16 Y.O. Stepson Deliberately Waters His Stepdad’s Plants With Bleach, Stepdad Cancels Their Family Trip To Discipline Him
Having hobbies is a splendid way of knowing that you’ll never get bored. In addition, doing what you love improves the quality of your life and even has some scientific backups that confirm that it reduces the risk of you developing the loss of cognitive functions.
While focusing on your career and studies is always beneficial, it’s more important to connect yourself with things you know will relax you and somewhat disconnect you from the world when you truly need it. Besides, it’s good to keep yourself busy, especially now, when the world has been at a pause, and most of us are struggling with anxieties and low moods.
This gardening enthusiast also has a favorite hobby. However, not long ago, he took it to one of Reddit’s communities to share a story about how his teenage stepkid, who loves to pull all kinds of jokes, managed to cross all the boundaries and deliberately ruin the things the man deeply cared for.
More info: Reddit
When asking your kid to delete an embarrassing video, be careful, they might ruin your plant collection
Image credits: Scott Brown
This is the story of a Reddit user who is constantly in a prank “war” with his teenage stepson. The post received over 31K upvotes and nearly 4K comments, where people discussed the inexcusable behavior of the young man.
This plant enthusiast’s 16 y.o. stepson deliberately watered the flowers with bleach
Image credits: Reddit
The OP is a plantsman and he loves to collect indoor plants, as there’s not enough space for him to transfer his hobby outside. He’s also a proud stepdad to a teenage boy who, in fact, has been testing the OP with all sorts of pranks lately.
The OP shared that the pranks don’t usually concern him, as he understands that all kids love to mess around, plus, the tricks are usually harmless.
Image credits: Reddit
The trouble began when the boy decided to pull one of his pranks, once again. He thought that it would be funny to record himself spraying cold water on his sleeping stepdad and to later upload the video on Facebook, where a bunch of people would be able to witness his beyond amazing joke.
Image credits: Reddit
Naturally, the stepdad didn’t approve of such a joke and asked the boy to delete the video, as it was quite embarrassing. The teenager kept persuading the OP to let him keep the video—moreover, his mom also joined the team and tried to convince the OP that it wasn’t a big deal, and that he should let the boy keep the recording of his trick.
Image credits: Reddit
After putting an end to that discussion, the teenager suddenly became very affectionate and even asked the stepdad if he could help with his plants. The OP was delighted that his stepchild wanted to help, so he gave him the watering pot and instructed the boy to start with the plants in the kitchen. The kid was gone for a few minutes, but later came back and finished watering the plants.
Some time goes by, and the OP began cleaning his tools when he instantly smelled something weird. He realized that it was bleach and just to make sure, he went to smell the plants, and unfortunately the same smell was coming from them.
Image credits: Reddit
When he went to confront his stepkid, he obviously kept denying that he had anything to do with it, although the OP found a bleach bottle in the teenager’s room, which eventually made him lose his temper. The kid then admitted that it was sort of a revenge thing for making him delete that video of him spraying water on the OP.
The man couldn’t believe it, so he immediately cancelled the family trip to a national park that the kid was looking forward to. The teenager began crying and proceeded to explain that it was a pure mistake and he simply didn’t know what he was doing.
Image credits: Reddit
The OP was absolutely sure that it was the right thing to do, since the boy deliberately decided to damage the plants out of revenge. Though, his wife didn’t agree and was very worried for her son, who wasn’t eating well since the argument, and was convinced that a simple apology would’ve been enough.
The man replied, that he wasn’t going to change his mind and that this punishment was a very reasonable thing to do, as the boy intentionally hurt him. The wife decided to add some fuel to the fire and called him unreasonable and stubborn.
Image credits: Reddit
The OP admitted that his stepchild believes that he will always be forgiven, as long as he admits to it. But the stepfather thinks that the boy needs to finally learn a lesson, as he’s not a little kid anymore and this time the prank went completely overboard.
What do you think about this situation? Do you believe that the stepdad had a very valid reason to cancel the upcoming trip?
Fellow online users supported the OP in his decision
297Kviews
Share on FacebookSo, kid takes a video of the stepdad and posts it without his permission. He gets mad and sulky when he is told to take it down, and then does something he knows will kill/hurt the plants stepdad cares about? Huge red flag there, the kid needs help.
Sounds like the kid is trying to be like the YouTube stars who got famous doing this sort of thing. They are sometimes awful to people and laugh about it without facing consequences, and kids take notes from that. I like K. Lange's suggestion of making him help clean the pots, and I'd also make him help take care of the plants so he could see what he damaged with his stupid "prank." He needs to actually see how his actions affect others.
Load More Replies...So... taking away something the kid cares about is abuse? So, does that not mean that the kid purposefully destroying something the OP cares about is also abuse? works both ways, lady.
"Works both ways" is spot-on. Gardening and hiking trips are classic pandemic coping strategies, so it's kinda a shame they deprived each other of what might be keeping them sane during the isolation and anxiety. That's the only angle I can try to see it through the mom's eyes to get where she's coming from with the abuse comment. But I don't think OP did wrong. Parents have a duty to teach their children right and wrong.
Load More Replies...Use the saved money for the Trip to buy new plants and maybe let him clean the pots from the bleach. You could do the cleaning together and use the time to Talk about this incidence.
Naw, make the kid pay for new plants. Take him down to the nursery, price plants similar to the ones he destroyed, and tell him to get a job at Burger King and keep working there until he's paid for replacement plants. That would have been more effective than withholding a trip the whole family wanted, that or a choice between cancelling the trip or working at Burger King until he's paid for new plants.
Load More Replies...Kid has anger issues toward the stepdad. Pranks are something *both* people laugh at. No laugh? Then it's not a prank. I've seen kids try to say it was a prank when they put poison in *food*. I don't mean a laxative. I mean legit poison. No. They're hating, and hurting, and hurting others, and it's time for serious intervention.
He wouldn't have posted the sleep-spray video if he loved the stepdad, there's pre-existing tension which is now far worse. And Mom is acting like most family members act during family tension: Refusing to take sides, and desperately wanting to ignore the issue until the tension goes away, because they're afraid that any action on their part will damage their relatioship with some family member or another.
Load More Replies...Holy f**k. Hey Dad... be glad you don't have any small beloved pets in the house.
That boy was 16, he's not a child anymore. When I was 16 I was already responsible for my own s**t.
His behaviour doesn't sound like harmless pranking. It sounds more like he's deliberately being a d**k to make it difficult for the OP and it was building up.
The kid cried? Crocodile tears more like it. Spoilt brat. Hes almost an adult. Actions have consequences.
What 16 year old cries over a trip to a National Park?
Load More Replies...Yep yep. Youngster has antisocial tendencies and probably needs intervention, so he likely need his separate therapy as well.
