Pranksters!

My boys like to play jokes on me. These jokes aren't really mean, but they do raise my blood pressure about 20 points. In a nutshell, they like me to think they got in trouble in school.

For example, once when Lucas got home from school, he slammed a piece of yellow paper down on the table next to me, and stomped out of the room. The paper was a "think sheet"--a teacher-issued citation that is given to a student when he commits a minor to moderate infraction at school. The parent must sign the sheet and return it. Receipt of too many think sheets would warrant a parent-student meeting with the principal.

The think sheet stated that Lucas had "stolen another child's snack" and "lied to his teacher". I was shocked. He lied AND stole? These are NOT characteristic behaviors for my child. I was also disappointed. If he wanted to have a snack at school, why didn't he just bring one from home?

I called my son back in the room. "Lucas, WHY?" He kept his head down and shrugged. That boy would absolutely not look at me.

As I signed the think sheet, I began to contemplate a suitable punishment. Then I was just about to give the paper back to Lucas when I took one last look: "Wait a minute!!!!" When he saw that I had figured him out, Lucas released his bottled up laughter. The think sheet had been left on the bus by the real lying snack thief. Lucas had erased the boy's name and replaced it with his own.

Tomorrow: Kyle's prank.