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AIBU?

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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:
User09835 · 20/08/2025 08:30

It sounds exactly like a note a mum would wrote to her child who is spending several days away from her at their ex partner's home. Some points could be related to what has already happened before, eg having sat on cold floors. It's written in third person to make it feel more generalised rather than direct instructions. Same for the ones about keeping secrets. That's often taught to children to protect them from abuse.

The thing about the blue cup and locked door would make sense if she knows the home he's going to, so either ex partner or grandparents. It doesn't feel like a note for a sleepover at a friends. Must have ended up in your son's bag by accident.

RentalWoesNotFun · 20/08/2025 08:32

The secrets one is not something I’d expect. Not sure about that at all.

I think just to keep myself right I’d photograph it and email the school. There could be something going on somewhere that’s not good and it just keeps you right. Or it could be a daft game the teachers know about or even started.

If it’s nothing then that’s fine. An email takes seconds.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 20/08/2025 08:34

ekk100 · 20/08/2025 08:27

This brings back hilarious memories, as it sounds exactly like the 'rules' my friends and I wrote when we started a secret gang. We knew a secret gang needed rules but we couldn't think of many, so just ended up all pitching in rules from our various homes. I think we even had one about cleaning out the hamsters weekly.

Agreed, but it was ok because we formed a singing group after, so the secret gang was then dispersed!

We didn’t make it into the big time, This also got dispersed! I’m not Geri Haliwell!

IesuGrist1975 · 20/08/2025 08:34

They look like sentences for copying to practice handwriting or grammar in primary school?!

Illjusthavethebreadsticks · 20/08/2025 08:35

Could you ask the teacher ?

Cherrysoup · 20/08/2025 08:35

Do you have a blue cup? Quite specific.

Jumpthewaves · 20/08/2025 08:36

RentalWoesNotFun · 20/08/2025 08:32

The secrets one is not something I’d expect. Not sure about that at all.

I think just to keep myself right I’d photograph it and email the school. There could be something going on somewhere that’s not good and it just keeps you right. Or it could be a daft game the teachers know about or even started.

If it’s nothing then that’s fine. An email takes seconds.

Nothing remotely strange about it, secret and careful are commonly misspelt words so it's highly likely they are practice sentences. I'm all for protecting children, but any worry about this is unnecessary, as is sending emails to schools about non-issues.

Secretroses · 20/08/2025 08:36

Is there a website/Facebook page on the note and does it have a string attached for hanging? In our area, a local, retired lady used to make notes and hang them up on bushes and trees for children to find. It had random messages and pictures but was all very innocent and children used to get excited if they found one.

R0setheHat · 20/08/2025 08:38

Hmm 🤔 on the face of it, it’s 4 pieces of pretty sound advice. You never want to mix milk with juice residue …

WillyWonkasPurpleHat · 20/08/2025 08:39

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

😂😂😂

If the OP doesn't come back then maybe we know what happened....

wandawaves · 20/08/2025 08:40

Far out, people are weird.

There is nothing spooky or sinister or creepy or strange about this. What are you all seeing that I'm not seeing?

And suggesting to email the school??? 🤣🤣🤣 You people need to get out more.

Ifoott · 20/08/2025 08:42

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!

Hello,

I think this sounds creepy, if you look at it that way, but isn’t anything to worry about. I do understand you being freaked out. However this could be a number of things ….. a class exercise (maybe they read a book linked to these phrases where a boy wrote a letter, and the teacher asked them to do an exercise around this and he just forgot about it) , a game, completely random person being completely random because they’re kids, it could even be someone who cares about him and is writing things he hears at home.

I would suggest talking to him about staying safe at school (from bullies and teachers etc) , as a ‘just in case / worst scenario’ measure. Who to talk to if he ever feels something isn’t right at school. What is acceptable behaviour from staff and children and what isn’t.

then let it go. Because everything else is out of your control. Say ‘I’ve had a talk with my son about being safe I can’t do anything else I can let this go now’. And consistently repeat that phrase until the bad feels pass.

also focus on the positives here - you’ve had a conversation about staying safe with your son which will be helpful for him, you’re a good mum wanting to protect and advocate for your son, etc.

alanismorrisons · 20/08/2025 08:42

It is a weird note but kids are weird

R0setheHat · 20/08/2025 08:49

I’m thinking it may have been an exercise in a lesson. To rank these 4 in order of consequences / risk if you don’t follow them or something similar.