Load More Replies...He is 16 he knows what is right and wrong. He needs to learn the consequences of his actions. His mom spoiled that kid. What the stepdad did is right. It seems that this kid doesn't respect him. If he would not do anything right who knows what will this brat will do in the future.
So if this kid poisoned the dog or another child as a prank it would be ok? Keep the trip cancelled. Make him help regrow the plants to teach him how long it takes to get something to grow. Tell him just like a baby it needs attention. Just like an education it takes time to learn. And just like life if you sh2t on it you get that back in return. And the pranks have to stop. It's disrespect and next thing you know he will pour sugar in the gas tank of the car an ruin that too.
Actions have consequences. It seems like the kid only understands this when he feels slighted. "You take my video down, I kill your flowers!" Action. Consequence. Albeit not a reasonable or mature example. But then when the same logic is applied to him, for good reason he can't handle it. Good for dad. NTA ... F**k that kid. Living with ppl who think it's funny to pull "pranks" on unwitting ppl are the worst. Dated a guy like that once. He wanted to be one of those "prank couples" on YouTube... I dumped him after he replaced my medicated, prescription face wash (for cystic acne) with mayonnaise and threw out my real s**t... those types of ppl don't learn unless they're forced to. Stand your ground dad.
What a nasty person Imogene. Glad you dumped that guy.
Load More Replies...As a step parent whose partner expects me to put up with s**t from his teenagers I would NEVER accept from my own child, I totally feel for this guy. At 16 (or older) that kind of behaviour is nasty, deliberate and they should be held accountable for it. They are not babies any more.
The kid is sorry. That is his general state of being nothing to do with regret. Seriously show the kid that actions have consequences. Tally up the cost to replace every plant he damaged, new soil then the labor of repotting each plant. If he hits 2k explain the consequences of a felony and that you could have the state come in and settle the issue. I would be having a yard sale to replace my stuff. Let's face it with the mom we know this kid has a higher end gaming console/PC probably a drone and losing his stuff would be adequate.
Its totally ok to insult someone and say, just kidding. Its totally ok to slap your partner and say it's a love tap. Its totally ok to rape someone as long as you don't mean it, because you're A good guy. Are you the ahole that says no to these things. Thank you
What is it with all the people partnering up with disrespectful entitled people. The stepson is 16, you can go to jail for spraying bleach on other people property. He is old enough to know right from wrong, pranks are only funny is you're laughing. Divorce wife and kick them both out. This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated. I wouldn't be surprised if ten years from now the stepson gets angry at work and will spray bleach all over workplace. Disgusting behaviour and no apology isn't enough, therapy maybe
That was an appropriate punishment, even lenient. Plants aren't free and they're good for the environment. I don't understand this "he's only 16 bla bla." 16 year old can do cruel things but this is more like an 11 y.o
That little asshole definitely deserves this punishment. This "prank" bullshit isn't funny, posting a video of someone without their permission isn't funny, sulking and murdering the plants is super s**t. Deserved. I'm worried that the mom doesn't have dad's back and if she continues bringing up her son like this, he will only become an even bigger asshole than he already is.
Hey Mom, a deliberately cruel act is not a “mistake”, and 16 is way too old to be crying and sulking. At 16, a lot of kids are working part time to save up for a car or college. Sounds like this kid is a good candidate for about 20 hours a week at a very physically taxing job, with a boss who won’t take any of his bullshit, and will put him right in his place when he acts up. He’ll come home too damn tired to pull any stupid “pranks”. In two years, he needs to be given a choice: full time work or (preferably) the military for two years before even talking about college. That’ll straighten his sorry ass out.
I would have taken away computer time with the water prank. His practical jokes may be harmless but there is a thread of hostility in there. I would keep my eyes open because he may just pull another prank more harmful because he figures he's got nothing to lose. I would also make him replace the plants he damaged.
Killing your plants that you've spent a lot of time and care on is not harmless. It's not on par with murdering your pets but it's in the same ballpark.
Load More Replies...It is reasonable to admit wrong-doing and apologizing with genuine remorse, and then being forgiven. HOWEVER, that in no way means that there shouldn't be consequences. I agree with most here, this kid has some anger that needs addressing.
I think hes a little s**t who needs punishment! If someone woke me up by spraying cold water on me i would find that really rude, let alone some snotty teenager who gets away with too much, spraying plants with bleach is actually really spiteful! I would have given him a fing smacked a**e! As for his mother......she needs to wisen up and realise how rude her son is
As if they mean it or that I will except their apology.
Load More Replies...He can go on the trip as soon as he pays to replace every single plant out of his own money ...
You kill the plants? You're lucky that's all your dad did, kiddo...if I did that, my mom would kill me.
Yup same and if my brother did that to one of my plants I would kill him. I ament that good with plants so the ones that actually grow are literally like children to me. I protect them with life and soul
Load More Replies...What is this brat's mother teaching him? My kids (much younger than 16) are growing up watching pranks being performed on YouTube by moronic "content creators" but know not to play any pranks that cause a mess!
NTA Aloe plants are expensive. You don't destroy someone's hobby then think you can say sorry. It doesn't work like that. If you are angry fair enough but sabotage is not on
omg. what a hateful little prick. he'd have gotten WAY worse punishment from me. Like I'd take his phone away for a month so he can't post stupid videos. What a shitty thing to do to living things.
Yeah, not going to go out on a limb here and say this is a relationship in trouble. Stepson acting out anger issues through 'pranks' and a Mom that is willing to let abusive behavior directed at her husband continue.
Oh boy, if anyone touched ny plants....... i fear to think of the outcome. Once, my fiancé accidentally knocked over one of my orchids, which was just about to flower. It got all upset and did not flower anymore. That was almost a year ago. I still remind of it when he goes in the balcony, and ask him to very careful (limited space with lots of plants). I don't think i *can* let it go. My plants are my children. I would be so devastated and angry if anything happened to them. My orchids are just about to flower again.... the boy's actions are despicable and personally i don't think i could ever forgive him.
Good parenting from the stepdads side. That was a horrible thing the boy did. Have him help finding replacement plants, geting them, repotting and learnig about them. Make him understand what it takes to take care of them.
Sorry, but the recounting of events the article does between the screenshots of OP's post is simply wasting time. Both the author's and the readers' time, that is. So is this comment, btw. That's why it says "Sorry" in the beginning.
I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to these subjects, but damn 16? Bleach could have seriously hurt OP, yes? I think the punishment is more than deserved. You don't just water plants w/ bleach over taken down videos
If things like that continue, it'd be a trip to the psychologist... He's testing limits,filming private family stuff,and getting revenge at 16? How far could it go?
Wow. Please consider that plants are living beings. Water them with bleach is like torturing and killing pups. If the mother is not able to understand that the difference between pranks and actions with hurtful consequences is to correct then sorry but this mother is TA as the kid himself.
wow. Kid has definite issues with anger management and boundary control. When he asked if he could water the plants, he knew he was going to kill them. Yes, cancel the trip and get some SOLID counseling.
