have done it to an older child, not a 5 year old though.

It is quite out there , on quiky side story,
I don't think it is a news worthy story,

Not a nice thing to do to her a little boy,("more like Nightmare before Christmas".
Typical American nonsense story, for this time of year

I suspose it is like the festive season equlivant of silly summer season so called new story

And it has a sinister part in that it's watching you and telling Santa if you are bold.

Never did elf on the shelf, but as a child I had 3 soft toys (bear, xmas mouse, reindeer) who would appear on my bed 1st december carrying my santa sack. They didn't get moved around every night, they were just my xmas toys to play with, but they were 'spies' from santa to see if I was good too.

I really don't recall finding it sinister. I loved them. They made it feel like xmas. I have passed them down to my own daughter and added a few extra to the clan...

What an abusive witch.

OMG people are weird. But then IMO trying to make children believe Santa is real is also weird (I went along with it, but I was relieved when they became suspicious and didn't prolong it - I think my DC inherited my bullshit detector :o)

I'm not easily shocked or upset but I think the bones and blood "elf" is really horrific. Poor 5yo!

Needless to say we've never had an elf but they had one at school and my DD always said she hated its face and the stupid places they put it.

The Elf on the shelf seems to be a thing that people that love sharing everything they do on social media really get into. Some trying to 'out do' each other with their 'hilarious' efforts. A bit 'naff' really.

As to the mother shared by the OP - yes sad that she felt the need to scare her 5 year old child and then finds it funny.

Just trying to think what reaction she was expecting from her 5 year old kid?! I agree it’s disturbing if she thought it was funny that he was really upset - surely she knew he would be.

I have seen this in meme form ( bones/sauce/saying its the elf) on SM for at least the last 4 years- so it's not a new idea/prank. I do, however, find it is a fucked up thing to do to a child of the age of her DD. Not my humor, but its harmless for children of an age who understand (maybe to old for elf on the shelf anyway by that age) or adults.
Elf on shelf wasn't around when mine was young, it doesn't bother me at all if anyone else does it but I get the serious cringe when parents plaster their elf on the shelf antics all over SM. It feels like performance parenting and the antics are always so tedious and extremely cringstatic. Do it for your kids by all means if it brings them joy, don't subject the rest of us too it. It's not about likes on social media or you getting back pats... its for the kids, no one else gives a fuck!