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Original poster

Consequences for child who opened presents early

139 replies

LemonadeRemedy · 27/12/2017 15:22

Just after a bit of perspective on this. My just 9 year old (nt) opened two of his Christmas presents before the big day and then hid them in the hope of not getting found out. He also unwrapped other presents and then used sellotape to tape them together again after having peeped. I'm fucking furious but struggle with knowing how to handle these kinds of issues. Wwyd if this was your child?

OP posts:
youarenotkiddingme · 27/12/2017 16:43

Even I searched and found presents one year - and I was honestly the most well behaved child ever. My mum says I was abnormally good Grin

I ruined it for myself, I expect my mum knew but she never mentioned it and I never did it again!

Personally I've always been of the opinion of you hide something and wrap it and someone finds it and opens it then you return that gift or don't give it to that person.

Nothing better than watching someone expect to open X - when X is never there Xmas WinkXmas Grin

coalit · 27/12/2017 16:44

I remember when I stopped being desperate to open my presents, it was when I didn't care what was in them any more.

In other words, an adult with money.

Lashalicious · 27/12/2017 16:52

My ds is an expert on finding presents I’ve hidden for Christmas. Perched on a stool on top of a chair looking into the overhead cabinet he found them even then when he was a little boy. Just the other day he found his iPad in my primo hiding place that I thought never in a trillion years he could find. I will put away his gadgets sometimes to make sure he doesn’t get on them too much. He usually finds them. Actually this would make a good separate thread on parent’s hiding places for kids’ stuff. My ds has always found the hiding spots. There is a mirror in our foyer with a decorative wood trim and I discovered recently by accident (cleaning) that I could stick my hand up behind it and there was a tiny little ledge there. There is absolutely no giveaway from the outside of this piece. So, I thought perfect hiding place. Two days later my son comes grinning into the kitchen with his ipad. He found it. He would be your man if looking for ancient pirate treasure.

Rainatnight · 27/12/2017 17:32

Is there any chance this is his first Christmas not believing in Santa? Just wondering if he's a bit at sea with it all and it got the better of him.

HardAssSanta · 27/12/2017 18:02

Some kids (l was one of them) can't help but want to know what's coming and have to look, other kids just wait patiently. It's not a big deal, either hide the presents until the last minute, put presents in stunt wrapping under the tree, or accept it as part of what ds does.

Lobsterquadrille2 · 27/12/2017 18:03

I was really surprised (and even slightly disappointed) that DD showed no interest in the presents I'd put under the tree a couple of days before Christmas. When questioned, she said that she "likes a surprise ". Ok, so she's 20, but I still couldn't show that level of restraint.

MumGoneMild · 27/12/2017 18:04

Im 32 and struggle not to peek

bayseyan · 27/12/2017 18:10

I did this every year. It never spoiled Christmas. I have never liked surprises anyway. I don't really see what is wrong about it. It might not be something you'd do but it's not hurting anyone.

Viviennemary · 27/12/2017 18:17

I did this once and taped them up again carefully. Blush Did feel a bit guilty even more so because I wasn't found out! But I don't think it's any big deal. Wouldn't do anything about it now.

Mumof56 · 27/12/2017 18:18

Beat them with a big stick, hose them down with cold water and make them stand outside for an hour

Grin
gillybeanz · 27/12/2017 18:21

Hide them in a locked room next time.
We bought one of those turn key locks, they aren't expensive and anything that needs to be secure goes in there, not just xmas time.
We have business paperwork to secure in there, and anything expensive when we don't want it on show.

StripySocks1 · 27/12/2017 18:24

I’m in my 30s and this year I peeked at a present that my dhs grandparents brought around early, it was a weird shape and wrapped in two kinds of wrapping paper and it was really bothering me and I wanted to know what it was, so when dh was at work I carefully peeled the tape off and then stuck it back down again.

BeaLola · 27/12/2017 18:29

Rites of passage, I remember doing it, in fact I would be amazed for a child that age not to have a squish, squeeze and peer. I might still be tempted to do this myself if I got anything interesting looking.

I "caught" my DS (10) this year - when I say caught I went to move some gifts that had arrived early from under the tree to make way for some I had wrapped and the one from my Aunt to him had a very torn/misplaced wrapping of a corner - I noticed it as it had been pristinely wrapped (was a football annual) and she had put another wrapped present on top and tied it all together. When I mentioned in passing my son looked very sheepish , said he was "desperate to know what it was and had tried to stick it back together but the sellotape had moved ". I laughted to myself because I realised that the sellotape had been left on the coffee table near the tree fir days and then in a tidying up fit I had put it away !

He certainly had a squiz at the others but didn't bother to unwrap them as I had put tags on them with anyone's name on but his ! He just assumed the tags were correct ! He kept telling me that the big box in the corner was for me from Grandma - ha ha I thought no it's Your Nerf stuff packaged up !

Annwithnoe · 29/12/2017 10:49

I think the little bit of bravado is quite normal tbh. Sometimes kids need to save face. I’d take it as evidence that he’s got the message.

herecomesthsun · 30/12/2017 04:38

We hide the presents and then put them in a sack for each child under the Christmas tree overnight before Christmas Day.

larrygrylls · 30/12/2017 05:36

It is breaking trust. Of course it is not the 'crime of the century' but neither is it 'awww, that's just what children do'. What about cheating in a test/exam if you think you won't be found out? Where is that on the same scale? He was trusted not to open the present and he broke that trust.

I think confiscation of the presents for some period would be fair.

beingsunny · 30/12/2017 05:53

I did this when I was 8 with my sister, it will be punishment enough that there are no surprises.
My parents never again put presents under the tree until we had gone to bed on Xmas eve and I never searched for presents again Xmas Sad

StabbyBitchTheEvilWitch · 30/12/2017 07:25

My DD9 did this too this year. I found it in her bed 3 weeks before Xmas I took the present & it went in the bin.

BillywilliamV · 30/12/2017 07:35

Next time, decoy presents: wrap some veg, charity shop clothes, ancient tech, note saying in BIG letters "PUT ME BACK AT ONCE" and hide the real things in a locked suitcase.
Only dont do what I did and forget the combination!

princesssparkle1 · 30/12/2017 07:40

Just explain that it spoils the essence of present giving. Then give him a hug and tell him that you love him.

Reallytired17 · 30/12/2017 07:42

Stabby Shock

NotAgainYoda · 30/12/2017 07:57

When you say 'consequence' you mean punishment, right?

Children don't always need to be punished to learn lessons as others on here have said.

NotAgainYoda · 30/12/2017 08:01

Stabby's having a little joke i expect

2cats2many · 30/12/2017 08:04

We always looked and found our presents before Christmas day as children. Itbwas part of the tradition for us 😁

I'm not a fan of surprises though.

NotAgainYoda · 30/12/2017 08:06

Cheapsausages Grin