31 replies to this topic

[floridasun5]

I am so mad right now. I just found out that my teenage daughter (14) has opened the few gifts that I have under the tree for her. I can tell that the tape has been removed because it pulls the color off of the wrapping paper and re-taped. Another reason I know is because...I admit...I used to do the same thing as a kid However, I at least know how my mother felt now. She used to just tell me if I wanted to ruin my own Christmas, she didnt care, but this just really pisses me off. While my dd is generally a good kid, I have had some problems with her lately not listening and sneaking, etc. but overall she does what I tell or ask her to do. So, is this just a teenage thing, or do I really have the right to be so mad? Do others face the same thing? What do you do? This is going to be a light Christmas as we just started a new business, so I cant take away the few gifts that she is getting because she snooped. Anyone have any other creative ways to handle this? Thanks.

[Kandy]

give her those on christmas eve...and then dont put out any others out till christmas and if its only one thing then let it be just that one thing.

[dmmiller]

Is whats under the tree, all her present? If so, then she ruined it for herself. I know i'd be pretty ticked off if my kids did it. They kinda do now, but not all of them. I cant afford to go and buy all new toys, so its they're fault they snooped. And if they are disappointed on xmas morning, so be it.

[Illinoismom]

My son did that when he was younger, so he will tell you that was the worst Christmas he had. No suprises, I put nothing out under the tree till Christmas eve it all sits in tubs, as to prevent this from any of the others to do this, I admit I was a peeker too

[satidwell]

Well I think we all have tried this at sometime or another. My little brother(12) decided this was his year and everytime he has tried he has gotten caught my mom has some stuff locked in the attic the rest of it is at my house, but my mom was p*ssed but then again I would be too if one of my 3 started snooping.

[conj]

replace it all with HBA stuff - 8 packs of soap, deoderant, tampons... wrap them in boxes as close as possible to the ones under the tree now. Say nothing. video tape her opening her gifts. please....

[Fishboysmom]

Oh I don't think it is a big deal. She's just a kid. If you have to to be mad at someone, be mad at yourself for putting them under the tree. I have to admit I used to snoop when I was a kid.

[Fishboysmom]

replace it all with HBA stuff - 8 packs of soap, deoderant, tampons... wrap them in boxes as close as possible to the ones under the tree now. Say nothing. video tape her opening her gifts. please....

Oh I would love to see that video.

[regnilc]

Ohhhhh.. I was a little snooper too! Got caught at it a few times. It isn't right, and yes you have a right to be mad, but look at it this way, they only ruin their OWN Christmas when they snoop. My ds 10 is trying his hardest to find my hiding spot. He knows it is somewhere. He isn't going to find it! It's under lock & key. With dd 6 still believing in Santa, there's no way I am going to leave gifts just lying around to be found. Silly boy! I think it is pretty normal, but of course, not encouraged.

[llist]

My brother and I did that one year. We found all our gifts wrapped in my mom's closet. She found out and took everything back and replaced it with either HBA items or school supplies. Taught me not to snoop unless I wanted packs of pencils and toothpaste!

[jarerice]

Right before I turned 16, I was snooping while my parents were gone. And I hit JACKPOT. I found a car title and I knew it was mine. Well for whatever reason I told a grown up and that grown up told my mom. You talk about mad!!!!! I felt so bad for snooping. For a while I didn't think they would give it to me. But they did, it was my birthday. But I hurt my mom's feelings. Please don't be to mad at you kid. I know, that can take over and that will be the only thing they remember about this year. Just let them know that you don't want them to do it again and that your feelings are hurt. Sometimes guilt works better than anger.

[jbdinos]

This year our kids have 2 days a week they are home alone for about an hour after school due to DH and my work schedules. They are good kids, but I think it's normal that they think they can't wait and need to know right now. So of the 4 kids (3 are boys), we decided to trick them. Our DD only has 2 gifts that scream "I belong to a girl". Those I put in boxes that he can't open/reclose. I actually used a priority mail box on one of them that you seal and it has a zip strip to open. So then I switched names/paper on them. So if they snoop they won't be disappointed because they aren't going to get the ones they looked at. So the two boys that are home alone the longest will think they are getting what big sister and the youngest brother are getting. DD and DS8 will think they are getting what DS10 and DS11 are getting. So since DS8 still believes, we will wait till they get all their own gifts in a pile in front of them (we do this and then take turns opening each year), and then we will read the surprise letter from Santa that says he knows they have been snooping so he would like DS10 and DD13 to switch seats, and DS11 and DS8 to switch seats. We don't have to check to see if they are snooping, the looks on their faces will tell it all but no matter what they will still be surprised at Christmas. Next year they will know that snooping will do no good! I will do a different switch up or use numbers next year! But honestly, while you are disappointed she looked, she will learn her own lesson when Christmas isn't as fun and exciting as it's been in the past and I do think it's normal. I doubt there are many of us here that didn't sneak a peek at least one year.