Or a grammatical multiple choice question that every child got in the class and then the teacher went round each child looking for the right answer and discussing.

Just a guess but it looks like a multiple choice

SteakBakesAndHotTakes · 20/08/2025 08:51

When I was 10, my friends and I invented secret codes to send notes to each other, invented potions and spells to ward off enemies, read scary stories, filled out weird online quizzes with answers like this, did all kinds of stuff like trying to summon Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror.

My school bag was probably filled with stuff like this.

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 20/08/2025 08:57

I don't think it's actually that weird.

It would be in the recycling without another thought.

Overwhelmedandunderfed · 20/08/2025 08:57

I don’t think it’s a big deal at all, it’s like a quote someone has seen on social media. His friends probs have FB and TikTok even though they shouldn’t. They’ll have been pissing around in class and not want to tell you so you don’t get angry. Or a game where they shove things in each others bags. At 10 you will know where he is almost all of the time, just keep an eye out for any changes in behaviour etc but I really wouldn’t worry about this if everything else seems fine. Someone once sent me a letter when I was about 12 and it was graphic (sexually) and my Mum and Dad found it and honestly it was awful, I didn’t ask for it or deserve it and I was the one that ended up being questioned and humiliated. Just drop it now as long as there are no more incidents (I would be checking the bag, his phone and his room regularly though just to be on the safe side).

Bananaandmangosmoothie · 20/08/2025 09:00

Take a photo of the note and send to the class teacher, just for their information and in case anything else comes up.

MrMucker · 20/08/2025 09:03

The sentences are all using imperative or modal verbs and it looks pretty standard for an English language lesson in converting to informal or colloquial English. Or perhaps they had to group the sentences according to function. Eg warning/instruction/rule/suggestion.

The reason he knew nothing about it is because he shoved it in his bag without looking at it, a standard technique for a kid who doesn't engage with a lesson. Or it could be a hwk task that he hadn't yet got to.

I'll be honest, if he's 10 and you are sorting out his school bag for him then you are never going to be able to account for everything in there. He's a growing kid with thousands of interactions and learning activities through the day. He's learning to be separate from you.

Would be way more useful to him to coax ideas about what to make with the sentences, rather than magic up a seriously unlikely scenario of victim hood. It's a primary school lesson, not a spy thriller. 🙄

WomanOfSteel · 20/08/2025 09:04

Two Trees. Gloomy Water. Saucy Jane. Maggie knows.

Was there a map and an escaped convict involved?

butterpuffed · 20/08/2025 09:04

wandawaves · 20/08/2025 08:40

Far out, people are weird.

There is nothing spooky or sinister or creepy or strange about this. What are you all seeing that I'm not seeing?

And suggesting to email the school??? 🤣🤣🤣 You people need to get out more.

I agree .

Sounds like the kids are planning to do a play or some other make believe stuff and these are his instructions as one of the players.

'Be careful who you trust with secrets' is very general . Can't believe how some in here have changed this sentence and said it's scary .

MrMucker · 20/08/2025 09:09

OK, further to my last post, I've found in my own files a VERY similar list, and see it was used as an exercise in reported speech. 100% that is what it is.

Kid just didn't engage 😁

BeanQuisine · 20/08/2025 09:19

ekk100 · 20/08/2025 08:27

This brings back hilarious memories, as it sounds exactly like the 'rules' my friends and I wrote when we started a secret gang. We knew a secret gang needed rules but we couldn't think of many, so just ended up all pitching in rules from our various homes. I think we even had one about cleaning out the hamsters weekly.

😂😂😂

"....if we ever get some hamsters."

Disturbia81 · 20/08/2025 09:19

PyongyangKipperbang · 20/08/2025 02:03

"Do kids not have any privacy anymore" no they fucking dont or they shouldnt. Not at ten years old. And for very good reason. Why on earth do you think that any decent parent has full control over their kids phone? Because the world is full of horrible people, adult and child aged, and we need to protect them.

"Dont tell anyone our secret" is exactly what abusers say to their child victims. Cleaning out a childs school bag is hardly invading their privacy (and the idea that a ten year old boy would do it himself upon being told is nothing short of hilarious).

Do you even fucking have kids?! If you do, you need to educate yourself about the risks to them.

Show quote history

Exactly, those posts are actually batshit.. terrible parenting.

Reebokker · 20/08/2025 09:22

But the envelope…