I have a plant collection that I LOVE with all my heart, and if anybody did that to my plants, I would have been BEYOND mad. If Sean is doing harmless pranks that don't harm anybody, go ahead. But there is a line and he crossed it.
The kid is 16. He knows wtf he is doing. He sounds like a spoiled brat.
Kid kind of seems abusive to stepdad even before flower incident and this was just the straw that broke the [extremely tolerant] camel’s back. Mom should have stepped in long before this, so it does fall on her somewhat, but this man has patience & tolerance I would not possess in the same situation.
This kid isn't "pranking", he's malicious, sociopathic and abusive. He's 16? It'll get much worse as he grows up. He needs therapy. The fact Mom enables it is even worse. The kid is dangerous.
Here's something I learned from Daniel Tiger. You say "sorry" then "how can I help? " IE make reparations for your mistake. Sorry isn't enough.
When will people stop calling deliberate damage (or dishonesty, stealing, whatever) a mistake! A mistake is when you do something not knowing any better. This boy most certainly knew what he was doing. And he didn't 'admit' to it anyway. Only eventually when he couldn't deny it because the evidence was clear. That mother needs a few lessons in life too, by the sounds of things... Take an embarrassing video of her and post it and see if she doesn't refuse to speak to you ever again for daring to humilate her. I'm female myself but by God how I hate these double standards. Why should females be respected by men and not vice versa?
Either he's testing you to see what he can get away with or it's a cry for attention.
16 years old is hardly a kid. Sounds like Dudley Dursley syndrome to me.
The kid is pushing the boundaries and those are not pranks at all. I would have had a word with him, long before it got this far. He is not just being a kid, he is an asshole in the making who is likely a Narcissist and very likely cannot handle the same treatment that he is giving others. He needs to be sent to the military to learn some f*****g manners and discipline.
Appalled wife stood by son. Hoping step dad better treatment or realizes he may be too good for what’s being offered.
Kid's 16 and acts like that? Damn Tiktoks really destroy braincells
This story have multiple layers of wrong. First of all, why did it keep underlining the step-relationship?? Son is a son, dad is a dad. Being a step shouldn't make any difference. Secondly, it's been a common parenting knowledge that mom and dad should never argue in front of kids. If you have disagreement, discuss it when the kids are not around. This story only teach kids that if one parent try to teach you something, don't bother to learn. Just hide behind the other parent. And lastly, this is why i don't approve prank culture. It's hard to draw the lines between funny and harmful. Even adults still get offended by accidentally over-the-line pranks. And most of the time you can't judge if a prank is a bad prank before seeing the reaction of your victims -before it's too late. Kid is dumb. Dad is stubborn. Mom is spoiling. Everybody are wrong in this story.
y the dad is a stubborn????? I mean he shouldn't had let more than one prank happen but it's not his fault that he cancelled the trip like y would u ever kill a plant as """"revenge"""""" for deleting a video that u don't want to be posted cuz of UR privacy the """kid""" needs to know that if u do something bad there's consequences and even more if we talk about law that """"kid"""" (I say kid again cuz he's literally 16 wtf) just made all of the time it took to have a healthy time worthless like it's like if someone had a son and literally just cuz the dad told him to respect ur privacy then u could just throw his laptop and break it or damage something of the car or ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE which btw is illegal like c'mon the only shitties here are the mom and the son and overall the mom cuz she let him do all of that AND JUST WITH AN APOLOGY EVERYTHING'S SOLVED in any school if u do something too bad repeatedly u get expelled even at short ages u can get punished very badly so age is no
Load More Replies...I think it sounds like the relationship between this sixteen year old young man and his stepfather is chronically toxic and needs some healthy intervention. Being in a prank war with your stepson sounds like a very poor way to build a relationship. The family needs to be engaged in open conversations to get to the bottom of this negative behavior.
That kid better be happy I ain't the step parent, cancelling the trip would've been the first step for me 😅. He would be cleaning pots and paying for new plants from his allowance until every plant I owned would be replaced and then he'd have to take care of them for at least 2 months, to learn that it's hard work, keeping plants healthy and happy.
Stuff like this makes me remember why (1) I chose not to have kids and (2) chose not to marry. Every once in a while, I get lonely and think it would be nice... Then I remember my sister's kids or my friend's kids or marital/relationship problems I get to hear about and instantly feel 100% better.
This kid's a psycho in training. Soon he'll be killing pets if he doesn't get what he wants. And the wife not having her husband's back is inexcusable! Dump her!
If I pulled a stunt like that on my mums orchids, not going on a trip would have been the least scarry punishment. There is a good chance I would have not seen my phone, social media or my friends in a very long time. I was a rebellious teen but that is too much, considering these plants cost money, time and love. So this is not abuse, it's only fair and that boy is probably an entitled brat...
Your wife has raised a hateful little s**t there. You're right to cancel any trips. I wouldn't take the AH to the park after that. Your wife's lack of boundaries and discipline has created a vindictive and deeply cruel kid there. Get him to therapy and confront all of his stupid pranks from now on. His mother is to step up and be a parent too. Allowing him to do what he likes has led to the idea that destruction of a dear hobby is actually an acceptable way of lashing out over hurt feelings. Giant red flag. Do not let that brat get away with anything else.
if I did that to anyone else I could be charged, made to make reparations... real world, kids do need to understand consequences to actions. Tell a judge or police officer you are sorry and see how far that goes...
This kid is a jerk. He shouldn't be only without his trip, he should be grounded as well. He has age to drive a car, so he has age to bear the consequences of his acts.
The boy is not 6 but 16. In some countries even allowed to drive a damn car. He IS old enough to know that stuff works other ways than "I said sorry, okay?!".
Personally, I would make him pay for every single plant that he destroyed and any soil that needs to be replaced, fertilizer, etc. Out of his own pocket of course.
That kid needs to replace the plants that he killed and be required to help his step dad nurture the new ones. That way he learns a new skill and actually get to see the time and effort that goes into something like that. Could end up being a great experience for both step dad and step son.
Make Sean help you repot all those plants. Show him how much care they need AND WHY, that they are living things. Things that make you happy. Things that could die and go away from his thoughtlessness. Make it a teaching moment, not just a pouting "we're not going".
I think stepdad needs to go back in time to see if there is other red flag behavior and if there is I would be headed to a divorce lawyer. Maybe the step kid might do something more harmful to stepdad the next time the kid gets pissed off for any actions he may try to do to get back at his stepdad. Get out while you can.
The kid is 16. More than old enough to be held responsible for what he did. He deserves his punishment and that is by no means abuse.
The "article" is poorly written but its not my main issue. It seems to me that the OP is made up this story 16 y.o. posting video on facebook?! Not in 2022. Why not tiktok or even ig? Fb is a boomer s**t and i don't know anybody below 30 who unironically posts there. And also there is no kid who "looks forward to" the National Park trip. Some dude just made this story up for karma or some s**t
This kid will be in the breaking new a few years later, I am afraid...
