Mum sparks debate with 'no present' threat

We’ve all heard the old tale that good children will get presents, and bad children will get coal or a parallel nasty surprise come Christmas morning.

Few of us have ever truly considered following through with the ominous warning for fear of chaos, anarchy and general childhood trauma.

Now one mum has bucked the trend and decided to seriously consider Santa’s threat to teach her misbehaving child a lesson, and it has predictably sparked quite the debate.

Taking to MumsNet, the UK woman shared her distress when her eldest son began threatening to tell his younger sister that Santa Clause isn’t real.

“Our 10-year-old is threatening to tell his 6-year-old Sister that Father Christmas isn't real,” she wrote. “He is trying to use this information to blackmail us. When he is given consequences he will say either cancel my consequences or I'll tell her the truth about Christmas.”

The tricky situation of dealing with a challenging child compounded by the prospect of another kid’s Christmas being ruined left the mum at her wit’s end.

We have said we won't put up with his behaviour and if he did tell her he would not receive any Christmas presents,” she explained. “I know it would cause massive upset & ruin our Christmas but he acts so entitled & really only cares about himself.”

Other parents weigh in

Other parents flooded to the post with over 200 pieces of advice left for the mum.

Most argued that taking away Christmas presents was a bad idea all round.

“I don’t think ruining the day for the whole family is the way to go,” one woman wrote.

“However it’s time to have a major rethink on how you are managing his behaviour as it’s currently not going well.”

“I think cancelling Christmas for him I pretty terrible. Despite the fact that you may think
he ‘deserves it’, he isn’t going to accept that himself,” another wrote.

Some, however, argued the line that consequences have to be delivered.

“I would do exactly what you have threatened and then explain to his sister why he isn't getting any presents - because everyone knows Santa only gives to good children and trying to spoil her Christmas is not good,” one wrote.

“I would do it. If he knows the consequences first it is his choice whether or not he receives Christmas presents,” another agreed.

The debate rages on, and parents of tricky keds everywhere may find themselves sympathising with the idea, but do you think we can really withhold Christmas presents from kids?

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