Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want my son’s school to say they have “Santa Cam”

151 replies

cattyfranny · 30/09/2022 19:46

My son is in year 2, today he said someone asked what the red light was on the wall (it’s part of the security system or similar) he told me the teacher’s explanation was that it is a “Santa cam” that he has them everywhere to watch them to make sure they’re being good.

We don’t do elf on the shelf etc and don’t ever suggest he is being watched or checked on by Santa or anyone else for that matter.

He asked me if he was being watched all the time so I told him she was just joking with them.

I don’t really think she should have said it but DH thinks I might be being too sensitive about it and it is just a lighthearted joke.

Would you be annoyed about it or am I overthinking it?

OP posts:
SleepingStandingUp · 30/09/2022 20:00

Next time it's mentioned, tell him to put his hand up, tell the teacher it's wrong to lie and that Santa isn't real. That'll teach him!!

Seriously tho, you've told DS it isn't, if the teacher repeats it tell DS it's just a way to make the naughty kids be good but it's just a tease.

bellac11 · 30/09/2022 20:01

godmum56 · 30/09/2022 19:58

I belive it was intended as a joke but are there going to be kids in the class who Santa doesn't visit....also if there are eg Jewish or Muslim kids in the class, they won't give a damn about santa as for loads of them Santa isn't a part of their lives. Gonna say ill judged joke

Jesus is a prophet in Islam, he is celebrated and revered.

Meltingsocks · 30/09/2022 20:01

Just tell him it's not true. I do the same when my kids come home crying asking why only Jesus can come back from the dead, explain that's also not true, no one can.

Schools should learn to deal only in facts or face push back from parents

Voice0fReason · 30/09/2022 20:02

Why is it fun to make your child believe that Christmas presents are dependent on them being nice?

I would tell him it's not true.

Florenz · 30/09/2022 20:04

Tell your DS that the teacher misread the label and it's actually a Satan Cam.

SummerHouse · 30/09/2022 20:05

Agree with you OP. When I read the "elf on the shelf" book I immediately hid it. Don't know what that smirky little spy made of that. I wouldn't do anything about it, just quietly disagree and set my child straight as you have. We have unconditional presents here and have never mentioned being good.

Twillow · 30/09/2022 20:06

I'd be annoyed too that my children were being lied to about a non-existent being and that they were being told they were spied upon.

Kanaloa · 30/09/2022 20:06

I never told my kids Santa was real so I would have just said ‘haha your teacher is just joking because Santa isn’t real, just a story. It’s a bit like if I said iron man was downstairs, just a joke/game/story. The red light is probably a security camera or maybe an electric light or something.’ Then he knows it’s not real.

Ginflinger · 30/09/2022 20:08

What the teacher said was bullshit and misleading. I don't say bullshit misleading stuff in a professional setting. Why should they?

Stickworm · 30/09/2022 20:08

i can understand people saying overthinking, but this sort of thing would terrify my daughter as she’s really sensitive and she wouldn’t believe me when I say it’s not true! She had nightmares about elf on the bloody shelf last year and we didn’t even have it in our own house! School is BU.

Twillow · 30/09/2022 20:10

bellac11 · 30/09/2022 20:01

Jesus is a prophet in Islam, he is celebrated and revered.

Show quote history

Well yes, that's true - but Santa isn't revered in Christianity, Islam or Judaism! He's Pagan by origin but today mainly Victorian sentimental tradition.

DuckBilledFattypus · 30/09/2022 20:12

Florenz · 30/09/2022 20:04

Tell your DS that the teacher misread the label and it's actually a Satan Cam.

🤣

girlmom21 · 30/09/2022 20:12

Florenz · 30/09/2022 20:04

Tell your DS that the teacher misread the label and it's actually a Satan Cam.

😂😂😂

bellac11 · 30/09/2022 20:14

Twillow · 30/09/2022 20:10

Well yes, that's true - but Santa isn't revered in Christianity, Islam or Judaism! He's Pagan by origin but today mainly Victorian sentimental tradition.

Show quote history

The poster said that Santa wasnt part of their lives, which I thought implied that the poster thought that if someone is Jewish or Islamic they wont be celebrating Christmas, but notwithstanding that the majority of people living in the UK celebrate or at least observe Christmas regardless of their religions,, the fact remains that Christmas (not called Christmas) is 'celebrated' by most UK Muslims not just because its a UK festival but because Jesus is a prophet.

bellac11 · 30/09/2022 20:15

Therefore Santa of course is part of their winter lives.

Noteverybodylives · 30/09/2022 20:16

this with santa bells on. People just love to get offended.

😂😂😂

So funny!
And yep I completely agree. Some people will literally try and find things to get offended about.

Thinkbiglittleone · 30/09/2022 20:17

I think you dealt with it fine. I would tell our DS the same. That of course it was a joke as Father Christmas isn't watching you at school.

We already tell him he will get presents wether he is good or not. We want him to behave out of respect for us, not to get pressies.

Ponderingwindow · 30/09/2022 20:17

The teacher should not have said that. It is culturally insensitive.

I also wouldn’t raise it with the school. Ours went all in on Christmas and we just had to let it go. We had other battles to fight.

tell your child the teacher was joking and that there is no such thing as a Santa Cam.

StoneofDestiny · 30/09/2022 20:19

I remember being told as a child I had a guardian Angel and that God saw everything I did.
Kept me on the straight and narrow 😂

dandelionthistle · 30/09/2022 20:19

Threelittlelambs · 30/09/2022 19:59

Can you imagine being five and constantly worrying you won’t get any presents because you think you’ve been “naughty”. Kids have enough to worry about without that added horror

Much better that they expect to receive everything without having put any effort in it and regardless of their behaviour.

Imagine bribing your children with presents to get them to behave as you'd like. 😲

Cherrysherbet · 30/09/2022 20:22

Overthinking it op

Lcb123 · 30/09/2022 20:23

It’s obv a joke. Your kid will have forgotten tomorrow

bellac11 · 30/09/2022 20:23

Ponderingwindow · 30/09/2022 20:17

The teacher should not have said that. It is culturally insensitive.

I also wouldn’t raise it with the school. Ours went all in on Christmas and we just had to let it go. We had other battles to fight.

tell your child the teacher was joking and that there is no such thing as a Santa Cam.

Culturally insensitive?

surreygirl1987 · 30/09/2022 20:25

I hate the elf on the surveillance stuff. I wouldn't like it. I wouldn't actually complain though.

Pebblebeach15 · 30/09/2022 20:26

Are you in Kent op ? My dc is in year 2 and has been told exactly the same by his teacher this week .