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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Found this bloody weird note….

406 replies

Radicalpiloti · 20/08/2025 00:04

Bit of a strange one. I finally got around to emptying my son’s schoolbag and amongst the utter rubbish (including a Batman figurine he insists isn’t his!) there was an envelope tucked inside with just “For You” written on it.

Inside was a list of instructions. Things like:

  • “Don’t forget to lock the back door at night.”
  • “Children should never sit on cold floors.”
  • “The blue cup is for milk, not juice.”
  • “Be careful who you trust with secrets.”

I asked DC where it came from and he just shrugged and said, dunno. Asked on my parent friends WhatsApp and they had no idea.

DH says I’m being dramatic and it’s probably nothing, but I feel really weird about it

i don’t even know what I’m asking but, wtf!

OP posts:
drhf · 20/08/2025 06:28

If you can’t find the phrases online, then it sounds like the kids have made up their own chain letter or similar “spooky” game.

Your son probably either forgot he was playing (school did break up a while ago) or thought he might get in trouble so denied it. I wouldn’t be alarmed by the neat handwriting - some children do have neat writing at 10.

Assuming he’s still at the same school (about to start Y6) I’d drop it off with the teacher in September. You can acknowledge that the kids have probably forgotten all about it over the summer, but say you thought you’d let the school know it was going around. Some sensitive children can get scared by these games, although it sounds like your son isn’t bothered at all. If he’s going into secondary I wouldn’t bother.

myplace · 20/08/2025 06:29

Have you had the ‘secrets’ chat, OP?

Surprises are ok, but no one should ever ask you to keep a secret from your parents.

That kind of thing?

CosmicScouser · 20/08/2025 06:37

Hi I used to work in a shop that sold children's backpacks and sometimes I would check the backpacks because people would come in the shop and leave things in them like religious leaflets etc.

Is it a new bag?
Is it obviously a child's bag?
Was it left lying around anywhere?

There are some weirdos out there but I wouldn't be worried about it

BetweenTwoFerns · 20/08/2025 06:40

It could be that s child has written down the middle word in predictive text on an iPad during ‘golden time’ in the last few days. Or some other AI generating site

Then it’s either been put in the wrong bag or your son was with the scribe on an iPad has forgotten about it as it was a non event.

These are the ones my iPad has come up with just from the middle button.

“The people that were in attendance at that meeting are not going anywhere”
“is that what they say about the president of the union”
“don’t you agree with me that they have to be fired”

StressedOot3 · 20/08/2025 06:40

All my kids used to come home with an absolute pile of rubbish in their bags at the end of term. More than likely him and everyone at his desk had things sitting out on the table and he's picked up some things belonging to others by accident. Sounds like something a girls wrote to a friend, as they can have really neat writing. I wouldn't have even given it another thought.

notacooldad · 20/08/2025 06:47

If it was a popular bag I would assume that the kids have picked up and used the wrong one at some point and the bag is someone elses is or they have managed to get the right bag back to the right person. The batman figure makes me think that.

ElfAndSafetyBored · 20/08/2025 06:48

Check his books to see if it’s his teachers handwriting.

BlueJuniper94 · 20/08/2025 06:50

GreenLeaf25 · 20/08/2025 00:09

What is scary is the last point on that list.

It doesn't say don't tell anyone secrets - just be careful who you trust. You're right I don't like it, I'm just trying not to assume anything too sinister.

Glitchymn1 · 20/08/2025 06:50

Pop it in to ChatGPT it can analyse handwriting, tone, psychological cues (might freak you out more).

On a serious note you could speak to the school about it, if it’s an adults writing. I think another parent or grandparent has popped a note in their child’s bag and they’ve taken it out and put it in your child’s bag or your child found it, picked it up, forgot about it.

BlueJuniper94 · 20/08/2025 06:52

Can we see the full list? A photo even?

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 20/08/2025 06:53

It's probably a note from a parent to another kid - and your kid has picked it up.

