#AprilFools Should Parents Prank Their Kids: 3 Things to Consider

Today is the big day April 1... my best ever April Fools day joke happened two years ago when I told my boss I was going to quit! I suppose it could have gone horribly wrong... like if he would have said-- great when can you leave? But fortunately, the joke elicited a moment of panic in my boss and sheer delight for me! Best ever....

This year I'm wondering if it's appropriate to play a joke on the kids. Mine are 3 and 6. They may be a little on the young side-- though I think they'd get a kick out of some silly behavior.

Of course I searched the internet for ideas--- and for the most part I found pranks revolve around:

1. Food-- either making it look gross but taste good, or taste like something unexpected, or using food color to make it weird, etc.

2. Rearranging the kids' stuff before they wake up (hilarity ensues)

3. Misleading them -- set the clocks ahead an hour and don't tell them until they get to school, tell them they have school over the weekend, etc... one article suggested putting a for sale sign on the house before the kids came home or bagging up all their toys and telling them they're going to be donated to charity! Either of these two would probably scar my kids for life.

4. Tricks that involve unexpected things happening -- cellophane over the faucet, toilet, etc. These seem like a bad ideas as I'm sure mom would end up doing the clean up--- plus, the toilet thing is just kind of gross.

So after considering all this, here are three things Parents might want to think about before deciding to do an April Fool's Day joke:

1. Keep in mind the age of your kids-- and know what they'll be able to handle without a melt down (i.e. don't bag up the toys for charity if the kids are really young-- especially not MY kids toys!)

2. Consider what the prank may be "teaching" your kids -- misleading pranks = lies can be funny, mom can't always be trusted-- sometimes she lies.... on the other hand if the kids are older, this could be an opportunity to share a good laugh....or not-- what do you think?

3. Avoid pranks that involve "getting" the kids-- either embarrassing them in front of their peers, or having some unfortunate thing happen to them, like getting sprayed with water.... leave those types of things to their peers--- no doubt their friends are already scheming...

For me, I think I'll take this opportunity to share a silly moment with the kids-- something lighthearted and fun--- maybe making eggs that are actually cookies as Family Fun suggests ... or something easier--- serving cereal with green milk?! Or maybe suggesting they put their shoes on the wrong feet?? Yes-- my kids are still at the stage where they are easily amused... anyway, I'm sure I'll think of something relatively harmless...

Open to ideas tho'!