With the holidays fast approaching, most parents get their young children in the festive spirit by telling them to write Santa their Christmas wish or buying them Elf on the Shelf.
However, one teacher who told one of her students the ‘truth’ about Elf on the Shelf has faced the wrath of a mother.
Taking to Reddit, the unnamed teacher explained that one of her pupils had been asking her where the elf toys came from and when she told him the truth, he was so shocked that he told his classmates about it.
But one mother was left furious about her child finding out the truth.
In her post, the teacher said: “I’m a private tutor and teach a fourth grader who has a lot of anxiety.
“He randomly brought up Elf on the Shelf and started frantically asking me where it came from and if I had one. I told him I didn’t have one and he told me he didn’t but he didn’t know why because he ‘celebrates Christmas.’
She then told the student that different families have different traditions and that maybe it wasn’t his family’s tradition.
“He asked me where the elf came from and I told him families bought the doll at the store,” she continued.
“He looked shocked and a friend told him the elf was real and came when you believed in Santa. I don’t have kids so I didn’t realize [sic] that kids, especially 9-10 years old, thought it was real.
“Later he told kids at school that the elf came from the store and one of the kids called his mom. Now his mom is mad at me and says it wasn’t my place to tell him the truth. I was only trying to make him feel less anxious.”
People on Reddit were quick to share their thoughts on the matter, with one person writing: “If the kid is asking it was good of you to explain especially to ease his anxiety.”
Another said: “There is a magic in the air near Christmastime, for young children. I personally don’t think that children need to know the truth at all, let them live in this magical world. And don’t spoil it.”
A third added: “Teachers are trained to educate children and protect their mental health. The mother of the boy with anxiety has just demonstrated exactly why her son has anxiety. Well done teacher, mother, stop projecting your nonsense attitudes onto your son. He must feel like he’s done something wrong. Most of the time. Poor lad.”
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