When kids first learn about the concept of pranks, there are probably only a few things that they find funnier. But as time goes by, most people realize the issues that this behavior usually comes with, and they either grow to do it more subtly or stop it altogether.
However, that is not always the case. As one Redditor shared, his brother has always considered himself to be a jokester and has never grown out of it, all while teaching his son to act the same. When the poster’s sibling got evicted, the man took his brother and nephew in, only to kick them out soon after because of a severely dangerous prank the kid played on the author’s daughter after being taught to do so by his dad. Scroll down to read the full story!
More info: Reddit
People who never grow out of pranking are usually nothing more than annoying, but sometimes, they can create downright dangerous situations
Image credits: Alex Green (not the actual photo)
A man and his wife took in his prankster brother and nephew, who were evicted from their home due to getting fired
Image credits: Tatiana Syrikova (not the actual photo)
The nephew, with the help of his dad, decided to play a prank on his cousin by hiding her allergy medicine, which made the poster mad when he found out about it
Image credits: Stock Catalog (not the actual photo)
Despite a warning, a couple of weeks later, the boy decided to play the same prank again, and this time put the girl in severe danger, as she was having an allergic reaction
Image credits: Common-Efficiency338
The boy managed to get the medicine in time, but the girl's father was so angry that he sent his brother and son packing
The OP shared that his brother and 9-year-old son, Eli, were recently evicted after the man lost his job. Since the only other option for them was to stay with the OP's parents, who didn’t have much free space, the poster and his wife took them in.
Since the brother has always considered himself to be a prankster, he taught the same to his son. So, one day during their stay, the kid, with the help of his father, decided to play a prank on the author’s daughter by hiding her EpiPen, which is vitally important to be accessible to her as she’s allergic to many things.
When the OP found out about it, he scolded his brother and warned him that if anything like that happened again, he and his son would be kicked out. But a couple of weeks later, Eli did the same thing, and this time, the situation was a lot more serious.
Thankfully, the boy went and got the EpiPen in time, but the poster was done. He told his brother and nephew to leave, which resulted in family drama and the OP being called heartless.
The commenters, however, were all sure the author did nothing wrong. They collectively agreed that hiding a life-saving medicine is by no means a joke and that the brother is raising his son to be a jerk just like him.
Image credits: Plato Terentev (not the actual photo)
It’s quite likely that every one of us knows someone who never grew out of playing pranks on others, even though everyone around them did. That raises a question: Why are some people like this? To help us find that answer, Bored Panda reached out to Nick Hatter, a therapeutic life coach, who was glad to lend us his expertise.
Nick began by explaining that just because people grow older, it doesn’t necessarily mean they grow up psychologically, as the ‘inner child’ still remains a part of us. “Playing pranks and being silly comes from that part of us. Some people are developmentally stunted, psychologically speaking. Physically, they could be in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, etc. But mentally, a part of them may be anywhere from 0 to 10 years old!”
When it comes to playing dangerous pranks, the expert said that for teenagers, this comes from a developmental phase they go through when they want to establish an ego/identity that is separate from their parents. If the person is mentally stuck at that age, such behavior may as well transfer to later years, too.
“Going against parental wishes and authority can be one way they try to establish ego independence -- even if it means putting themselves, or others, in great danger!” said Nick, adding that playing pranks might also help teens fulfill their emotional needs for status and attention from others, like being known as a jokester.
If someone is in a similar position to the OP and has to deal with a person close to them playing pranks where they really shouldn’t be, the expert suggested setting firm boundaries. “If you’re a parent, make sure the consequences/punishment[s] are clear and stick to them. Follow through. Do not resort to hitting (which is physical abuse).”
“For someone who is not a child, e.g., a relative/friend, use the formula, ‘When you did X, I felt Y, and I would prefer it if you could do Z. If the behavior continues, remind them of the boundary,” said Nick, adding that if all else fails, it may be necessary to cut that person out of your life, as allowing your boundaries to be violated will diminish your self-esteem over time, creating resentment and shame from within.
In the end, it seems like the OP’s solution to the problem was really the only way to go. It’s understandable why his family may have viewed it as a harsh thing to do. However, when pranks are not only annoying but also put people in serious danger, the issue becomes something that cannot be ignored.
What did you think about the story? Do you think the OP could’ve handled the situation differently? Tell us all about it below!
The commenters supported the author and agreed that the only jerk in the story was his brother for allowing such dangerous pranks to take place
