WASHINGTON 鈥� Waking up in a cold sweat 鈥� sometimes multiple times a night 鈥� is the norm for me. As a working parent of two young children, the mental to-do list doesn鈥檛 stop for sleep.
But these days, my middle-of-the-night wake-ups have less to do with forgotten bills and looming deadlines. Instead, I鈥檓 busy trying to remember where I last saw Cement Mixer.
Was she on the bookshelf in the living room? Over the mirror in the entryway? Did she even move from the dining room table, where she sat two nights prior?
鈥淐ement Mixer?鈥� you ask.
Yes, I know it鈥檚 odd. Trust me, I suggested sensible names, such as 鈥淪prinkles,鈥� 鈥淐andy Cane鈥� and 鈥淐omet,鈥� but my 2-year-old would not budge. He named our brand-new Elf on the Shelf 鈥淐ement Mixer.鈥�
Right after Cement Mixer鈥檚 arrival, she would pop up on the bathroom sink during tub time and sit on the window sill during the morning rush 鈥� just to soak it all in.
鈥淪he is watching you,鈥� I鈥檇 tell the toddler with those 鈥淚鈥檓 serious鈥� eyes.
鈥淏ut I am listening, mommy,鈥� he鈥檇 reply.
Perfect. This Santa-sent helper was the sugar-free bribe I鈥檇 been looking for all along.
That is, until Cement Mixer got lazy 鈥� maybe 鈥渓ess creative鈥� is a better way to phrase it. She seemed to run out of places to perch and peek in on things. Days would go by and she鈥檇 still be in the same spot, slightly more slouched than her previous posture.
My dad asked, 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 your elf cause mischief?鈥�
鈥淢ischief? What do you mean?鈥�
His response: 鈥淕oogle it.鈥�
That鈥檚 when I realized the North Pole sent us a dud.
Other families have elves that hang from doorways, build Legos with dinosaurs and bathe in mugs of hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows. They get into bags of M&M鈥檚, draw Minions on banana peels and slide into the silverware drawer.
鈥淪o this is how it鈥檚 done,鈥� I said to myself.
Hmmm…Too cool for spoons!
鈥� Anna Bickerton (@AnnaBickerton)
Oh no! The Elf has been making snow angels with our flour! Naughty Elf!
鈥� Slug and Lettuce Bedford (@SlugBedford)
You see, Cement Mixer is not just new to our family; she is new to me. The North Pole only started deploying its pint-size helpers , and since then, more than 11 million families have adopted the holiday tradition. Now we鈥檙e one of them, and I鈥檓 realizing that both Cement Mixer and I need a lesson in scout elf magic 鈥� and mischief.
Does your elf surprise the kids each morning? Does she find creative hiding spots or engage in playful narratives? Share your Elf on the Shelf photos and ideas 鈥� for all the new (and lazy) parents out there.
Tweet us with your best “elfies,” and follow along with our live blog for Elf on the Shelf photos, ideas and more this holiday season:聽