That kid Sean, he needs help. For me, he has all the signs of a psychopath.
I would like to disagree with the entire comment section. Talk about how the kid is wrong and there should be consequences for taking something the dad cared about, yes. But then yet again the dad isnt any better. Revenge on the kid for revenge, taking something the kid cared about. I assume this is way more then just some simple a "consequence" for his actions. And like 80% of this entire section would make a horrible parent, only being straight minded and blaming the other.
I understand that what the kid did was wrong but don't we all do/say something when we are angry that hurts other people? I'm pretty sure my dad has broken a lot of things that were given to me as a gift from family members and friends out of anger and spite. So the kid wasn't lying about doing it due to clouded judgement. He did it because he was angry and upset that his father cancelled the trip.
Nope, angry about a video, the cancelled trip was punishment for him KILLING the dad's plants. The fact ur dad broke ur things when angry does NOT make it ok..don't perpetuate the cycle of bad behavior.
Load More Replies...Boundaries were crossed way before this incident. A stepdad stepson relationship is a very difficult one. A stepdad will often try to be more buddy than dad in hopes of gaining acceptance from their non biological child. Doing that can make disciplinary actions awkward and ineffective. I hope this incident is enough to reset the relationship with more appropriate boundaries in place.
Your wife is part of the problem here. It is not ok to foster and enable this sort of behavior. Not only is canceling the trip a very reasonable consequence, it is unreasonable to say it is abusive to have a genuine consequence for what he did. He is 16 years old, I can fathom my children doing something so purposefully vindictive at that age. Not only do they know better, allowing such a both bad mentality to continue and then not ensuring a sufficient punishment is setting your child (who is already practically a young adult) to completely fail in the real world. I think the bigger issue of the parenting decisions your wife is issuing needs to be honestly and kindly addressed here. I want to give my children the world like every other parent, but part of that comes with setting them up for success emotionally. Her thinking a reasonable consequence is akin to abuse is a serious waving giant red flag. I wish you luck, and I definitely do not envy your current predicament.
Yoooo, u that dad lucky dont have pets lol, i can imagine what that entitled kids gonna doa if his stepdad have pets
He is 16 years old. He knows better. He needs to understand when a prank goes to far and what boundaries are and it's up to the parents to teach him those things. I think they let the kid go too far with his pranks to begin with but him crying and being dramatic? At 16? This kid needs a job and he need to be taught respect and he need to comprehend that he poisoned something that was alive and if he did this to a neighbor or someone other than his stepdad he would be in a hell of a lot more trouble. I absolutely would have cancelled the trip and would be getting my kid counseling if he did something like that and what's up with mom pretending this isn't a big deal? Spraying water on the stepdad while sleeping too?? What if he had a heart condition or something and the surprise killed him? This kid needs to understand the possible outcomes of his actions and needs to think more, prank less. Sounds like the mom is part of the problem though imo.
What if he rapes some and then said it was a joke.not ok this kid needs help
We shouldn’t be so quick to judge. This is an account of what happened online. Obviously the stepfather would try to position himself in the best light. What if the tears and acting out were from something happening at school? The kid could also be struggling with something like depression and doesn’t know any coping mechanisms. What I am trying to say, is that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge what is happening. With the video, maybe the kid felt pressured to post it because of friends and social media in general. With the plants, this kid is 16! So even though they are not a little kid, their mind is still developing and they are struggling with the same hormones that are the reason people have died in the past.
As a parent I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE with ALL OF YOU and feel it shows a lack of understanding when it comes to a child's brain development AND the point of discipline!!! What this "dad" did was punishment. Punishment doesn't TEACH anything. If my kids did this, I'd make them pay for new plants and make them do the work of the new planting. This includes scrubbing the old pots. A consequence like this fits the crime (having to pay to replace the property destroyed) and would have actually strengthened their relationship; the step dad would have applied a fitting consequence while also getting to teach/share his passion. I won't bore everyone with too much science, but you ALL need to read up on the frontal lobe. It doesn't connect until your early 20s. This is why I dont think just anyone should be able to raise kids; science and emotional intelligence matter
I'd understand your stance if the punishment was a beating or taking away some kind of food privileges because those are unacceptable and help nothing but the dad literally cancelled a trip. My family does that all the time with and without it being a consequence of someone's actions. It's not a big deal. Besides, the kid killed plants over a goddamn video (one in which he was being a d**k for clout. That kind of behavior shouldn't be encouraged anyway). Taking away a trip over the plants is reasonable. Yes, making him replace the plants should be done but in tandem with the trip being taken away. If only the plants had to be replaced, the dad still loses something he loved and worked on for a long time, while the son gets the trip he so badly wanted. If the trip is taken away and the plants are replaced, the son gets to learn empathy because now he gets something he cared about taken away (and it's not like it's a beloved pet or something. It's a TRIP that they can always go on l8r).
Load More Replies...I would murder the brat. And by the looks of it, the mother as well.
Honestly, I think that cancelling a family vacation is not the right punishment. It has nothing to do with what the kid is being punished for, and sets the tone that if he pisses his step-dad off, his punishment will be canceled family time. Since he damaged the plants, make him work to replace them. I'm a big proponent of the idea that the punishment should fit the crime, and that taking away family time should NEVER be a punishment.
You did the right thing. What a little turd! That kid deserves nothing.
wow, some of these answers are a bit over the top. He's 16, so no fully developed brain. OP should have explained in length, what bleach does to plants, and how that misbehaviour of his stepson needs to be punished. even cancelling the trip, or postponing it is a good idea. But divorce or family is a but too much in my opinion. Good parenting is hard. and as a parent you are entitled to sone situation where you handle things wrong, or be pissed at your kids because of the stuff they did.
I understood that bleach was bad for living things when I was *seven*. While puberty physically changes where the brain is doing its most development ------ hitn, not the part where rational thinking is ----- he knew what he was doing. He *knew* bleach would kill the plants. That was his own stated motive : Revenge for being told to take down a video!
Load More Replies...All of them have wrongs and rights. First the mother who thinks with apology everything would be fixed plus she must respect the stepfather and take his side the kid doing was wrong. Second stepfather l know he loves his plants but he could teach his step kid different way not do the same as wrong as kid. Third the boy who is almost adult if he mad as his stepdad he should talk to him not to distroy other living beings.
He takes a video of a physical assault and he's still walking straight? I have no idea how it got past that...
Well gonna be the unpopular one here, but it seems that the op is more concerned about his relationship with his plants than his stepson, does anyone wonder why or what led up to a kid reacting this way? I doubt that anyone is mature at 16, i know i wasn't and anyone that. Thinks that they were is delusional, the video does not sound like a big deal, sounds like innocent fun but the op was so embarrased? If you ask me the op was a huge bug up his butt, and cares more about the plants, than cultivating relationships with people.
