Would you ever joke about murdering or harming your child?

[Candlelitlunch]

Inspired by a Facebook post I was reading earlier where the OP was upset at seeing a message a man had written about her child saying he would "hopefully decapitate the little cunt". I was surprised at a lot of people replying that it's just a joke and they would also joke about hurting their children if they were being annoying.

Would you joke about decapitating or do you joke about hurting your child or would you also find this behaviour odd?

Not that graphic but milder and much more obviously jokes, yes.
I talk about the time I gratefully yeeted my baby across the room into the waiting arms of his grandma.

I'll say things like boot you up the backside.

But decapitation is beyond what could reasonably be considered good natured joking.

Where on earth on Facebook are people posting about their toddler and someone else is responding they hope someone decapitates a toddler who they have referred to as a cunt? I threatened to break both my teenage sons legs as a joke this weekend but that was between us and it was clear i was joking. I would never say that about someone else's child on social media, let alone call them a cunt

Anyone who reads what was said and then tries to justify it needs to have a long, hard look at themselves.

The same for anyone trying to make out it’s the same as saying “I’ll knock your block off” or “I’ll murder you when I get home”.

Absolutely vile.

Yes but not using that language

I don't like any threats of any kind, no matter how mild or 'jokey'

That’s horrible

Surely it primarily depends on intent. For the most part most parents don’t have any intention of laying even a finger on their child let alone someone else’s.
It’s just being used for effect to express extreme irritation. It’s like saying ‘if I have to watch Peppa pig one more time today I’ll gouge my own eyes out’. You’re not going to do it but those around you understand that your dislike of Peppa is quite profound.

That's a horrendous thing to say!

The worse I joke with my kids is that I'm going to send them to the moon for a visit. Ridiculous enough for them to know its not serious!

You’ve left out quite a few salient details OP.

Yes.
I was a teacher.

I used to (admittedly with the classes I knew) regularly threaten to kill people who annoyed me.

So I'd say something like

And I need your homework in on Friday because I'm marking over the weekend and if it's late I shall boil you in oil.

Most classes didn't have a problem. One autistic lad decided it was funny and used to come up with more exotic ways to kill people.

Context made clear it wasn't serious.

Like what?

I joke with my kids a lot, but I wouldn't joke about " the little cunts hopefully getting decapitated". Either about my own or saying it to someone about their child.

No that is disgusting, and using the C word makes it 10 times worse. Having several sons I have many times muttered under my breath: I'll bloody murder you lot if you don't stop that, when they were actually trying to murder each other ☺️😉

Most of the examples given by PPs are pretty normal, especially in a joking context, IMO. I come from a family with a pretty dark sense of humour and extravagant and improbable threats of torture would have made us laugh.

Context isn't really clear but example in the OP doesn't seem to be a joke and I think using the word cunt about a child is over the line on any occasion.

That the cursing and graphic violence “joke” had been directed at a toddler.
Of course this example is utterly unacceptable. But I too wonder why someone would complain about this on Facebook to a group of strangers. The cyclic in me questions the verity of the story and would have thought that it’s made up.

Well people were happy to joke about my children dying on MN 🤷‍♀️

Why would anyone do that? 😦

Yes, this. My mum would tell my DC she was going to smack their bottoms and throw them in the bin. She even claimed she had a 'bottom smacker' and would say 'I'm going to fetch it...' Or say 'Be careful, its bin day so there's plenty of room for you all' The DC thought it was hilarious because it was so far away from what she'd ever do, and was clearly a joke, the joke being what a ridiculous thought it was. The comment in the OP is, as you say, too graphic and the language too aggressive and adult in nature.

i don't do that, but my parents and grandparents would say they'd snap my neck if i didn't stop messing about

@Armyofrock fair enough. To be honest I thought jd said that in the OP and I don't think I can edit posts in the app?

It's dark but not humorous though. I'm all for dark humour, but calling someone (anyone) a cunt is lazy, not funny.