Something fishy is going on...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This thread makes me glad I'm not a parent. I doubt I'm cut out for it. A 5 year old boy kicking a boy with heart problems in the chest, damn I'd go ballistic. Measured responses aren't my style.

Being a parent brings out the best and worst in you....and then your children copy you with great accuracy.

I purposely do the opposite of my father for a couple negative traits. He had a lot of positives they I try to emulate though.

Same here. But my father's personality creeps out of me when I'm not thinking about it...like when I'm driving and someone cuts me off.

[MissStacey 1]

He has had one incident at school this year, on Halloween day- He was caught in the bathroom with a few other boys and they all had their pants down and were looking up each others butts.

[Amby 490]

lol I'm serious after age 12 or 13 we never had any rules. She trusted us and we talked and still do talk to her about everything. We're very open.

[doodlebugg 10]

omg you guys are harsh!!!! I would just ask the parents what they want you to do. This reminds me of the list of children's books that didn't make it:

Children's Books That Didn't Make It

1. You Are Different and That's Bad

2. The Boy Who Died From Eating All His Vegetables

3. Dad's New Wife Robert

4. Fun four-letter Words to Know and Share

5. Hammers, Screwdrivers and Scissors: An I-Can-Do-It Book

6. The Kids' Guide to Hitchhiking

7. Kathy Was So Bad Her Mom Stopped Loving Her

8. Curious George and the High-Voltage Fence

9. All Cats Go to Hell

10. The Little Sissy Who Snitched

11. Some Kittens Can Fly.

12. That's it, I'm Putting You Up for Adoption

13. Grandpa Gets a Casket

14. The Magic World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator

15. Garfield Gets Feline Leukemia

16. The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy

17. Strangers Have the Best Candy

18. Whining, Kicking and Crying to Get Your Way

19. You Were an Accident

20. Things Rich Kids Have, But You Never Will

21. "Pop! Goes The Hamster!"...And Other Great Microwave Games

22. The Man in the Moon Is Actually Satan

23. Your Nightmares Are Real

24. Where Would You Like to Be Buried?

25. Eggs, Toilet Paper, and Your School

26. Why Can't Mr. Fork and Ms. Electrical Outlet Be Friends?

27. Places Where Mommy and Daddy Hide Neat Things

28. Daddy Drinks Because You Cry

[Alex+R 0]

Hehehe, 24 and 28 are my personal faves.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

omg you guys are harsh!!!! I would just ask the parents what they want you to do. This reminds me of the list of children's books that didn't make it:

Children's Books That Didn't Make It

1. You Are Different and That's Bad

2. The Boy Who Died From Eating All His Vegetables

3. Dad's New Wife Robert

4. Fun four-letter Words to Know and Share

5. Hammers, Screwdrivers and Scissors: An I-Can-Do-It Book

6. The Kids' Guide to Hitchhiking

7. Kathy Was So Bad Her Mom Stopped Loving Her

8. Curious George and the High-Voltage Fence

9. All Cats Go to Hell

10. The Little Sissy Who Snitched

11. Some Kittens Can Fly.

12. That's it, I'm Putting You Up for Adoption

13. Grandpa Gets a Casket

14. The Magic World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator

15. Garfield Gets Feline Leukemia

16. The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy

17. Strangers Have the Best Candy

18. Whining, Kicking and Crying to Get Your Way

19. You Were an Accident

20. Things Rich Kids Have, But You Never Will

21. "Pop! Goes The Hamster!"...And Other Great Microwave Games

22. The Man in the Moon Is Actually Satan

23. Your Nightmares Are Real

24. Where Would You Like to Be Buried?

25. Eggs, Toilet Paper, and Your School

26. Why Can't Mr. Fork and Ms. Electrical Outlet Be Friends?

27. Places Where Mommy and Daddy Hide Neat Things

28. Daddy Drinks Because You Cry

[Kez/JWolf 6]

The child is 9 years old for god sake.... Adult who was in charge is to blame for the incident.... if they had been watching the child this would not have happened..... if the gifts were not on display, then the child would not have been able to touch them.... Have none of you ever had the urge to peek at your gifts....

