1. Want to be a Positive Parent? : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

Parents Playing Pranks On Kids?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous in Parenting' started by Rihana, Dec 18, 2019.

  1. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    What do you think about parents playing pranks on kids?

    Late night host Jimmy Kimmel has an annual "Halloween Candy YouTube Challenge" where parents tell kids they ate all their Halloween candy and film the reactions. The show posts some or all of them on YouTube as a compilation. The kids' reactions are are cute, funny: "I don't want to live with you any more!", "I am going to call the police!" and some tug at your heartstrings with: "I am not mad at you, mommy It's OK."

    Question: Is it right for parents to play suck pranks, lie, film the reactions and upload them to a place like YouTube for thousands to view?

    It's just for run, chill? Or, not nice at all to upset the kids like this?




    .
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2019
    Amulet and KashmirFlower like this.
    Loading...

  2. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    I think the basic idea of a prank is OK but it is not nice to post such videos online that can embarrass the kid later. When kid is too young to say yes or no, then uploading such video to YouTube is questionable judgement.
     
    Amulet, Thyagarajan and KashmirFlower like this.
  3. Amulet

    Amulet IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    3,147
    Likes Received:
    5,088
    Trophy Points:
    408
    Gender:
    Female
    It is downright cruel. Before all the Tech came into the world, Older siblings have been known to enjoy the contortions of their baby bro/sis face by placing a grain of salt on the baby’s lips. The baby is primed to expect sugar: Adults would place a few grains of sugar and go “awwwhhhH” as the baby would smack the lips in pleasure.
     
    Rihana likes this.
  4. BhumiBabe

    BhumiBabe Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    2,216
    Trophy Points:
    285
    Gender:
    Female
    I know parents back in the day (before tech) who prank their kids and take pictures. I think it depends on how far the prank is taken. Some kids are severely traumatized by the trust broken, others just grow a thick skin. Siblings are the ones who prank the most... it’s posting on YouTube nowadays- that’s the issue. Your prank doesn’t need to go viral. It’s a child’s privacy that is being affected and the kids these days are starting to speak up about parents getting their permission before posting.
     
    kkrish and Rihana like this.
  5. Angela123

    Angela123 Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    655
    Likes Received:
    829
    Trophy Points:
    188
    Gender:
    Female
    I play prank on my kid, like tell her we are not going anywhere for long weekend, she was sad all her friends were going to visit different places. But I revealed to her the day before we were taking a flight to DC for a family trip. We also do small pranks with her, like not tell her until the morning that she has a snow day today. It depends on how your kids take it. Mine is 8 now, we started pranking her when she started pranking us a year ago or so. We do not go too far usually, or stop immediate when I know she is not taking it well.

    On a serious note, I think kids have to be exposed to everything moderately at home, so that they can deal with it in the real world. My kid was too sensitive, now she is learning how to go with the flow rather than being offended by a harmless prank.
     
    kkrish and Rihana like this.
  6. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    5,608
    Likes Received:
    10,032
    Trophy Points:
    438
    Gender:
    Female
    I second with @Angela123 that small harmless pranks with a pleasant ending are good for little kids. Depending on the child's reaction the parents can determine when to stop.

    Whatever the prank it is a strict no-no to be made public. That is my opinion and I see it is @BhumiBabe 's too.
     
    BhumiBabe, Angela123 and Rihana like this.
  7. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    Now adults would react in horror at plain sugar being fed to the baby. : ) This youtube video remains a favorite of mine. It was uploaded in 2007! So, the girl must be much older now. The way she says whatever never gets stale to watch.
     
  8. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    The trust broken thing used to be a hot topic in babycenter back in the day when I posted there. The usual arguments would be that Santa and the tooth fairy are also lies. "How far the prank is taken" is key. It should usually be easy to see when it is going too far.
    Yes, it is a child's privacy that is compromised. I think beyond birthday, vacation or sports/music performance stuff, posting child's pictures or videos before the child can give permission, before the child has an opinion about it, is wrong.

    I have to beg mine before I can even post a text update about them in FB or whatsapp. Good thing I don't need their permission to post here. : )
     
  9. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    : ) It is snow day and vacation trip when they are younger.. Then, they grow older and want you out of the house. A routine "prank" in my house is we tell the kids we (parents) are not going out for the planned lunch or movie. Oh how the face falls.. I can tell by the silence across the closed room door. First they cry when you leave them at the daycare and then they cry if you are not leaving them alone at home. : )

    So true. Many real world experiences are best learnt slowly at home.
     
    Angela123 likes this.
  10. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    12,481
    Likes Received:
    30,224
    Trophy Points:
    540
    Gender:
    Female
    My kid is now getting back at me for all the pranks I/we indulged in. Photoshop'ed scores posted in the CollegeBoard portal and sends me a screenshot. : )

    That's what I don't get. Sharing maybe with immediate family or close relatives is understandable... but putting it up online makes no sense.
     
    Angela123 likes this.

Share This Page