"Santa is very angry and I'm disappointed. BE GOOD + say sorry to mum. You all have one week to improve. I'm watching."
The Australian mother's warning to her misbehaving kids received praise from parents on social media, commenting that it was "great to see a parent in control" and that her tactics taught "value to greedy middle-class kids."
However, not everyone agreed with the mother's bid to cancel Christmas.
"It's too harsh," one person wrote, "We used to say 'Remember Santa's watching'. No threats, no drama and it worked a treat in our house."
The tree had been completely wrapped in cling film. Photo / Facebook
While another person said it was a "terrible" parenting move, as the mother's demands were not direct enough:
"It's terrible parenting because it's using threats and bribes. Consequences should always be directly related and immediate.
What behaviour needs to change? How are you helping your children improve their behaviour? Be clear (and realistic) in your expectations and don't forget to model the behaviour you want to see."
There's no word on how the kids themselves took the thought of Christmas being cancelled – but here's hoping they get back into Mum's (and Santa's) good books before December 25.
