You Better Watch Out

I love this time of year.  Not because of the amazing cheesy movies that the W network plays all month, which for some reason makes a little part of me want to be a better person.  And it's not because this time of year you are allowed to eat chocolate non stop, and bake, and eat - it's encouraged.  And it's not because this is the time of year when I completely feel like a kid again - how can you not what with all the crafts, baking and traditional Christmas cartoons on.  Nope, I don't like this time of year for any of those reasons - I use to but then I had kids.  No, I love this time of year because I can pawn off being the bad cop to the jolly old fat man.  Yes, I use the whole 'you better behave or Santa won't stop here' ploy as much as I can - especially now that Christmas is what about 2 weeks away.  I don't do the whole Elf on a shelf thing, maybe when my girls are older, I use the big man himself.  My girls are not terrible, well Leah is only a year so she kind of doesn't count, and Grace my oldest isn't bad either - she just acts like your typical 4 year old.  She is very jumpy (not in the scared easily way she is physically jumping pretty much all of the time) and gets excited really easily and talks a lot but I wouldn't consider her bad - she just needs guiding and some days a lot of reminding which is why I love to bring in St. Nick.  Grace understands about Santa, she gets the whole concept and I am finding it working....sometimes a bit too easily.

Me: Grace have you gotten dressed yet (this is me asking for the third time)
Grace: Not yet.
Me: Santa's watching
Grace quickly gets dressed.

Me: Grace can you please stop talking and eat
Grace: I just have to say one more thing
Me: You said the last thing was your one more thing and by the way Santa is watching.
Grace has just finished her dinner in about 2 mouthfuls.

I know it sounds creepy, as if this old man is constantly watching my daughter and I didn't think I would be that type of parent who would use Santa in this sort of negative way but it works and it gives me a break.  And I have come to realize that when you are dealing with kids and you find something that works, no matter how odd it may seem, you stick with it.  Is it strange to use the Easter Bunny in the same way??