Life As I Know It
Being Good for Goodness Sake
When it comes to Santa, should kids behave just because Santa is watching?
About a week before Christmas last year, I thought I’d be clever and warn Gracie that “Santa is watching you” if she took a toy from Liam or refused to clean up her toys. This move worked for all of three days. Initially, the warning would stop Gracie in her tracks. But soon, it went unheeded, as Gracie is, shall we say, head-strong. It was while she was throwing crayons one afternoon last year that I had a flash of brilliance: Why should I encourage her to be good for Santa? Shouldn’t she be good for goodness sake, as noted in the song “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”? And besides, “Santa’s watching” loses its power in the middle of summer, and after about the 10th time you’ve said it in a day. Ask me how I know. This is why I hate and …
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