How annoyed should I be?

[oregonpachey]

@@@

I got a VM from the Assistant Principal at DS1's school (he's a freshman). Apparently him and three other boys got the genius idea to get a free couch from a house near the school. The four of them hauled it to the school and left it near the bike rack. 

Now they need to figure out what to do with this couch. It's not coming here. 

As far as I can tell, they aren't in trouble with the school. They just need to figure out how to resolve the stupid couch at the bike rack. 

Should there be any punishment in this situation? I was thinking he send an email to the AP to apologize and we have a talk about pranks and how they can be taken too far, peer pressure, etc.

I am struggling here because he never gets in trouble. And yes, I realize it is kind of funny. 

[sofamonkey]

Well, I’d find someplace comfortable to sit and think about it for a bit…

[keyslover]

Sept 24, 2024 18:14:51 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

Well, I’d find someplace comfortable to sit and think about it for a bit…

Perfect response from the poster

[keyslover]

Eh- I don’t see it as a huge issue. Stupid? Yes. But no harm no foul.

Did they have plans for the couch? I’m guessing as freshman they didn’t. Let them figure out a way to move the couch. Personally, I don’t see a reason for any punishment. Just an apology and move on.

[oregonpachey]

Sept 24, 2024 18:14:51 GMT -5 sofamonkey said:

Well, I’d find someplace comfortable to sit and think about it for a bit…

Ok, that made me laugh

[twilightmv]

What would they be in trouble for? Did they leave the school when they weren’t supposed to? They’re not in trouble with the school, the couch was free. It’s kind of silly and inconvenient but I wouldn’t punish for this. If no one’s family needs the couch or has a truck to move it, maybe I’d have the kids pay to rent a truck to move it to the dump or move it to a temporary location to be listed for free elsewhere.

[heygrey]

I think emailing the AP to apologize would be a good enough punishment. Acknowledging that as harmless as this was, it still created extra work for someone (the AP) and that isn't okay.

I'd be annoyed with my kid because it's also created extra work for me, but if this is the worst thing he does in high school it will be just fine.

[1confused1]

After I stopped laughing at their idiocy, I wouldn’t punish him.

I would make him responsible for getting rid of it though. Even if that means paying to take it to the dump. Our garbage company has a junk clean up three times a year that is free, you could check to see if yours offers that.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Can you turn it in to something positive? Like, is the couch in good enough condition to be donated? If so, I'd have the boys arrange for the vets or another org. to pick it up, and maybe ask them to volunteer to ride along and unload it/volunteer a bit if able.

[mofongo]

Lol, I’m sure they had a great plan for this couch, no?

[sadlebred]

College kids can be stupid. I'd roll with that and tell him he needs to find a place for the couch. A dumpster might be the right place.

[mcsangel2]

Sept 24, 2024 18:45:32 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

College kids can be stupid. I'd roll with that and tell him he needs to find a place for the couch. A dumpster might be the right place.

I'm guessing the kid is in high school.

[mags]

I'd make him responsible for figuring out how to get it out of there with his friends.

[oregonpachey]

Sept 24, 2024 18:44:17 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Lol, I’m sure they had a great plan for this couch, no?

Apparently it was a huge piece of garbage. The people getting rid of it were probably thrilled they didn't have to pay the dump fee!

[sadlebred]

Sept 24, 2024 18:53:25 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Sept 24, 2024 18:45:32 GMT -5 sadlebred said:

College kids can be stupid. I'd roll with that and tell him he needs to find a place for the couch. A dumpster might be the right place.

I'm guessing the kid is in high school.

Good point.....

[livinitup]

Please post an update with details of what 3 genius freshman do to get rid of a free couch they previously abandoned under a security camera.

His punishment would be to provide no assistance in solving the problem but watching intently (from a respectful distance) and telling everyone in the family and then re-telling it at graduation and then forever.

I really hope no parents swoop in with a fast solution.

[Jalapeñomel]

This seems…very HS boys.

[circa1978]

Does the theatre department need a prop? 😂

[joy]

I’d want to know what their plan was. Bring the couch to the bike racks and it would live there? Bring the couch to the bike racks as a joke?

I’m going against the grain and say I may punish based on the response. “We thought it’d be funny…” is going to meet “We have to pay for junk people to haul it away now” and that would make me angry as a parent.

[mysteriouswife]

This is the most innocent kid prank. I can see why the school would be annoyed. It’s not easy to dispose of an unwanted bulk item. I think removing the couch or making him pay to have it removed is punishment enough. Maybe a reminder that he can’t bring a couch to school. 😂

[sofamonkey]

Sept 24, 2024 18:57:43 GMT -5 livinitup said:

Please post an update with details of what 3 genius freshman do to get rid of a free couch they previously abandoned under a security camera.

His punishment would be to provide no assistance in solving the problem but watching intently (from a respectful distance) and telling everyone in the family and then re-telling it at graduation and then forever.

I really hope no parents swoop in with a fast solution.

Well, the longer it stays, the more annoying it is to the school. So. Maybe some prodding into a solution is warranted here.

What a story though! LOL!

[rachers]

Oh gosh. I think it’s kind of funny and harmless so I would maybe make sure they figure out the logistics on their own and apologize to the school. But I wouldn’t push it past that.

[oregonpachey]

A friend of one of the boys with a truck came and picked it up and it's currently living at the local dump. DS has offered to pay part of the dump fee but the mom of the instigator is insisting it's not necessary.

Youths!

[chickadee77]

I'm new at parenting, but don't even get why they should apologize except maybe "Ope, sorry, we'll just move that on off school property real quick."

Sounds harmless to me (though I get why the school is wanting it gone).

[heygrey]

Sept 24, 2024 22:37:46 GMT -5 chickadee77 said:

I'm new at parenting, but don't even get why they should apologize except maybe "Ope, sorry, we'll just move that on off school property real quick."

Sounds harmless to me (though I get why the school is wanting it gone).

Because there are a million things an Assistant Principal could be doing in their day and managing garbage furniture brought onto school grounds by silly teenagers should not one of them. The AP had to figure out who brought the couch, talk to four students, email four parents, and then monitor the situation to make sure it was resolved. 

It was harmless, the kids (and their parents) have dealt with the removal and disposal of the couch, but it still occupied a lot of time the AP could have been using to do something else. Acknowledging that our actions can have consequences for other people is a life skill that is 100% appropriate for high school freshman to learn. 

[dexteroni]

This is too funny. It’s actually nice to hear about a silly and harmless prank! Having to figure out how to dispose of it themselves was a good consequence. And a brief “sorry you had to deal with that, we shouldn’t have brought it onto school property or left it there to become someone else’s problem” email to the AP is plenty.

[sonrisa]

They should create an antilittering PSA video, featuring their oversized litter and how they dispose of it, for future generations to enjoy.

[momin2013]

Sept 24, 2024 19:03:55 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

This seems…very HS boys.

This was my first thought (although girls do stupid stuff like this, too; don’t ask me how I know). I would not be annoyed at this.

This will be one of those things they’ll talk about when they’re 40 years old one day - “Hey, remember that time we picked up that couch and brought it to school? That was hilarious”.

[fivechickens]

I am not a fan of pranks but this one is funny. I wouldn’t be annoyed BUT I would not be helping them get rid of it.

[UMaineTeach]

They can walk it right back where it came from.