Saying 'Santa wont come if you're naughty'.

[Teeki]

I don't really agree with the "Santa won't come if you're not good" thing. Firstly, because it's a pretty limited thing, what do you do for the rest of the year? And also because I don't really think Christmas is about "good" or "bad". It's about family and appreciation for us. There are gifts, but we focus on giving gifts to others to show our love and appreciation for them. We do the Santa thing because he's everywhere, but it's just an aside and we don't link it to behavior.

I think if I were your SIL I'd stop using it as a threat. She can't use the threat of no Christmas all year, and he can see through it anyway. I'd find other ways to work with him on his behavior. My cousins were exactly the same. My brother and I were "good" kids and our cousins were "bad" kids (swearing at and hitting their mum etc) yet they got more from Santa than us. They knew they could do what they wanted and any threats made wouldn't actually happen.

P.s. I'm the same with realising how wonderful DD is after the whirlwind from next door visited last week lol.

[trishalishous]

We dont do santa, but I dont believe in threats to encourage good behaviour. Like others have said, what do you do for the other 11 months of the year?