I want you to imagine having s hobby that brings you joy and relaxation that helps you get through the s**t show the world has become of late. A hobby that takes a great deal of time and money and curating. Now imagine some asshole with a chip on his shoulder and no sense of consequence literally destroys all of it because you disagreed with something they did. Imagine that they just grinned and called it a joke when they destroyed it. If you think anything that kid did wasn't wrong, then you are just as much an asshole as the kid and his c**t mother.
Load More Replies...NTA. Sean's an A-Hole, and at 16 he's old enough to start acting like an adult and not some whiny, lacking responsibility little moron. He's on the path to being an abusive cun* and his mother is helping him get there. Fast forward 5 years and he'll be getting arrested for punching his GF, but in his eyes it's fine because "it was just a prank I was filming for TikTok". Where does it end? You annoy him, so next he poisons the cat? This kid is lucky you're respectful of his body, if a 16yr old maliciously killed living things in my house (just because they're plants doesn't make them less living things) I'd have beaten 7 shades of shi* out of him, then thrown him and his mother out of my house. He can apologize to her while homeless, let's see if "an apology is enough" then. If the house isn't yours, pack your stuff and move out right away. Let the mother know she obviously has no respect for anyone else when it concerns her son, good luck to her raising an abusive A-hole.
I'm sorry, but why are y'all upvoting this person advocating for beating a kid??????
Load More Replies...He shouldn't be posting videos of other people without their permission. That's a boundary his parents should teach him. As for the prank, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it's just being sprayed with water. No big deal. However, a lot of people make "prank" videos like this where they go around annoying strangers in public. That's not a funny prank. That's just being a jerk. There is no inherent humor value in just being a jerk. You can be jerky and funny, but that takes some actual wit and intelligence. This isn't particularly funny. It's just annoying. So while not a huge deal, I wouldn't want my kid growing up to be an annoying git. If your whole joke is "it's funny because they're mad now" then you suck at jokes. I'd want my kid to get some better material. That sh!t's just boring.
Load More Replies...So, kid takes a video of the stepdad and posts it without his permission. He gets mad and sulky when he is told to take it down, and then does something he knows will kill/hurt the plants stepdad cares about? Huge red flag there, the kid needs help.
Sounds like the kid is trying to be like the YouTube stars who got famous doing this sort of thing. They are sometimes awful to people and laugh about it without facing consequences, and kids take notes from that. I like K. Lange's suggestion of making him help clean the pots, and I'd also make him help take care of the plants so he could see what he damaged with his stupid "prank." He needs to actually see how his actions affect others.
Load More Replies...So... taking away something the kid cares about is abuse? So, does that not mean that the kid purposefully destroying something the OP cares about is also abuse? works both ways, lady.
"Works both ways" is spot-on. Gardening and hiking trips are classic pandemic coping strategies, so it's kinda a shame they deprived each other of what might be keeping them sane during the isolation and anxiety. That's the only angle I can try to see it through the mom's eyes to get where she's coming from with the abuse comment. But I don't think OP did wrong. Parents have a duty to teach their children right and wrong.
Load More Replies...Use the saved money for the Trip to buy new plants and maybe let him clean the pots from the bleach. You could do the cleaning together and use the time to Talk about this incidence.
Naw, make the kid pay for new plants. Take him down to the nursery, price plants similar to the ones he destroyed, and tell him to get a job at Burger King and keep working there until he's paid for replacement plants. That would have been more effective than withholding a trip the whole family wanted, that or a choice between cancelling the trip or working at Burger King until he's paid for new plants.
Load More Replies...Kid has anger issues toward the stepdad. Pranks are something *both* people laugh at. No laugh? Then it's not a prank. I've seen kids try to say it was a prank when they put poison in *food*. I don't mean a laxative. I mean legit poison. No. They're hating, and hurting, and hurting others, and it's time for serious intervention.
He wouldn't have posted the sleep-spray video if he loved the stepdad, there's pre-existing tension which is now far worse. And Mom is acting like most family members act during family tension: Refusing to take sides, and desperately wanting to ignore the issue until the tension goes away, because they're afraid that any action on their part will damage their relatioship with some family member or another.
Load More Replies...Holy f**k. Hey Dad... be glad you don't have any small beloved pets in the house.
That boy was 16, he's not a child anymore. When I was 16 I was already responsible for my own s**t.
His behaviour doesn't sound like harmless pranking. It sounds more like he's deliberately being a d**k to make it difficult for the OP and it was building up.
The kid cried? Crocodile tears more like it. Spoilt brat. Hes almost an adult. Actions have consequences.
What 16 year old cries over a trip to a National Park?
Load More Replies...Yep yep. Youngster has antisocial tendencies and probably needs intervention, so he likely need his separate therapy as well.
Load More Replies...He is 16 he knows what is right and wrong. He needs to learn the consequences of his actions. His mom spoiled that kid. What the stepdad did is right. It seems that this kid doesn't respect him. If he would not do anything right who knows what will this brat will do in the future.
So if this kid poisoned the dog or another child as a prank it would be ok? Keep the trip cancelled. Make him help regrow the plants to teach him how long it takes to get something to grow. Tell him just like a baby it needs attention. Just like an education it takes time to learn. And just like life if you sh2t on it you get that back in return. And the pranks have to stop. It's disrespect and next thing you know he will pour sugar in the gas tank of the car an ruin that too.
Actions have consequences. It seems like the kid only understands this when he feels slighted. "You take my video down, I kill your flowers!" Action. Consequence. Albeit not a reasonable or mature example. But then when the same logic is applied to him, for good reason he can't handle it. Good for dad. NTA ... F**k that kid. Living with ppl who think it's funny to pull "pranks" on unwitting ppl are the worst. Dated a guy like that once. He wanted to be one of those "prank couples" on YouTube... I dumped him after he replaced my medicated, prescription face wash (for cystic acne) with mayonnaise and threw out my real s**t... those types of ppl don't learn unless they're forced to. Stand your ground dad.
What a nasty person Imogene. Glad you dumped that guy.
Load More Replies...As a step parent whose partner expects me to put up with s**t from his teenagers I would NEVER accept from my own child, I totally feel for this guy. At 16 (or older) that kind of behaviour is nasty, deliberate and they should be held accountable for it. They are not babies any more.
The kid is sorry. That is his general state of being nothing to do with regret. Seriously show the kid that actions have consequences. Tally up the cost to replace every plant he damaged, new soil then the labor of repotting each plant. If he hits 2k explain the consequences of a felony and that you could have the state come in and settle the issue. I would be having a yard sale to replace my stuff. Let's face it with the mom we know this kid has a higher end gaming console/PC probably a drone and losing his stuff would be adequate.
