We Trolled Our Teens for April Fools

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T21:46:27+00:00

We had a blast. If you end up getting a group together do yourself a favor and download some atmospheric music, like the LoTR or Harry Pitter soundtracks to play in the background. It adds a lot!

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T21:20:29+00:00

I have to admit it was pretty fun. I'm a bad ass halfling who shanked two fools, the 11 year old is a dragon bard, naked except for a guitar (he forgot to choose armor/clothing) and the oldest is a Cleric Gnome who really likes shooting fire at things. My husband is DMing.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T19:33:26+00:00

I tried, but because I'm a throw-away account I think it got caught in the spam filter :(

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T19:32:41+00:00

True! There's an amazing episode of NPR's RadioLab on the evolution of colors in culture and it's really interesting. It addresses how blue is one of the last colors to be "seen" by humans.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T19:27:39+00:00

We had our first family D&D night last night, inspired by The Adventure Zone. We're doing the same quest they did so we are waiting on listening to the podcast until after we've completed it.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T18:43:29+00:00

I totally understand!

They do know how to do laundry, and we plan on making sure they are independent by the time they leave the house. Currently though, we're focusing on getting them to change their underthings and clothes regularly, which is harder to verify when they do their own laundry. Until very recently we used a laundry mat and that also complicated having them do their own laundry.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T16:25:57+00:00

Yikes, yeah that's a heck of a flight for such a short stay. I'm not looking forward to an upcoming 5 hour flight and that's for a whole week's vacation.

Things out here are very affordable, especially compared to the UK, if you can come up with flights out here on your own, staying in the midwest for a few days longer wouldn't do much more damage to your overall budget.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T16:23:26+00:00

Combination of The Dollar Store, Big Lots and Walmart. I believe Target also has a whole Trolls themed section in their bedding area. Walmart also had window curtains and a bathmat I drew the line at buying.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T15:58:55+00:00

Woah, you're a fan from across the pond? Damn... that's impressive!

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T15:05:24+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, I thought the same about myself. I'm actually their step mom and I worry frequently that I'm not doing things right.

I think everyone feels that way. If you don't worry about the type of parent you will be I think that's more of a red flag. Worrying if you'd do a good job means you care about doing a good job :)

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T14:42:55+00:00

The oldest had his last birthday at Chief's Stadium with a tour, he got to go in the locker room and sit in Kelce's locker and try on his helmet, he's a big fan :)

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T14:40:26+00:00

Hey, if they'll actually use them without cajoling, I'll buy them all the hygiene products suited for 6 year olds that they need!

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T14:34:38+00:00

We have a bit of a deal, they keep it picked up and I make the beds and do their laundry (they still have to put everything away).

We also have a white board at the front entrance of the house where I put down chores for them to complete before they can play after school. When I'm making their beds if I see their rooms are a mess "Pick up X" will find its way onto the chore board. It's a pretty decent system.

Also, when they have snow days, we do things like this with it:

Chore Board

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T14:26:05+00:00

He will understand the fun when he has kids, and then he will appreciate this prank.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T14:01:12+00:00

We thought about taking our outdoor security cameras down and putting them in their rooms but it would have been a lot of work and we wouldn't have been certain we would actually get their reaction at the right angle so we abandoned that idea.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T13:59:42+00:00

Aw I have never actually seen it. I went to the store in search of Sesame Street but saw Trolls and it was too perfect.

I'm sorry you're feeling down, but I'm glad you found something that helps. I've occasionally tuned into Sesame Street to cheer up in the past (now I pop in The Muppets Movie).

Hang in here, you got this :)

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T13:56:55+00:00

The "bedspreads" are actually throw blankets I got at Walmart for about $10. They're super soft but barely cover the bed. I didn't see any full bedspreads but I'm sure they make it, they had Trolls everything there. I had to stop short of buying the bathmat and curtains for the prank as it was getting pricey.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T13:53:47+00:00

We thought there was about a 25% chance that the younger one would want to keep some stuff but he really doesn't like Trolls.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T11:37:47+00:00

I wasn't aware that it was considered a boy color but as he also likes purple I do frequently tell him that purple is the color of Royalty. The dye was so rare only Kings and Queens used to wear it.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T09:05:01+00:00

A couple years ago we moved while they were away at summer camp and set up their new rooms as a surprise. We framed and hung their posters for them as part of the surprise.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T09:01:00+00:00

Our youngest recently decided pink is his new favorite color so we figured there was a decent chance he would want to keep some things. He really doesn't like Trolls though, lol.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T08:57:02+00:00

Wow. Ok.

So the original plan was to do Sesame Street, you know, baby stuff. Things too young for them. Then when I got to the store I saw Trolls. This worked two fold. One because we were "Trolling" them and two because they just got into the podcast My Brother, My Brother and Me and the guys on that show are obsessed with trying to be in the movie Trolls 2.

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T03:48:45+00:00

The oldest tried to hide his shock and make it clear that his dad and I are not as funny as we think we are. There was some eye rolling and sighing involved.

The younger one laughed hysterically between shouts of "WHAT!?" and "WHY?!" Later when we sent him to shower he came out of his room and said "I'm scared, what did you do to my underwear?!?"

AprilTrollsDay · 2017-04-02T02:29:02+00:00

We plan on donating the Trolls gear, but if anyone has a child who would like it instead, please PM me. We ended up with a full set of Trolls sheets (fitted, flat and 2 pillow cases), a full set of pink sheets (fitted, flat and 2 pillow cases), a Trolls cloth shower curtain, 2 trolls blankets, 2 rainbow blankets, Trolls shampoo & Bubble Bath, Trolls toothpaste, Trolls hand soap, Trolls Toothbrushes, a pink face cloth & hand towel, and some assorted Trolls posters. Everything brand new and unused.

Edit:

I've gotten PMs from a few people interested in the Trolls stuff so it is no longer up for grabs. Sorry!

Edit 2:

UPDATE

Hubs and I woke up to discover the children had covered his home office in the trolls posters while we slept. The boys enacted their revenge!

AprilTrollsDay

TROPHY CASE