Mom Punishes Son Over ‘Heartless’ Prank He Pulled On A Girl In His Class But Wonders If She Went Too Far
Was the punishment too much?
Daisy Daisy / BearFotos / Shutterstock A mother recently found out that her 15-year-old son, “Jacob” had pulled a mean prank on one of his friends she calls “Ashley."
The woman took to the subreddit, "r/AITA, to ask if the punishment she issued was too harsh.
Her son asked out a girl in his class 'as a joke.'
Not only did Jacob ask Ashley on a date as a prank, but he and his friends made fun of her as they went along with it. Ashley was a part of Jacob’s group of friends — his mother even recalls her coming to his birthday party a month before the incident. She remembers Ashley being a nice girl, although quiet and shy.
So when Mark, Jacob’s older brother, told her about what he did to the girl, she was stunned. Finding it hard to believe, the mother asked for proof from her older son. To prove that it had happened, Mark showed his mom the family tablet where Jacob had forgotten to log out of his Discord account.
The mother read message after message where Jacob and his friends laughed and joked about the harsh stunt they had pulled on Ashley, mocking her.
To make matters worse, according to his mother, Jacob was talking like a “thug” and not someone who lived a life of privilege in his gated community. This mother was upset that her son would participate in such harmful behavior. Unsure of how to fix the situation, the mother was confused by her son’s behavior — she had never seen this side of him.
The first thing she did was ground Jacob to teach him a lesson.
She had no idea how long he would be grounded, but she was just getting started. The day before this mother found out about her son’s prank, a bike had been delivered as a belated birthday gift for him. She was waiting to give it to him when his grandparents were visiting since they had missed his party the month before.
Instead of giving the bicycle to her son as she had planned, she made Jacob carry it from the closet in her bedroom to the car. They drive to Ashley’s house while Jacob cried the whole way there, knowing what was about to happen.
Ashley’s parents knew Jacob and his mom were coming over, as she had called and given them a recap of the situation earlier that day.
On the porch, Jacob apologized to Ashley and her parents for his actions, and gifted her the bike he had received as a birthday gift. His mother also apologized, letting them know that her son knew better.
Finally, the woman held all of the boys who mocked Ashley on Discord accountable. She called their parents and made them aware of the concerning behavior.
Jacob likely learned a valuable lesson about how to treat people, but the mom asked the Reddit community if she went too far in punishing him after her parents objected to what she did.
The consensus among readers is that she did what a responsible mother should do in the situation.
One commenter said, “NTA you did the right thing. If there hadn’t been consequences that hit where it hurt, he may not have learned how unacceptable that behavior is” They continued, “That cruelty is sadly common in kids around that age, but this is the absolute right step towards him becoming a good man.”
Another person talked about her own experience with bullying and its long-term effects. She said, “Not to mention the effects of these kinds of 'jokes' are lasting. I’m 21, I had this shit happen to me when I was 11-15.”
“I still have a hard time accepting compliments or believing anyone could be attracted to me despite being in a 5 year relationship. In my head I’m still the undesirable girl who people find so repulsive that the idea of dating me is a big hilarious joke to them.”
The mother’s actions are being applauded by people who have experienced much of the same treatment.
While her response may seem tough, she conveys a powerful message about prioritizing kindness and respect for others. By grounding Jacob, taking away his gift, and making him face the consequences of his actions, this mom demonstrates a commitment to instilling empathy and accountability in her son.
While some may debate the severity of the punishment, there's no denying the critical role parents play in teaching their kids to treat others with dignity and compassion. Our actions can have lasting impacts on those we interact with, and it's our responsibility to promote positive values and behaviors.
The Reddit community largely supports this mother's stance, recognizing the long-term effects of such "jokes" and commending her for taking the necessary steps to nurture a responsible, compassionate young man.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment & news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.