Its totally ok to insult someone and say, just kidding. Its totally ok to slap your partner and say it's a love tap. Its totally ok to rape someone as long as you don't mean it, because you're A good guy. Are you the ahole that says no to these things. Thank you
What is it with all the people partnering up with disrespectful entitled people. The stepson is 16, you can go to jail for spraying bleach on other people property. He is old enough to know right from wrong, pranks are only funny is you're laughing. Divorce wife and kick them both out. This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated. I wouldn't be surprised if ten years from now the stepson gets angry at work and will spray bleach all over workplace. Disgusting behaviour and no apology isn't enough, therapy maybe
That was an appropriate punishment, even lenient. Plants aren't free and they're good for the environment. I don't understand this "he's only 16 bla bla." 16 year old can do cruel things but this is more like an 11 y.o
That little asshole definitely deserves this punishment. This "prank" bullshit isn't funny, posting a video of someone without their permission isn't funny, sulking and murdering the plants is super s**t. Deserved. I'm worried that the mom doesn't have dad's back and if she continues bringing up her son like this, he will only become an even bigger asshole than he already is.
Hey Mom, a deliberately cruel act is not a “mistake”, and 16 is way too old to be crying and sulking. At 16, a lot of kids are working part time to save up for a car or college. Sounds like this kid is a good candidate for about 20 hours a week at a very physically taxing job, with a boss who won’t take any of his bullshit, and will put him right in his place when he acts up. He’ll come home too damn tired to pull any stupid “pranks”. In two years, he needs to be given a choice: full time work or (preferably) the military for two years before even talking about college. That’ll straighten his sorry ass out.
I would have taken away computer time with the water prank. His practical jokes may be harmless but there is a thread of hostility in there. I would keep my eyes open because he may just pull another prank more harmful because he figures he's got nothing to lose. I would also make him replace the plants he damaged.
Killing your plants that you've spent a lot of time and care on is not harmless. It's not on par with murdering your pets but it's in the same ballpark.
Load More Replies...It is reasonable to admit wrong-doing and apologizing with genuine remorse, and then being forgiven. HOWEVER, that in no way means that there shouldn't be consequences. I agree with most here, this kid has some anger that needs addressing.
I think hes a little s**t who needs punishment! If someone woke me up by spraying cold water on me i would find that really rude, let alone some snotty teenager who gets away with too much, spraying plants with bleach is actually really spiteful! I would have given him a fing smacked a**e! As for his mother......she needs to wisen up and realise how rude her son is
As if they mean it or that I will except their apology.
Load More Replies...He can go on the trip as soon as he pays to replace every single plant out of his own money ...
You kill the plants? You're lucky that's all your dad did, kiddo...if I did that, my mom would kill me.
Yup same and if my brother did that to one of my plants I would kill him. I ament that good with plants so the ones that actually grow are literally like children to me. I protect them with life and soul
Load More Replies...What is this brat's mother teaching him? My kids (much younger than 16) are growing up watching pranks being performed on YouTube by moronic "content creators" but know not to play any pranks that cause a mess!
NTA Aloe plants are expensive. You don't destroy someone's hobby then think you can say sorry. It doesn't work like that. If you are angry fair enough but sabotage is not on
omg. what a hateful little prick. he'd have gotten WAY worse punishment from me. Like I'd take his phone away for a month so he can't post stupid videos. What a shitty thing to do to living things.
Yeah, not going to go out on a limb here and say this is a relationship in trouble. Stepson acting out anger issues through 'pranks' and a Mom that is willing to let abusive behavior directed at her husband continue.
Oh boy, if anyone touched ny plants....... i fear to think of the outcome. Once, my fiancé accidentally knocked over one of my orchids, which was just about to flower. It got all upset and did not flower anymore. That was almost a year ago. I still remind of it when he goes in the balcony, and ask him to very careful (limited space with lots of plants). I don't think i *can* let it go. My plants are my children. I would be so devastated and angry if anything happened to them. My orchids are just about to flower again.... the boy's actions are despicable and personally i don't think i could ever forgive him.
Good parenting from the stepdads side. That was a horrible thing the boy did. Have him help finding replacement plants, geting them, repotting and learnig about them. Make him understand what it takes to take care of them.
Sorry, but the recounting of events the article does between the screenshots of OP's post is simply wasting time. Both the author's and the readers' time, that is. So is this comment, btw. That's why it says "Sorry" in the beginning.
I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to these subjects, but damn 16? Bleach could have seriously hurt OP, yes? I think the punishment is more than deserved. You don't just water plants w/ bleach over taken down videos
If things like that continue, it'd be a trip to the psychologist... He's testing limits,filming private family stuff,and getting revenge at 16? How far could it go?
Wow. Please consider that plants are living beings. Water them with bleach is like torturing and killing pups. If the mother is not able to understand that the difference between pranks and actions with hurtful consequences is to correct then sorry but this mother is TA as the kid himself.
wow. Kid has definite issues with anger management and boundary control. When he asked if he could water the plants, he knew he was going to kill them. Yes, cancel the trip and get some SOLID counseling.
I have a plant collection that I LOVE with all my heart, and if anybody did that to my plants, I would have been BEYOND mad. If Sean is doing harmless pranks that don't harm anybody, go ahead. But there is a line and he crossed it.
The kid is 16. He knows wtf he is doing. He sounds like a spoiled brat.
Kid kind of seems abusive to stepdad even before flower incident and this was just the straw that broke the [extremely tolerant] camel’s back. Mom should have stepped in long before this, so it does fall on her somewhat, but this man has patience & tolerance I would not possess in the same situation.
This kid isn't "pranking", he's malicious, sociopathic and abusive. He's 16? It'll get much worse as he grows up. He needs therapy. The fact Mom enables it is even worse. The kid is dangerous.
Here's something I learned from Daniel Tiger. You say "sorry" then "how can I help? " IE make reparations for your mistake. Sorry isn't enough.
When will people stop calling deliberate damage (or dishonesty, stealing, whatever) a mistake! A mistake is when you do something not knowing any better. This boy most certainly knew what he was doing. And he didn't 'admit' to it anyway. Only eventually when he couldn't deny it because the evidence was clear. That mother needs a few lessons in life too, by the sounds of things... Take an embarrassing video of her and post it and see if she doesn't refuse to speak to you ever again for daring to humilate her. I'm female myself but by God how I hate these double standards. Why should females be respected by men and not vice versa?
Either he's testing you to see what he can get away with or it's a cry for attention.
16 years old is hardly a kid. Sounds like Dudley Dursley syndrome to me.
The kid is pushing the boundaries and those are not pranks at all. I would have had a word with him, long before it got this far. He is not just being a kid, he is an asshole in the making who is likely a Narcissist and very likely cannot handle the same treatment that he is giving others. He needs to be sent to the military to learn some f*****g manners and discipline.
Appalled wife stood by son. Hoping step dad better treatment or realizes he may be too good for what’s being offered.
