Mom refuses to help her teen son cover up a prank, 'it resulted in significant property damage.' AITA?
"AITA for refusing to help my son cover up a prank that led to a school's property damage?"
My (45F) son (17M) and his friends pulled a prank at their high school that went way too far. They thought it would be funny to release a bunch of live chickens into the school as a senior prank. Unfortunately, the prank caused a lot of chaos and resulted in some significant property damage, including broken windows and damaged equipment.
My son came home panicking and asked me to help him come up with an alibi so he wouldn't get in trouble. He admitted that he and his friends were the masterminds behind the prank. I was furious and told him that I wouldn't help him lie. I believe he needs to take responsibility for his actions.
He’s now facing potential disciplinary action from the school, and he's really upset with me for not having his back. He says that I'm being too harsh and that it was just a harmless prank that got out of hand.
My husband thinks I should have supported our son and helped him avoid trouble. I feel strongly that this is a valuable lesson in accountability, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe I'm being too hard on him. AITA?
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
mataliandy said:
My brother and his friends pulled a similar (no chickens, but it resulted in property damage) prank when they were kids. All the parents were brought in for a discussion. Everyone by my parents tried to make excuses for their kids.
My father said: "We all know they did it. How much is our share?" He pulled out his checkbook, paid it on the spot and walked out. Then he made my brother get a job to pay him back.
Dad was the least popular person in the neighborhood for a while, but the school got fixed, and all the kids got permanent after-school detention for the subsequent semester, instead of being suspended or expelled, which is what would have happened, otherwise.
4011s said:
There is a LOT missing here. I raised chickens for a bit. They are NOT powerful enough to break a school's window on their own, nor can they break equipment unless its extremely fragile to begin with.
Whatever you son and his friends DID do, it obviously went beyond just "releasing chickens" onto school property. NTA for not supporting his lies...he's not telling the truth about what happened....or you aren't.
Cookie-Wu said:
NTA. Look, your son messed up big time, and while I get that he’s freaking out, helping him cover it up isn’t doing him any favors. This isn’t just some harmless prank; it caused actual damage to the school. Actions have consequences, and he needs to face them.
If you helped him lie, what would he learn? That mommy and daddy will bail him out every time he screws up? Nah. You’re teaching him accountability, which is way more valuable than saving his ego right now. He’ll be mad, sure, but someday (probably not soon, let’s be real), he’ll realize you did the right thing. Stay strong.
Comfortable-Focus123 said:
NTA - A harmless prank does not cause significant property damage. That is not the definition of harmless.
Chance_Vegetable_780 said:
NTA at all. The word "prank" here is a substitute for "delinquency." Make him take accountability now, and it will hopefully steer him away from arrest later on.
Ok_Macaroon_8494 said:
NTA and your husband is an enabler. Actions have consequences and the kid needs to learn that.
AlternativeLie9486 said:
NTA. Big life lesson. Continue to stand by him and help him through his he consequences of his actions.