I hate the videos of the parents who lie to their kids about eating all their Halloween candy.

[unsinkable]

Ugh.

 

I don't find it funny or entertaining.

 

It's sad.

[JustEm]

Agreed

[ErinE]

Agreed.

[Word Nerd]

That's one of many reasons I despise Jimmy Kimmel.

[Aura]

Agreed. I don't find the humor in them at all. It just seems downright mean to take something that is so special to a child and make a cruel joke out of it.

[zoobie]

Agree.

[DawnM]

I just think it is stupid.  Did he do it again this year?

[unsinkable]

I just think it is stupid. Did he do it again this year?

I saw a news story about it...I don't watch him. But the story stated this is the 5th year.

[38carrots]

I hate them with a passion. Disgusting.

[shawthorne44]

I hate them so much, I have my doubts about anyone that finds them funny.  

[SKL]

Some of them are funny as a one-off thing, but this tradition of purposely making kids angry at their parents is a little disturbing.

 

As a parent who has spent the last 2 days eating my kids' candy, it is a little too close to the truth for me.  :P  So far I've justified it by saying they don't like most of the candy anyway.

[38carrots]

Some of them are funny as a one-off thing, but this tradition of purposely making kids angry at their parents is a little disturbing.

 

As a parent who has spent the last 2 days eating my kids' candy, it is a little too close to the truth for me.  :p  So far I've justified it by saying they don't like most of the candy anyway.

 

I can imagine some families have a culture of this kind of humour--pranksters and so on. So in this case it is semi-acceptable to do it. I still dislike it, not my cup of tea at all, but to each their own. If everyone engages in those pranks and it is not one family member who is power tripping, so be it. But to make a spectacle out of a child's reaction? That's what I find disgusting and disturbing.

[abba12]

I can imagine some families have a culture of this kind of humour--pranksters and so on. So in this case it is semi-acceptable to do it.

 

Exactly this. I grew up in a family who would do this and have friends who's parents would do this. I remember my dad completely convinced us he cancelled christmas one year, and if youtube had been around it totally would have been uploaded. There was no hard feelings, we got him back by throwing ice water and flour on him in the shower the next week. 

 

I assume that the majority of people filming the videos have a similar family culture, and thus, find the videos hilarious because I watch them with that assumption. Obviously if they're doing this to kids who aren't familiar with this kind of humour then that's pretty cruel, but I doubt those are the parents doing it. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I used to give my mother my candy because I don't like candy.

 

 

[TechWife]

I don't find any humor in making fun of other people for who they are. In essence, that is what these situations are: the parents lie to their children and then think it's funny that their children react like children. It's awful in every aspect. Who would lie to their children? Who thinks kids getting upset at an unjust action is funny? It is wrong on many levels.

[shawthorne44]

Vast majority of these children completely melt-down, and the parent(s) are in the background laughing.  I can't imagine any culture that could frame that to make it acceptable.  

 

I will admit that I have an unusually low tolerance for Mean.  You killed someone?   I'll want to know the details, and there are people out there that need it.  So, depending, we could still be friends.  You did this to your child?  I don't want anything to do with you.  

 

My boss thought one of the these was funny last year and was watching it when I wandered in.  There was one that particularly bothered me.  The house seemed prosperous and clean from what the camera showed.  The child was walking but in diapers.  The mother was fully dressed and not in "The AC is broken" clothing.   The ONLY thing the kid was wearing was a saggy disposable diaper.  It was sagging in the back and not between the legs, so I guess that means it was old, not dirty.   But, still!   it isn't like the mother didn't know ahead of time she was going to want a video.  The kid totally flipped out and started to beat on the mother, while she laughed.   

 

Just ponder what these children learned from this experience.  

 

[SKL]

Well now that you mention it, I can remember my dad telling us he was going to shoot Santa.  And one of my brothers believed him, though the rest of us (still Santa believers) knew our dad couldn't mean it.

 

I remember once my dad played dead and my kid brother lost it.  My dad never did that again though.