Kid's 16 and acts like that? Damn Tiktoks really destroy braincells
This story have multiple layers of wrong. First of all, why did it keep underlining the step-relationship?? Son is a son, dad is a dad. Being a step shouldn't make any difference. Secondly, it's been a common parenting knowledge that mom and dad should never argue in front of kids. If you have disagreement, discuss it when the kids are not around. This story only teach kids that if one parent try to teach you something, don't bother to learn. Just hide behind the other parent. And lastly, this is why i don't approve prank culture. It's hard to draw the lines between funny and harmful. Even adults still get offended by accidentally over-the-line pranks. And most of the time you can't judge if a prank is a bad prank before seeing the reaction of your victims -before it's too late. Kid is dumb. Dad is stubborn. Mom is spoiling. Everybody are wrong in this story.
y the dad is a stubborn????? I mean he shouldn't had let more than one prank happen but it's not his fault that he cancelled the trip like y would u ever kill a plant as """"revenge"""""" for deleting a video that u don't want to be posted cuz of UR privacy the """kid""" needs to know that if u do something bad there's consequences and even more if we talk about law that """"kid"""" (I say kid again cuz he's literally 16 wtf) just made all of the time it took to have a healthy time worthless like it's like if someone had a son and literally just cuz the dad told him to respect ur privacy then u could just throw his laptop and break it or damage something of the car or ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE which btw is illegal like c'mon the only shitties here are the mom and the son and overall the mom cuz she let him do all of that AND JUST WITH AN APOLOGY EVERYTHING'S SOLVED in any school if u do something too bad repeatedly u get expelled even at short ages u can get punished very badly so age is no
Load More Replies...I think it sounds like the relationship between this sixteen year old young man and his stepfather is chronically toxic and needs some healthy intervention. Being in a prank war with your stepson sounds like a very poor way to build a relationship. The family needs to be engaged in open conversations to get to the bottom of this negative behavior.
That kid better be happy I ain't the step parent, cancelling the trip would've been the first step for me 😅. He would be cleaning pots and paying for new plants from his allowance until every plant I owned would be replaced and then he'd have to take care of them for at least 2 months, to learn that it's hard work, keeping plants healthy and happy.
Stuff like this makes me remember why (1) I chose not to have kids and (2) chose not to marry. Every once in a while, I get lonely and think it would be nice... Then I remember my sister's kids or my friend's kids or marital/relationship problems I get to hear about and instantly feel 100% better.
This kid's a psycho in training. Soon he'll be killing pets if he doesn't get what he wants. And the wife not having her husband's back is inexcusable! Dump her!
If I pulled a stunt like that on my mums orchids, not going on a trip would have been the least scarry punishment. There is a good chance I would have not seen my phone, social media or my friends in a very long time. I was a rebellious teen but that is too much, considering these plants cost money, time and love. So this is not abuse, it's only fair and that boy is probably an entitled brat...
Your wife has raised a hateful little s**t there. You're right to cancel any trips. I wouldn't take the AH to the park after that. Your wife's lack of boundaries and discipline has created a vindictive and deeply cruel kid there. Get him to therapy and confront all of his stupid pranks from now on. His mother is to step up and be a parent too. Allowing him to do what he likes has led to the idea that destruction of a dear hobby is actually an acceptable way of lashing out over hurt feelings. Giant red flag. Do not let that brat get away with anything else.
if I did that to anyone else I could be charged, made to make reparations... real world, kids do need to understand consequences to actions. Tell a judge or police officer you are sorry and see how far that goes...
This kid is a jerk. He shouldn't be only without his trip, he should be grounded as well. He has age to drive a car, so he has age to bear the consequences of his acts.
The boy is not 6 but 16. In some countries even allowed to drive a damn car. He IS old enough to know that stuff works other ways than "I said sorry, okay?!".
Personally, I would make him pay for every single plant that he destroyed and any soil that needs to be replaced, fertilizer, etc. Out of his own pocket of course.
That kid needs to replace the plants that he killed and be required to help his step dad nurture the new ones. That way he learns a new skill and actually get to see the time and effort that goes into something like that. Could end up being a great experience for both step dad and step son.
Make Sean help you repot all those plants. Show him how much care they need AND WHY, that they are living things. Things that make you happy. Things that could die and go away from his thoughtlessness. Make it a teaching moment, not just a pouting "we're not going".
I think stepdad needs to go back in time to see if there is other red flag behavior and if there is I would be headed to a divorce lawyer. Maybe the step kid might do something more harmful to stepdad the next time the kid gets pissed off for any actions he may try to do to get back at his stepdad. Get out while you can.
The kid is 16. More than old enough to be held responsible for what he did. He deserves his punishment and that is by no means abuse.
The "article" is poorly written but its not my main issue. It seems to me that the OP is made up this story 16 y.o. posting video on facebook?! Not in 2022. Why not tiktok or even ig? Fb is a boomer s**t and i don't know anybody below 30 who unironically posts there. And also there is no kid who "looks forward to" the National Park trip. Some dude just made this story up for karma or some s**t
This kid will be in the breaking new a few years later, I am afraid...
That kid Sean, he needs help. For me, he has all the signs of a psychopath.
I would like to disagree with the entire comment section. Talk about how the kid is wrong and there should be consequences for taking something the dad cared about, yes. But then yet again the dad isnt any better. Revenge on the kid for revenge, taking something the kid cared about. I assume this is way more then just some simple a "consequence" for his actions. And like 80% of this entire section would make a horrible parent, only being straight minded and blaming the other.
I understand that what the kid did was wrong but don't we all do/say something when we are angry that hurts other people? I'm pretty sure my dad has broken a lot of things that were given to me as a gift from family members and friends out of anger and spite. So the kid wasn't lying about doing it due to clouded judgement. He did it because he was angry and upset that his father cancelled the trip.
Nope, angry about a video, the cancelled trip was punishment for him KILLING the dad's plants. The fact ur dad broke ur things when angry does NOT make it ok..don't perpetuate the cycle of bad behavior.
Load More Replies...Boundaries were crossed way before this incident. A stepdad stepson relationship is a very difficult one. A stepdad will often try to be more buddy than dad in hopes of gaining acceptance from their non biological child. Doing that can make disciplinary actions awkward and ineffective. I hope this incident is enough to reset the relationship with more appropriate boundaries in place.
Your wife is part of the problem here. It is not ok to foster and enable this sort of behavior. Not only is canceling the trip a very reasonable consequence, it is unreasonable to say it is abusive to have a genuine consequence for what he did. He is 16 years old, I can fathom my children doing something so purposefully vindictive at that age. Not only do they know better, allowing such a both bad mentality to continue and then not ensuring a sufficient punishment is setting your child (who is already practically a young adult) to completely fail in the real world. I think the bigger issue of the parenting decisions your wife is issuing needs to be honestly and kindly addressed here. I want to give my children the world like every other parent, but part of that comes with setting them up for success emotionally. Her thinking a reasonable consequence is akin to abuse is a serious waving giant red flag. I wish you luck, and I definitely do not envy your current predicament.