The child has already spoilt her suprise.... I would sit her down and explain in a calm way that to do as she did is not the right thing to do and that she will not have a suprise gift to unwrap at christmas, because she choose to cheat... let her have the gift but do not re-wrap it just hand it to her on christmas day as it is...

Kez

[JVKn'CVO 11]

My mom always let my sister and I do whatever we wanted but she never tried to help us get out of problems we got ourselves into. We've both turned out to be quite responsible and well behaved. She talks to us all the time, she read to us all the time.

Your mom is a smart woman You already have a good example to follow

Saludos,

Caro

[Mary Lou 682]

Well i guess im a meanie I wouldn't give the gift to the child, since they opened it already, and when she looked for it when it was present time, i'd explain the reason why she wouldnt be receiving the gift.

[bgreed 0]

Just to give an example from my youth (I was an inveterate package shaker) One Christmas I had asked for a watch so in my package shaking in one package I sworew I could hear a watch ticking. Well mom was not home and I just couldn't stand not knowing so I carefully opened the present with intent towards resealing after satisfying my curiosity. Well it was a watch alright and exactly the kind I wanted. So I put everything back just like it was, or so I thought. Apparently the used tape did not stick so good so when my mom got home she noticed the tampering.

She never said a word to me. Christmas morning came and we are all opening gifts. In our family it is a tradition to guess what might be in the package before you open it. So of course I say"A watch" Itear open the package anticipating my much awaited possesion. I open the box and the words that escape my lips were "Hey this isn't ..." inside the box was an old beatup Timex rather than my divers model. My Mom and Dad are just smiling big smiles and my mom says "thought you could pull a fast one and I wouldn't notice? Guess you shouldn't go unwrapping your gifts" Well about a week later I did get the watch that was originally in the box. But I can tell you I never opened another gift and even swore off package shaking all together.

[Yaads 1]

Well i guess im a meanie I wouldn't give the gift to the child, since they opened it already, and when she looked for it when it was present time, i'd explain the reason why she wouldnt be receiving the gift.

I am a meanie too. It isn't so much that they opened the gift as much as the behavior afterward. She lied and blamed it on the baby. She would be getting in trouble for the lying if it was me...and it was already said she has done stuff like this before. 9 years old...she can learn there are consequences for lying.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It's the lying and blaming it on the baby part that as a parent, I find disturbing. All behavior is learned, so she didn't just invent this on her own. She needs to learn real quick that doing something knowingly wrong and blaming someone else isn't going to get her anywhere...unless it has already and then I'd prune her for the White House.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

This thread makes me glad I'm not a parent. I doubt I'm cut out for it. A 5 year old boy kicking a boy with heart problems in the chest, damn I'd go ballistic. Measured responses aren't my style.

Being a parent brings out the best and worst in you....and then your children copy you with great accuracy.

I purposely do the opposite of my father for a couple negative traits. He had a lot of positives they I try to emulate though.

Same here. But my father's personality creeps out of me when I'm not thinking about it...like when I'm driving and someone cuts me off.

It's an ongoing battle.

[chri'stina 190]

I am a meanie too. It isn't so much that they opened the gift as much as the behavior afterward. She lied and blamed it on the baby. She would be getting in trouble for the lying if it was me...and it was already said she has done stuff like this before. 9 years old...she can learn there are consequences for lying.

I agree. I'd still give her the gift probably, but she would get a good lecture, and would have to open her presents last or something. There would be a punishment. I don't care what holiday it is.

This is a cousin's child, so even if Amber&Neil tell her she should not be doing it, if she gets away with it at her own house she is not going to change. And she needs to know that someone is not going to take that #######. I wouldn't ask the parents what to do if it's my gift I am giving to her.

My cousin's little girl the other day tried some manipulation.."oh gee I really wish I could open one of my presents..." First of all none of her presents were even wrapped yet, and she was at my parents' house, not in her own house, and she didn't even see presents out for her. Everyone said, well too bad, you have to wait. Even if she moped, doesn't matter.

Edited December 22, 2007 by stina&suj

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

In the Holiday spirit I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. I would look at her quizzically and ask her why she thought she could open her present early instead of with everyone else. Then I would explain we open presents with family on Christmas day so everyone can share and that she can have her present on Christmas Day. Until then I would place the present unwrapped under the tree as a reminder of what happened.

Your compassion is what will help her to grow and have more respect then your discipline.