[hwolf6330]

My ds12 fessed up that they snooped 2 years ago and boy was I upset. I think the best part about Christmas is watching the surprise on their faces as they open their gifts. I let them know how upset I was and they said they never did it again. I told them they will ruin my Christmas if they do stuff like that and I think they took it to heart.

[floridasun5]

Thanks. I know its probably not that big of a deal for Christmas presents, its just the whole sneaking thing that drives me nuts. We've had problems with her sneaking before and I just have no patience for that crap. We took her computer away last week due to bad grades and I found out she was sneaking to use that when Im not home so I had to start taking it to work with me, she was sneaking in my room and bathroom and taking stuff, breaking things when nobody is home, sneaking food into her room and then lying about it when confronted. Its just things like that which add up and then when I find out that she is also ruining christmas and opening things that dont even belong to her yet since I havent gifted them, its like the straw that broke the camels back and I just get sooo frustrated.

[jbdinos]

Thanks. I know its probably not that big of a deal for Christmas presents, its just the whole sneaking thing that drives me nuts. We've had problems with her sneaking before and I just have no patience for that crap.

We took her computer away last week due to bad grades and I found out she was sneaking to use that when Im not home so I had to start taking it to work with me, she was sneaking in my room and bathroom and taking stuff, breaking things when nobody is home, sneaking food into her room and then lying about it when confronted. Its just things like that which add up and then when I find out that she is also ruining christmas and opening things that dont even belong to her yet since I havent gifted them, its like the straw that broke the camels back and I just get sooo frustrated.

I am sorry you are going through this. Our DD13 has many of the same issues and currently is in an inpatient treatment facility to try to find out why as it progressed from our home to school, etc. It's so hard and I feel so bad that you have this stress. Just keep communicating with her about how disappointed you are in her and if you can think of other things she likes you can always take them back and get her something else. Or is her birthday close enough you can save them for her birthday and get something else for Christmas? To kind of teach her a lesson? I think I would at least unwrap them, and put the receipts with them and have her help me load them into the car and then pretend to go shopping for a while and leave them at a friend or relatives house to be rewrapped in different sized boxes to bring back on Christmas Eve. Make her worry about it and maybe she will think twice next time.

Here's a of support.... I hope it's a phase and this stops soon for you....

[missyjane]

My brother and I snooped when we were younger. My mom found out about it, so, that Christmas she didn't wrap ANYTHING. Christmas morning we got up and all of our stuff was under the tree - absolutely nothing was wrapped. It was terrible!!! We didn't have any presents to unwrap on Christmas, she gave us all of the presents even ones we didn't see, but she didn't wrap anything. Needless to say we never snooped again, it certainly taught us a lesson.

[AndreaInNC]

I feel your pain. We have the "you peek it goes back" rule. I only had to do that one year. My DD was 6 at the time and she peeked and it was a gift she really wanted. Boy was upset when I took her back to the store to return it. She clued her younger sister in when she was older and I haven't had that problem again.

[onecutemoocow]

I did this too when I was younger. Cant say I ever got caught but I am sure my mom knew about it (the tape thing). My mom woulndt put out the presents, so I would go looking for them. I guess it was a thrill to see if you could find moms new hiding spot. But as I got older, I learned that it was more fun to be suprised!!!! Now I have two little ones of my own and I am sure the same thing will happen to me. I just have to remember...I used to do it. I think its pretty normal!!

[jazzy442]

Thanks. I know its probably not that big of a deal for Christmas presents, its just the whole sneaking thing that drives me nuts. We've had problems with her sneaking before and I just have no patience for that crap.

We took her computer away last week due to bad grades and I found out she was sneaking to use that when Im not home so I had to start taking it to work with me, she was sneaking in my room and bathroom and taking stuff, breaking things when nobody is home, sneaking food into her room and then lying about it when confronted. Its just things like that which add up and then when I find out that she is also ruining christmas and opening things that dont even belong to her yet since I havent gifted them, its like the straw that broke the camels back and I just get sooo frustrated.

I think maybe your daughter and my stepdaughter were separated at birth. LOL. We are going through the exact same things almost. She doesn`t sneak on the computer at home when no one is home. But she does sneak onto myspace when she is at friends homes when she knows she is only to get on that when she is home and even then she was grounded from the computer period so it was a double whammy. Just so happened I was on myspace at home when she signed on at her friends house. LOL. We have went through her going through my stuff and taking what she wants as well without asking. She has straightened out and is a honor roll student at school. So I feel for ya.

As to the sneaking with the present I did it as well when I was a kid. The last time I did it my stepmom switched my gifts with my younger sister and she got everything I wanted for Christmas and I got some of her gifts that I think we just extras that my sister didn`t care about if she got or not. I was not very happy. LOL. My sister was though. I didn`t peek again.

