Should parents use Elf on the Shelf technology to monitor children?
Posted December 12, 2015 11:54 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Parents try almost everything to keep their children in line this time of year, but there’s one option is a lot more popular than others, but should you use it?
An education expert says you may want to use some caution with Elf on the Shelf.
Sure the dolls look cute but there’s a dangerous lesson there, according to Professor Laura Pinto with the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
“Maybe start with the elves and that’s one form of voluntarily surrender privacy and if you don’t question it or talk about, you just think ‘OK, that’s normal.'”
So, how do you approach discussions with your kids about willingly giving up their privacy when there’s a benefit down the road?
“Have conversations with them about what is the elf doing? How do you feel about this? What are some of the good things about the elf being here and what are some of the negative things — are there any shortcomings to the elf watching you?”
For the record, Pinto says she completely understands why parents use Elf on the Shelf.
