Public Service Announcement - "Pranking" your kids on Christmas morning

[Feralpeg]

I also think it is going too far and mean spirited. Of course, I'm the type of person who thought the mother on Funniest Home Videos who pranked her son by telling him he stole a to-go cup was horrible. The poor kid was practically hysterical. Of course, they won $10,000 for it, so now all is good. I still think it was a terrible thing to do to your own child.

 

[JanaDee]

Someone sent me a video of a Christmas morning prank. The prank involved two kids, both of whom unwrapped the same gift....yay, one for each. Then one of them opens the box to reveal that the present inside is not what's on the outside of the box.... the other one got the real thing. The family films this, and continues on with the prank, giving more presents for both to open, while the prank victim does his/her best to hold it together. Emotion takes over and it devolves into tears. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, they make it right. In my opinion, it was mean and awful.

As fun as these pranks can seem when you're hatching your evil plan...intentionally making your kid cry on Christmas morning and laughing about it and filming it and then placing it on the internet is downright cruel. You bring an adult sense of "funny" to the equation... and kids, at least a lot of them, don't have the fully developed sense of humor yet.

Yes, I think there's such a thing as a harmless prank .... but man, some of the crap I've seen recently is just plain terrible. Just please remember to think it through before you take a stab at pranking your kids and then posting it for all the world to see.

That's sick. Parents like that need to be drop-kicked into next week.

 

[cjbcam]

I kind of did this unintentionally to my 2 oldest DD. My one DD has her Bday right before Christmas and my other has hers mid Jan. Anyways I bought them each an iPod for their Bday and for Christmas bought them princess dresses and a surprise trip to Disney world. When my DD opened the iPod for her bday my other DD tried to be happy for but it was just to much and she started crying. I didn't even think about it because I had bought her one for her bday too ( stupid me). I ended up telling her she was getting one on her bday too.

 

[LSmith]

Someone sent me a video of a Christmas morning prank. The prank involved two kids, both of whom unwrapped the same gift....yay, one for each. Then one of them opens the box to reveal that the present inside is not what's on the outside of the box.... the other one got the real thing. The family films this, and continues on with the prank, giving more presents for both to open, while the prank victim does his/her best to hold it together. Emotion takes over and it devolves into tears. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, they make it right. In my opinion, it was mean and awful.

As fun as these pranks can seem when you're hatching your evil plan...intentionally making your kid cry on Christmas morning and laughing about it and filming it and then placing it on the internet is downright cruel. You bring an adult sense of "funny" to the equation... and kids, at least a lot of them, don't have the fully developed sense of humor yet.

Yes, I think there's such a thing as a harmless prank .... but man, some of the crap I've seen recently is just plain terrible. Just please remember to think it through before you take a stab at pranking your kids and then posting it for all the world to see.

Seriously, some parents are mentally ill, extremely immature or just plain cruel.

Purposely upsetting your child for your petty amusement is repugnant.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I HATE those practical jokes. They're cruel and unnecessary on what should be a joyous day. I was the butt of one of those as a kid. It still smarts. At the very least, if you MUST torment your kid, don't video tape it and put it on the internet.

Agreed.

I also think it is going too far and mean spirited. Of course, I'm the type of person who thought the mother on Funniest Home Videos who pranked her son by telling him he stole a to-go cup was horrible. The poor kid was practically hysterical. Of course, they won $10,000 for it, so now all is good. I still think it was a terrible thing to do to your own child.

Ditto. I didn't see it, but it's amazing how ****ty people will be these days for money and their 15 minutes (if that) of fame.

 

[plutotek]

Per usual, we're only getting one side of the story. Without a chance to view the evidence to make an informed judgment, all we have is the OP's obviously biased view.

 

[luvmy3]

I'm all for a good practical joke, but being cruel isn't really a joke.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Per usual, we're only getting one side of the story. Without a chance to view the evidence to make an informed judgment, all we have is the OP's obviously biased view.

That's kind of the nature of a discussion board, no? I stated my opinion based on the information I had. I don't need "to make an informed judgement" on this particular topic; this isn't a courtroom. It could have easily been a generalized discussion about this TYPE of scenario, because we've seen them before. I don't need to see this particular one.

 

[Bluestars]

I think any prank that ends in a person crying is cruel. I hope karma slaps those parents in the face when the daughter is 16, sets up a hidden camera, and then tells her parents she is pregnant and doesn't know which of three guys is the father.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

I also think it is going too far and mean spirited. Of course, I'm the type of person who thought the mother on Funniest Home Videos who pranked her son by telling him he stole a to-go cup was horrible. The poor kid was practically hysterical. Of course, they won $10,000 for it, so now all is good. I still think it was a terrible thing to do to your own child.

I thought that Mother on Americas Funniest videos was HORRIBLE too!! So did my husband and we couldn't believe they won. We found NOTHING funny about it all.

OP, what you describe just sounds plain mean. I am all for a good joke, but at the expense of a child on Christmas morning is just mean! How parents can get enjoyment out of that is beyond me!

 

[fortwildernessishome]

I think any prank that ends in a person crying is cruel. I hope karma slaps those parents in the face when the daughter is 16, sets up a hidden camera, and then tells her parents she is pregnant and doesn't know which of three guys is the father.

Perfect!!! I hope she does it!! Then the parents can see how "funny" it is to be on the other end!!

 

[superme80]

I hate practical jokes. This would not have gone over well with me. DH was the victim of something similar when he was younger. He wanted an Atari and he got a box with a brick in it. It took most of the afternoon before they gave him his Atari. I would not have been happy.

 

[U2_rocks!]

If I had decided to prank my kids, I know I would have caved long before they got that upset. I wouldn't be able to stand watching it! It's one thing to see the expressions of wth on their faces, but it's quite another to see them truly upset. I couldn't do it personally.

 

[Jennasis]

I also think those pranks where people are given fake winning lottery scratch off tickets are cruel.

 

[mom2rtk]

I also think those pranks where people are given fake winning lottery scratch off tickets are cruel.

People really do that????????

That's just awful.

 

[Disney Doll]

What parents need to remember is that someday your kid will be picking your nursing home.

Prank carefully.

 

[Stitchfans]

I HATE those practical jokes. They're cruel and unnecessary on what should be a joyous day. I was the butt of one of those as a kid. It still smarts. At the very least, if you MUST torment your kid, don't video tape it and put it on the internet.

I agree 100%.