Colman Noctor: Should we tell our children that 'Santa is watching'? 

I remember my parents telling me to rein in my behaviour because I was at risk of ending up on the naughty list and getting a lump of coal as a present on Christmas morning

Saying 'I am telling Santa' is not optimal as a parenting technique as it gives the child little opportunity to learn about their behaviour. Ideally, parenting sanctions need to help the child understand what they have done wrong and how they might better manage it in the future

I was recently contacted by a parent who asked me if threatening to tell Santa about their child's misbehaviour could be traumatising for them.

The parent was concerned after reading an article in a newspaper that suggested using such tactics could cause a child to repress their feelings, becoming an adult who cannot self-regulate and avoids difficulties.