[childofsolitude]

I have cousins who have peaked at their gifts when they were 7 and 8 and still do at 13, 15, and 19. I did it once when I was younger and I felt incredibly guilty about doing it. Just tell her that it's her choice if she wants to ruin Christmas. She's old enough to know it's wrong. Making her feel guilty is a decent "punishment".

[love a deal]

When I was younger my mom and her best friend would 'hide' each others gifts for their kids at their houses. My mom would take all of her friends gifts home and her friend would take all of my moms gifts to her house. I didn't know they did this for years. One year I snooped around and found the Barbie dream house. I thought it was mine! I was so excited!!! Then on Christmas when it was no where to be found, I threw a fit! That was the last time I snooped around at Christmas time. However, to this day I am really good a guessing what I'm getting from my mom every year. I wouldn't 'punish her for snooping in the gifts, I would prob. just use this to teach her some kind of lesson! That would stay with her better than a punishment I think. Stay one ahead of her in the game and make sure she knows it. Keep her on her toes!

[glitterstarr]

I did it when I was a teen and both my kids did. It's life and that's what kids are going to do...SNOOP!

[mcapel4444]

I remember a few years ago, that my brother's kids got into their hidden presents. My brother took it all back to the store. lol We used to peek when we were younger. I like the idea of either unwrapping all her presents, and leaving them under the tree like that. Or to hide all her presents, replacing them with household items.

[pogiporkchop]

I vote for replacing them with HBA items hahaha... My kids, 6 and 4, have seen everything I've bought so far. However, they think it's all for their cousins overseas. I did this last year too and they don't question me. If this can last for another year or two I would love it!

[angel-too]

I never put gifts under the tree till everyone goes to bed. I think the wonderment of waking up and seeing all the pretty wrapped packages reminds me of how it was when I was a kid. Plus certain packages can give it away. I just think the boxes under the tree should be a surprise Christmas morning.

[lisamag]

My ds12 fessed up that they snooped 2 years ago and boy was I upset. I think the best part about Christmas is watching the surprise on their faces as they open their gifts. I let them know how upset I was and they said they never did it again. I told them they will ruin my Christmas if they do stuff like that and I think they took it to heart.

thats what i told my kids. i said my christmas is watching them open their gifts, so if they snoop then i loose that look of surprise and they would be taking my gift away from me. so if you want to ruin my christmas then go and look.my son 14 said darn this guilt feeling it's not fair then he faked a cry while laughing.
i don't hide most of my gifts in my house any way. so i don't worry to much about it.

[Scanner420]

replace it all with HBA stuff - 8 packs of soap, deoderant, tampons... wrap them in boxes as close as possible to the ones under the tree now. Say nothing. video tape her opening her gifts. please....

Post it on You Tube Please!!!!!

LOL!!!

I did it, but never told my mother. My sis did it and got caught. It happens with kids. Unfortunately it'll happen with my four sooner, rather than later. (My oldest is 7 and has been breaking through locks since he was 2!) I don't know what'll happen when I do catch them, but I know my wife will freak out.

[cotejb]

I did it....I never got caught though. It's just part of being a kid. Curiousity was killing her. I would say something to her about how it hurts your feelings etc but wouldn't say it until Christmas though.

[kalle1212]

I vote for replacing them with HBA items hahaha...

My kids, 6 and 4, have seen everything I've bought so far. However, they think it's all for their cousins overseas. I did this last year too and they don't question me. If this can last for another year or two I would love it!

Do they believe in Santa? Your six y.o. may be a little to old for this!


I was a peeker and I still am! If I notice my mother has stuff in bags in her room I will still to this day go in and sneak a look! The blankets she puts over the stuff before they are wrapped just don't deter me! My husband wont even bring the stuff he buys me into the house untill christmas eve because he knows I can't help my self.

[vbamother]

I am so mad right now. I just found out that my teenage daughter (14) has opened the few gifts that I have under the tree for her. I can tell that the tape has been removed because it pulls the color off of the wrapping paper and re-taped. Another reason I know is because...I admit...I used to do the same thing as a kid However, I at least know how my mother felt now. She used to just tell me if I wanted to ruin my own Christmas, she didnt care, but this just really pisses me off. While my dd is generally a good kid, I have had some problems with her lately not listening and sneaking, etc. but overall she does what I tell or ask her to do.
So, is this just a teenage thing, or do I really have the right to be so mad? Do others face the same thing? What do you do? This is going to be a light Christmas as we just started a new business, so I cant take away the few gifts that she is getting because she snooped. Anyone have any other creative ways to handle this? Thanks.

I did this when I was 12 and have never done it again since. Not because my mom found out, like you did (or if she did she never mentioned it), but because I found out on Christmas day that I'd robbed myself of one of the best parts of the holiday. That surprise you get opening presents can't be beat, and I sat there feeling kind of empty. 'Course I couldn't tell anyone what I'd done...but I sure learned my lesson!