 

So I can understand a little teasing here and there, if it's an established part of the family culture and the kids individually can handle it.

 

My kids are a little iffy with trust sometimes, so I tend to be more careful to say what I mean and mean what I say.  So the only way I'd tease them about something they cared about would be if I was sure they'd know I was teasing.

[38carrots]

Vast majority of these children completely melt-down, and the parent(s) are in the background laughing.  I can't imagine any culture that could frame that to make it acceptable.  

 

I will admit that I have an unusually low tolerance for Mean.  You killed someone?   I'll want to know the details, and there are people out there that need it.  So, depending, we could still be friends.  You did this to your child?  I don't want anything to do with you.  

 

My boss thought one of the these was funny last year and was watching it when I wandered in.  There was one that particularly bothered me.  The house seemed prosperous and clean from what the camera showed.  The child was walking but in diapers.  The mother was fully dressed and not in "The AC is broken" clothing.   The ONLY thing the kid was wearing was a saggy disposable diaper.  It was sagging in the back and not between the legs, so I guess that means it was old, not dirty.   But, still!   it isn't like the mother didn't know ahead of time she was going to want a video.  The kid totally flipped out and started to beat on the mother, while she laughed.   

 

Just ponder what these children learned from this experience.  

 

I watched some of those videos years ago, but haven't since. I can sort of understand doing this to an older child, let's say 8+ who is also into such pranks and will get the parent later (and the parent will laugh). But to such a young child? I have no words. This verges on being abusive.

 

[SKL]

And yesterday I had my daughter in tears because I chuckled at her attempts to make the trumpet sound musical.  I didn't mean to ridicule her, it was more like chuckling at how a toddler toddles.  (She is just starting to learn.)  I told her it was because I found it cute to watch her starting to learn.  She wasn't thrilled with my explanation, but after some hugs I think she came out OK.  I must remember not to chuckle any more when she's trying to learn something.

[Night Elf]

My dd17's Economics teacher showed them a video like that in class yesterday. What was the point in that? Nothing. She just thought it was funny. Dd didn't agree.

[38carrots]

Well now that you mention it, I can remember my dad telling us he was going to shoot Santa.  And one of my brothers believed him, though the rest of us (still Santa believers) knew our dad couldn't mean it.

 

I remember once my dad played dead and my kid brother lost it.  My dad never did that again though.

 

So I can understand a little teasing here and there, if it's an established part of the family culture and the kids individually can handle it.

 

My kids are a little iffy with trust sometimes, so I tend to be more careful to say what I mean and mean what I say.  So the only way I'd tease them about something they cared about would be if I was sure they'd know I was teasing.

 

This. And even then...I consider myself a thoughtful parent. I don't tease. DS does tease and is generally a little comedian, makes me laugh all the time. One April fool's I had his juice frozen in a cup, covered with regular juice. I thought it was one of those gentle pranks. I was sure he'd like it. He cried. :-(

 

[38carrots]

And yesterday I had my daughter in tears because I chuckled at her attempts to make the trumpet sound musical.  I didn't mean to ridicule her, it was more like chuckling at how a toddler toddles.  (She is just starting to learn.)  I told her it was because I found it cute to watch her starting to learn.  She wasn't thrilled with my explanation, but after some hugs I think she came out OK.  I must remember not to chuckle any more when she's trying to learn something.

 

Happened to me yesterday with my 14 yo. Fortunately she's 14, so she didn't cry (like she would've if she were younger) but she did ask me why I chuckled and I could see it did bother her. She did accept my explanation and moved on.

 

I know some would think that teasing a child who is sensitive like that would thicken their skin. I disagree. First of all, there's nothing wrong with thinner skin, and second, their skind "thickens" a bit as they mature.

