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Original poster

DS and practical jokes

25 replies

Faynite · 02/12/2020 23:14

DS (nearly 8) has loved practical jokes / booby traps since watching Home Alone.

Tonight’s offering was to open a travel sized tube of shampoo and leave under my bed covers. I duly climbed into bed only to find my legs suddenly all wet and slimy. Mattress cover, undersheet and duvet cover all had to be changed.

I am not happy, and have taken away his beloved Harry Potter advent calendar (he’s asleep and currently unaware). He has been so excited to open it, is this punishment too harsh - what would you do?

OP posts:

Clawdy · 02/12/2020 23:19

I'd give him a good telling off explaining that it's not funny in any way....but the advent calendar removal is too harsh!

sheworkshardforthemoney · 02/12/2020 23:19

I think 8 is old enough to know what your reaction was likely to be!

You were hardly going to laugh/ think it a good prank.

I wouldn't have taken away his advent though.

Sit him down and tell him it wasn't appropriate and that he needs to change the sheets/ do the washing

Or naughty step for 8 minutes

CunnyLingus · 02/12/2020 23:24

As a practical joker with a very dry sense of humour I say not to punish him. At eight he is only starting to learn how to interact and humour is a powerful way of communication. Through humour he will learn about boundaries, but what you do to an 8 year old has a more profound effect than a young teen.

Lighten up. It was a travel sized tube and maybe give him more credit than you should. He did not put a litre bottle down there.

FunTimes2020 · 02/12/2020 23:34

Ah bless him, put the advent calendar back! He's not being malicious, just not thinking it through. Tell him you love to have fun and a joke, but that he got this one wrong. Then ask him to strip your bed and help change the sheet

falcon5 · 02/12/2020 23:42

Ah no. Youre mad right now but he's still only a 7 year old and to take away something he loves is too hard for something not done out of spite. He got it wrong but he wSnt being horrible. Yes, make him change the beds with you this week and talk to him but please put his calendar back.

dhisreadingmypostsagain · 02/12/2020 23:48

Arhhh no too harsh, he didn't know the consequences, maybe teach him how to load and use the washing machine instead.

He sounds fun!

Inpeace · 02/12/2020 23:49

Natural consequences would be better - they say.

So he needs to have bed making tasks. And or replace the shampoo from pocket money.

If you stick with the advent calendar removal it will be remembered for ever.

safariboot · 02/12/2020 23:52

Open the bottom of the advent calendar, remove the tray of whatever, close it back up

MummytoCSJH · 02/12/2020 23:54

Hes 7 and probably didn't properly think it through to the end. Advent calendar removal is far too harsh but do stress that you had to clean because of him (and no I wouldn't make him do it) and he needs to think through what will happen once the joke/prank is over.

AIMD · 02/12/2020 23:56

I wouldn’t take away the advent Callander (can’t stop auto changing the spelling).

I would probably explain why what he did wasn’t a joke. Ask him to put the sheets on to wash and dry and then expect him to help remake the bed. Possibly I’d ask for him to pay for more product out of his money or I might leave it at helping clear up.

Well that’s what I’d want to do. What i would do in the moment might be different!!

AIMD · 02/12/2020 23:57

I don’t like taking away of toys or spoiling of Xmas/birthday things as punishments. These things are meant to be enjoyed events or gifts. Feels unkind to use them as a behaviour tool.

MedusasBadHairDay · 02/12/2020 23:59

I think it depends on what happened with previous practical jokes, if he already been told to stop then yes, take the advent calendar away. If the others were laughed at, then I wouldn't punish, I'd just have a conversation about there being a limit where the jokes stop being funny.

Witchend · 03/12/2020 00:00

I think taking it away for the morning is reasonable, but would probably give it back after school, after you've talked about why what he did was unacceptable.

I would also get him to wash the sheets and hang them up and help fold them up to put them away to make a point that it caused me a lot of work.

Twobrews · 03/12/2020 00:06

Give the calendar back and put shampoo in his bed tomorrow.

Stompythedinosaur · 03/12/2020 00:15

I dont think that's really a situation deserving of anything more than a conversation to explain that a joke is only funny if everyone involved is laughing.

Champagneforeveryone · 03/12/2020 01:28

TBF that's a very Home Alone type joke, and in films like that it's always funny. I can see why he wouldn't realise it's a mistake.

I may be in a minority, but I would have woken him up to help change the bed while I showered and would have foregone the punishment.

ShinyGreenElephant · 03/12/2020 23:38

@Twobrews that's made me laugh so much for some reason!

@Faynite I once challenged my DD and DSD when they were 6 and 7 to come up with a home alone style booby trap... ended up with bright red acrylic paint all over my hair and hall carpet which had to be replaced (the carpet not the hair!) So it could be worse... I couldn't even tell them off as it was entirely my own fault.

Damnloginpopup · 04/12/2020 03:44

Advent calendars are time sensitive, not the right punishment really.

I'd shit in his shoes. Or maybe put some shampoo in them...

beingsunny · 04/12/2020 04:17

My 8yo DS is going through this phase too, don't let him watch YouTube for practical jokes!

Mine has so far placed a cup of water on the ajar cupboard door in the kitchen, I made him clean up.

He also cellotaped up the bathroom tap so when I turned it on it sprayed in my face,

Ive mostly leant towards how much effort he has taken to plan these jokes and they are a bit funny but he's also been told off.

I haven't really punished him though I can see how annoying it would be with the shampoo incident.

I'd do as a pp suggested and remove the chocolate insert tray from his calendar and call it a prank. Then when he realises the jokes aren't always funny use the moment to have a conversation about whether the pranked person will laugh too as I'm sure he won't laugh at his empty calendar door

Mumofstanley · 04/12/2020 04:21

I would of made him change my bed sheets. Bit late now though. I'm in the minority and would of been mad.

katy1213 · 04/12/2020 04:35

Advent calendar sounds good to me. Just tell him that some people have a different sense of humour and unfortunately that's yours.

midnightstar66 · 04/12/2020 05:06

I'd put the calendar back and remove tech, also sleep on the sofa if it's comfy (probably too late for that now) and make him clean it up. He'll be less keen if he has to keep cleaning up his pranks

PinkSkyBlue · 04/12/2020 05:38

I'd actually do the same back to him, but I'm immature like that

MysweetAudrina · 04/12/2020 06:12

Up the ante. Don't punish as he is exploring boundaries and has just crossed yours. I would be pissed off too but would also end up chuckling once the annoyance had worn off. Maybe empty his calendar box tomorrow and replace it with the shampoo as a joke and see does he finds it funny and use it as a opportunity to discuss the difference between reactions to what one person might find funny but that the recipient might find annoying or hurtful

Original poster

Faynite · 04/12/2020 14:07

Thanks so much for all the responses, and helping me to deal with the budding evil genius. I didn’t take the calendar away, I popped a little mild chilli powder on the chocolate at door number 3. We’ve had a good chat about the line between funny and mean.

Thank you also for helping me see the funny side.

OP posts:

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