Yoooo, u that dad lucky dont have pets lol, i can imagine what that entitled kids gonna doa if his stepdad have pets
He is 16 years old. He knows better. He needs to understand when a prank goes to far and what boundaries are and it's up to the parents to teach him those things. I think they let the kid go too far with his pranks to begin with but him crying and being dramatic? At 16? This kid needs a job and he need to be taught respect and he need to comprehend that he poisoned something that was alive and if he did this to a neighbor or someone other than his stepdad he would be in a hell of a lot more trouble. I absolutely would have cancelled the trip and would be getting my kid counseling if he did something like that and what's up with mom pretending this isn't a big deal? Spraying water on the stepdad while sleeping too?? What if he had a heart condition or something and the surprise killed him? This kid needs to understand the possible outcomes of his actions and needs to think more, prank less. Sounds like the mom is part of the problem though imo.
What if he rapes some and then said it was a joke.not ok this kid needs help
We shouldn’t be so quick to judge. This is an account of what happened online. Obviously the stepfather would try to position himself in the best light. What if the tears and acting out were from something happening at school? The kid could also be struggling with something like depression and doesn’t know any coping mechanisms. What I am trying to say, is that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge what is happening. With the video, maybe the kid felt pressured to post it because of friends and social media in general. With the plants, this kid is 16! So even though they are not a little kid, their mind is still developing and they are struggling with the same hormones that are the reason people have died in the past.
As a parent I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE with ALL OF YOU and feel it shows a lack of understanding when it comes to a child's brain development AND the point of discipline!!! What this "dad" did was punishment. Punishment doesn't TEACH anything. If my kids did this, I'd make them pay for new plants and make them do the work of the new planting. This includes scrubbing the old pots. A consequence like this fits the crime (having to pay to replace the property destroyed) and would have actually strengthened their relationship; the step dad would have applied a fitting consequence while also getting to teach/share his passion. I won't bore everyone with too much science, but you ALL need to read up on the frontal lobe. It doesn't connect until your early 20s. This is why I dont think just anyone should be able to raise kids; science and emotional intelligence matter
I'd understand your stance if the punishment was a beating or taking away some kind of food privileges because those are unacceptable and help nothing but the dad literally cancelled a trip. My family does that all the time with and without it being a consequence of someone's actions. It's not a big deal. Besides, the kid killed plants over a goddamn video (one in which he was being a d**k for clout. That kind of behavior shouldn't be encouraged anyway). Taking away a trip over the plants is reasonable. Yes, making him replace the plants should be done but in tandem with the trip being taken away. If only the plants had to be replaced, the dad still loses something he loved and worked on for a long time, while the son gets the trip he so badly wanted. If the trip is taken away and the plants are replaced, the son gets to learn empathy because now he gets something he cared about taken away (and it's not like it's a beloved pet or something. It's a TRIP that they can always go on l8r).
Load More Replies...I would murder the brat. And by the looks of it, the mother as well.
Honestly, I think that cancelling a family vacation is not the right punishment. It has nothing to do with what the kid is being punished for, and sets the tone that if he pisses his step-dad off, his punishment will be canceled family time. Since he damaged the plants, make him work to replace them. I'm a big proponent of the idea that the punishment should fit the crime, and that taking away family time should NEVER be a punishment.
You did the right thing. What a little turd! That kid deserves nothing.
wow, some of these answers are a bit over the top. He's 16, so no fully developed brain. OP should have explained in length, what bleach does to plants, and how that misbehaviour of his stepson needs to be punished. even cancelling the trip, or postponing it is a good idea. But divorce or family is a but too much in my opinion. Good parenting is hard. and as a parent you are entitled to sone situation where you handle things wrong, or be pissed at your kids because of the stuff they did.
I understood that bleach was bad for living things when I was *seven*. While puberty physically changes where the brain is doing its most development ------ hitn, not the part where rational thinking is ----- he knew what he was doing. He *knew* bleach would kill the plants. That was his own stated motive : Revenge for being told to take down a video!
Load More Replies...All of them have wrongs and rights. First the mother who thinks with apology everything would be fixed plus she must respect the stepfather and take his side the kid doing was wrong. Second stepfather l know he loves his plants but he could teach his step kid different way not do the same as wrong as kid. Third the boy who is almost adult if he mad as his stepdad he should talk to him not to distroy other living beings.
He takes a video of a physical assault and he's still walking straight? I have no idea how it got past that...
Well gonna be the unpopular one here, but it seems that the op is more concerned about his relationship with his plants than his stepson, does anyone wonder why or what led up to a kid reacting this way? I doubt that anyone is mature at 16, i know i wasn't and anyone that. Thinks that they were is delusional, the video does not sound like a big deal, sounds like innocent fun but the op was so embarrased? If you ask me the op was a huge bug up his butt, and cares more about the plants, than cultivating relationships with people.
I want you to imagine having s hobby that brings you joy and relaxation that helps you get through the s**t show the world has become of late. A hobby that takes a great deal of time and money and curating. Now imagine some asshole with a chip on his shoulder and no sense of consequence literally destroys all of it because you disagreed with something they did. Imagine that they just grinned and called it a joke when they destroyed it. If you think anything that kid did wasn't wrong, then you are just as much an asshole as the kid and his c**t mother.
Load More Replies...NTA. Sean's an A-Hole, and at 16 he's old enough to start acting like an adult and not some whiny, lacking responsibility little moron. He's on the path to being an abusive cun* and his mother is helping him get there. Fast forward 5 years and he'll be getting arrested for punching his GF, but in his eyes it's fine because "it was just a prank I was filming for TikTok". Where does it end? You annoy him, so next he poisons the cat? This kid is lucky you're respectful of his body, if a 16yr old maliciously killed living things in my house (just because they're plants doesn't make them less living things) I'd have beaten 7 shades of shi* out of him, then thrown him and his mother out of my house. He can apologize to her while homeless, let's see if "an apology is enough" then. If the house isn't yours, pack your stuff and move out right away. Let the mother know she obviously has no respect for anyone else when it concerns her son, good luck to her raising an abusive A-hole.
I'm sorry, but why are y'all upvoting this person advocating for beating a kid??????
Load More Replies...He shouldn't be posting videos of other people without their permission. That's a boundary his parents should teach him. As for the prank, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it's just being sprayed with water. No big deal. However, a lot of people make "prank" videos like this where they go around annoying strangers in public. That's not a funny prank. That's just being a jerk. There is no inherent humor value in just being a jerk. You can be jerky and funny, but that takes some actual wit and intelligence. This isn't particularly funny. It's just annoying. So while not a huge deal, I wouldn't want my kid growing up to be an annoying git. If your whole joke is "it's funny because they're mad now" then you suck at jokes. I'd want my kid to get some better material. That sh!t's just boring.
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