 

[Wabi Sabi]

Well, my kids would never fall for it in the first place, but I actually find the videos mostly funny. My kids and I just finished watching this year's compilation, then I showed them this thread and they were surprised that people have such strong feelings about it. We all agree that it just depends on knowing your children and predicting their reaction, and that we wouldn't do it to a child we thought would genuinely be distressed. We agree that the videos of the children just standing there screaming and raging are a bit much and it doesn't seem fair to the child in that situation, but that overall many of the reactions are just plain funny and sweet. My 11 year old just said that he thinks that there's a difference between lying and joking, that this falls into the joke category and it's only candy after all. 

 

[Word Nerd]

"I was just joking!" sounds like something a bully would say to justify his behavior.

[Garga]

Edited.  Gave out a little too much information.

 

I'll just say that I was raised by people who liked to play jokes.  I didn't like it at all.  So I always feel really bad for those kids on the videos.  I don't play jokes in my house now that I'm a parent with kids.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

My teens saw this year's video in youth group Sunday evening, including the final moment of the preschooler calling her mother a *itch.

 

So the humorous addition to the evening violated a few scriptures, like the ones about not lying, parents not provoking their children to wrath, the golden rule...in addition to the general display of bad parenting.

 

One kid in the video said it best, I thought: "I hate Jimmy Kimmel." I won't say I hate him, because I'm not five years old, but I'm definitely not a fan. Even so, nobody was forced to play his little game.

[clementine]

Me too.  These parents would probably punish their children for lying.  

 

I will say that the kids that forgive easily just melt me.  

[ktgrok]

my mother's father used to play similar "jokes", like putting extra onions in her food and telling her there were none, knowing she despised the taste of onions. To this day, she never forgave him. She felt humilated and felt he was cruel.

[Alice]

I think it's the videotaping it and then desiring for it to be seen by many many people that bugs me. I watched the first batch of them the first year after following a link but haven't watched since. I do play small jokes on my kids and grew up with a Dad that would tease me and play small jokes. But there is a vast difference between jokes as a part of a family culture and these videos in my mind. 

[GailV]

There's the issue of planking small children, which may or may not be okay depending on culture.

 

And then there's the issue of broadcasting a small child's reaction to the entire world, in spite of the fact that the child is not of an age to give knowing consent to be portrayed this way to the viewing public. So when Baby Saggy Diaper (referenced above) is in middle school this can be used to taunt him/her. Or in some other form have these images follow them and haunt them the rest of their lives.

 

Yep, sounds like a good plan to me. And when those kids are grown up and filming their parents sobbing in the nursing home (wearing only Depends) because they hid the parents' dentures, and they're laughing while the parent ineffectually try to smack them, well, then, have fun with that. Perhaps those parents will still have enough brain power to know that taunting videos are being uploaded of them for the world to view and snicker about.

 

(I also dislike videos of people failing on ice, btw.)

[MercyA]

I will say that the kids that forgive easily just melt me.  

 

Me, too. I usually don't watch them, but there was one last year in which a little boy kindly told his mom, "It's okay." He was only three. Good job being more mature than your parent, buddy.  :thumbup1:

[shawthorne44]

Me, too. I usually don't watch them, but there was one last year in which a little boy kindly told his mom, "It's okay." He was only three. Good job being more mature than your parent, buddy.  :thumbup1:

 

The year that I saw had this sweet little girl in her car seat saying, "That is OK.  But, next year let's share the candy".   

 

I wanted to hug her while giving the parent(s) a Gibbs head slap.  

[Guest]

Yeah, no lies. I tell my kids (on the off chance they get a bunch of candy, usually the amount is fairly small) to pick their ten or twenty favorite pieces and we will toss the remainder. They're usually just fine with this and no deception needed.

[mamiof5]

Have never seen one, thankfully

[SKL]

Funny, my kids just asked me if I had been eating their candy.  I said, yes, I ate all the ones with peanuts and the 3 Musketeers.  They said, thank you!

[PrincessMommy]

I don't think it's funny either.

[Lady Florida.]

