One of the better known, and goofy, traditions of the Christmas season is the elf on the shelf. We know lots of folks that participate, and lots of others that don’t. This silly elf stuff feels like it’s 100 years old, doesn’t it? The little guy in red seems to be everywhere, in homes, offices, all over Facebook and Instagram and he’s even here in our little pediatric dentist office. Surely he dates to the Eisenhower administration, correct?
Nope. That elf guy has only been around since Christmas of 2005. Talk about market saturation! Hey, I’ve got patients born around the same time and they come in here running through the office looking for our Hermie, our elf, wanting to know what foolishness he got himself into last night.
We all have our theories on the elf. Some of our moms and dads think he’s creepy and some think the elf teaches the wrong subject matter. Is it magic? Are we teaching our kids to believe that little stuffed dolls can somehow animate themselves and get caught swiping Christmas candy or driving around in Barbie’s corvette?
Well, yes. And no.
I don’t think it’s some much about magic and mischief but rather the Elf, at least to me, represents achievement. How so?
For the Elf to make his magic, us parents have to buy in. After we’ve put our little ones to bed it’s up to us to plan and create a little morning magic. We’re the ones that must force ourselves to do one more thing for our little ones when we’re exhausted from a long day of work and parenting and commuting and cooking and cutting grass. Because being a kid is hard and comes with stress so why not offer them a little morning surprise? Why not let them find a mischievous little red dude raiding the fridge?
And if we can create a world full of wonder and achievement, then some of that magic should stay with our little ones. Because when a five-year-old says “I’m going to be an astronaut when I grow up” that statement requires the same suspension of reality as does believing a stuffed elf doll makes havoc during the night. To a little one, those big dreams don’t take into account the grueling physical and mental requirements it takes to become an astronaut, however in order for that dream to become reality it’s going to take a serious attitude that must be developed when they’re young. If a teenager is thrust into an applied physics class for no particular reason, why would they succeed? However, if they’re in it to win it and they’re holding onto a long-term goal, then a class on applied physics becomes a steppingstone to the goal.
Does that make sense? Hey, I know not all the little ones will go on to become astronauts; most will become teachers, electricians, bankers, entrepreneurs, chefs, coaches and perhaps some will become pediatric dentists. Whatever route they choose they’ll need to have a sense of wonder and excitement and that’s where the little red guy comes in. If we as parents can create that daily sense of wonder, just imagine where that will take them. It’s that sense of wonder and amazement that propelled a goofy kid from the wilds of Kentucky to be your little one’s Pediatric Dentist.
From all of us to all of you, we wish you the merriest of Christmas, the happiest of holidays, and a child’s sense of wonder and amazement as a new year draws close.
And as always if you or someone you know is looking for a great dentist’s office for their little ones, where magic in the form of pediatric dentistry happens daily, stop in or give us a call. Find us at 420 B The Parkway just off Pelham Road at I85 or call us at 864 877-3232
