Pranks are one of the hardest ideas to convey to a developing brain. While they are still creating their own
Pranks
“ Pranks, I think by nature involve a lack of consent.”
-Licensed Mental Health Professional Lauren Mazzarese, Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Pranks are only pranks if everyone has fun. I had to address this early when we inevitably fell into algorithmic hold of PrestonPlays. A large number of his videos involve pranking his friends inside and outside of Minecraft. When our children started emulating his prankster nature, we established the idea that pranks can be fun, but not if they’re mean. You also need to keep listening to your friends to see if they like the pranks or if they want you to stop.
Establish Consent
Mazzarese told Out Think Media about a technique she uses with her nephews when they are tickled. They say “bird” “to consent to being tickled and “elephant” when they reach their threshold — the moment that tickling becomes not fun. Mazzarese explains how those code words make the whole experience more fun:
–Brent Rivera: Prankster without a cause
He wouldn’t have to worry about making it clear that he didn’t like it anymore. ’cause I would just stop. And I think that that also allowed him to then really just be in the moment more: I like this tickling. I don’t like this tickling. It really does help kids then identify that threshold. They get better at it. The more they’re able to practice, the better they’re going to get. And he did. He got really good at knowing. So before he would get to that uncomfortable, he’d be like, I think I’m done tickling now. And I’m like, awesome. That was fun.
We’re talking about tickling not because it’s a running theme through YouTuber, but because it’s a simpler way to explain pranks and consent.