This must be something that started after ds got older, because I have no idea what you all are talking about. :)

 

 

[Tsuga]

I can imagine some families have a culture of this kind of humour--pranksters and so on. So in this case it is semi-acceptable to do it. I still dislike it, not my cup of tea at all, but to each their own. If everyone engages in those pranks and it is not one family member who is power tripping, so be it. But to make a spectacle out of a child's reaction? That's what I find disgusting and disturbing.

Yeah, the prank could be funny but the public spectacle, not funny. Putting your kid out there on the Internet is just UGH.

[laundrycrisis]

I hate it.  I think it's a crappy mean thing to do.  I don't think it's ever okay to tease or joke with a child to the point that they are upset.  And capturing that special moment on video and sharing it with the world is disgusting. 

[Tsuga]

Vast majority of these children completely melt-down, and the parent(s) are in the background laughing. I can't imagine any culture that could frame that to make it acceptable.

 

I will admit that I have an unusually low tolerance for Mean. You killed someone? I'll want to know the details, and there are people out there that need it. So, depending, we could still be friends. You did this to your child? I don't want anything to do with you.

 

My boss thought one of the these was funny last year and was watching it when I wandered in. There was one that particularly bothered me. The house seemed prosperous and clean from what the camera showed. The child was walking but in diapers. The mother was fully dressed and not in "The AC is broken" clothing. The ONLY thing the kid was wearing was a saggy disposable diaper. It was sagging in the back and not between the legs, so I guess that means it was old, not dirty. But, still! it isn't like the mother didn't know ahead of time she was going to want a video. The kid totally flipped out and started to beat on the mother, while she laughed.

 

Just ponder what these children learned from this experience.

In all fairness, lots of children hate clothing. Naked kids do not concern me because I was one. I didn't wear clothes until I was like, four. Neither did DD2. I don't think that speaks to the level of overall care.

[laundrycrisis]

My teens saw this year's video in youth group Sunday evening, including the final moment of the preschooler calling her mother a *itch.

 

 

Good for her - smart little girl.  Her mom had it coming.  

[shawthorne44]

Funny, my kids just asked me if I had been eating their candy.  I said, yes, I ate all the ones with peanuts and the 3 Musketeers.  They said, thank you!

 

Yeah, actually eating some of the candy just has to be expected.  I have fond memories of laying on the living room floor with my dad with a pile of candy between us while he "inspected" the candy, aka eat some. DD will even bring me some of her candy when I ask for it.  Sometimes when I don't.   Someone handed her a Snickers and she said, "That is for Grandpa".  She also knows that if she asks us to hold something yummy, we might eat some as a form of rent.   

 

But, saying or actually eating ALL the candy is beyond the pale.  

 

I also think that by definition if a meltdown happens, the child can't handle that prank.  

[Seeking Squirrels]

I'm glad to see this and find it's not just me. I remember seeing it all over last year and wondering if I was the only one who thought it was cruel and not at all funny. It just seems mean spirited. To me it doesn't really even feel like a prank, though I guess it would be. To me, teasing and pranking involves silly things that briefly "get" a person, not upset them. Any prank that truly upsets someone is just mean IMO. But I have a very sensitive child, so maybe I just can't see it in any way that wouldn't cause at least a little damage. If a parent really knows their kid can handle this and would also find it funny after the fact, then to each their own, I suppose. Still don't think I like it being plastered all over the internet, though.

[HRAAB]

I've never seen it, but I know I hate it, too. And on the Internet? For everyone to see? Not nice.

[Guest]

I don't think well of pranking kids and I think even less of posting their reactions for all the world to see. I think my kids would have just said something like, "Why would you do that?" I do think they would feel hurt or betrayed. Why does anyone want to model that to their children?

[DesertBlossom]

I told my kids Obama cancelled Halloween this year, but they didn't believe me.

 

I'm not one for cruel pranks. I don't like to be pranked either. But I think it also depends on long it's drug out and if the child is used to light-hearted joking. If the child is melting down, it's gone too far. But I have 1 child that can't seem to take a joke at all and it makes me think I haven't joked enough with her.