My 5-year-old is blaming her bad behavior on our Elf on the Shelf: ‘Seems like karma’

A five-year-old has outsmarted her mom with the family’s Elf on the Shelf.  

Her mother is now torn about how to handle things, feeling like her daughter has played the ultimate Uno reverse card. 

“She is lying to me”

In a Reddit post, she explains:

“My daughter (5) keeps doing cheeky things and saying the Elf on the Shelf did it.

“Last night, the elf got into the cotton balls and Q-tips and made snowflakes on the bathroom counter. My daughter, this afternoon came out of the bathroom and said Mom, the elf made snowflakes with the flossers, too!

“She obviously knows that the elf did no such thing — and they she arranged the flossers. So she’s lying to me.”

Now, the mom is grappling with the moral dilemma of balancing honesty from her girl, with preserving Christmas magic. 

“So she must know the elf is fake? But maybe not,” she ponders.

“I don’t know what to do. She keeps doing this sort of thing and I’m just at a loss. Do I do nothing?” 

“Seems like karma”

The comment section offered reassurance, suggesting the behaviour is harmless and imaginative. 

“Kinda sounds like she just wants to play the game too,” one commenter wrote. 

“Oh, how the turns have tabled,” added another. 

Some were more critical.  

“You teach her that this inanimate object is “doing” these “acts”, but then when she does the same, you want to know if you should punish her?” read one harsh response.  

And this group member simply responded: “Seems like karma to me.” 

“More magical” 

In a follow-up comment, the mom clarified her position, insisting that she wasn’t looking to punish her child.  

“I am not upset with her at all and have acted surprised at everything she’s made the elf do. I just wanted to know if I should talk with her about the elf and it being real,” she said. 

While she initially worried her daughter’s involvement might spoil the magic, she’s since come to a decision. 

“I was worried that with her doing this it wasn’t magical anymore but I think the perspectives here are right,” she wrote.

“I’ve decided after getting responses that I will not talk with her and just continue on unless she asks me.” 

Ultimately, she’s embraced the Christmas creativity. 

“It is more magical that she’s participating,” she concluded.