I used to write odd little notes for my girls to pop in their lunch boxes. Can't think what they said but may have seemed weird to someone else!

Jumpthewaves · 20/08/2025 06:54

It doesn't sound scary or strange at all. It just sounds like the sort of sentences used to practice spelling and punctuation.

BettysRoasties · 20/08/2025 06:56

Likely some childish game story stuff. Based of things someone’s parent or grandparent has said to them.

One of mine around the same age alone or with friends seems to of written an entire story about killer purple sausages thousands of them.

Kids are weird at times, it’s all part of their growing imaginations while still being kids.

CurlewKate · 20/08/2025 07:00

What are you imagining?

hangerup · 20/08/2025 07:03

Surprises are ok, but no one should ever ask you to keep a secret from your parents.

Can't people read!

Be careful who you trust with secrets.”

Sage advice imo & doesn't mean keep secrets from your parents

PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice · 20/08/2025 07:10

It sounds like something from a school activity in comprehension or maybe a class game.

AloeVeraAloeFred · 20/08/2025 07:14

I don't understand the fuss. This sounds like a typical weird note written by another kid. A 10 year old's idea of creepy/scary. Leave him to it.

Even if you genuinely think there could be something more to this, which to be honest, some of the theories here I find laughable, then there is no reasonable course of action to take in response. If you talk to the school or ask friends or whatever, you will get nowhere (because it is a random note written by a 10 year old), embarrass your son, and look like a fool.

I grew up with a very anxious mother and it just resulted in me concealing as much of my life as possible from a young age so that I didn't have to manage her fretting all the time. With risk, it's important to prioritise. Safeguarding your children effectively doesn't involve fussing over absolutely everything including the obviously innocuous. It's more important to keep lines of communication open.

Charlieangle · 20/08/2025 07:15

I think they sound like pointers for a creative writing piece.
Has your son been given his years’ class books sent home? You could always look if there’s a story including one of those ideas?

Inapickle3012 · 20/08/2025 07:18

Honestly op you need to calm down and get a grip

Blessthismess2 · 20/08/2025 07:25

OP, you are really overreacting here and letting your imagination run wild. As others have said it’s probably some kids’ secret code thing / or some creative/ expressive writing, and of course he doesn’t want to discuss it with you. It’s just a piece of paper with some nonsense written on it.

Blessthismess2 · 20/08/2025 07:26

JackGrealishsBobbySocks · 20/08/2025 00:16

I think you need to go into the dark kitchen by yourself now, after midnight, take a deep breath, pour some juice in the blue cup, and see what happens.

Make sure the back door is locked and don't look at the window

Edited

😂😂😂

Onelifeonly · 20/08/2025 07:28

You know some / many 10 year olds can write neatly, don't you?

Assuming he is about go into year 6, it sounds very plausible to me (work in primary school) that it would have been written by another year 5 child.

AmateurDramatics · 20/08/2025 07:31

Glitchymn1 · 20/08/2025 06:50

Pop it in to ChatGPT it can analyse handwriting, tone, psychological cues (might freak you out more).

On a serious note you could speak to the school about it, if it’s an adults writing. I think another parent or grandparent has popped a note in their child’s bag and they’ve taken it out and put it in your child’s bag or your child found it, picked it up, forgot about it.

Yeah it seems fairly obvious to me this is exactly what it is! Old person with a bit of anxiety trying to give some advice to a kid at the same school and the note ended up in the wrong bag.

Blessthismess2 · 20/08/2025 07:35

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ due to privacy concerns.

Oh please, stop being so silly.

Of course 10 year old children are allowed some privacy from their parents.

And it’s not ok to imply people are creepy child predators because they disagree with you.

GrumblyHedge · 20/08/2025 07:37

WellThisIsFranklyDreadful · 20/08/2025 00:53

Why are you being so dramatic about this? Someone probably just mixed bags up and put it in the wrong one or your son picked it up by mistake. Stop being such a drama llama!

I think we’re about four years past the point where calling someone a drama llama became more about you than them.