You will never guess what my 11 y/o dau did

If you think you are going to ruin her Christmas by not giving her her Christmas presents you are not. She has already done that all by herself. Don't even let on that you know; eventually she will tell you. I did this one year when I was getting a doll with long hair, it was the worse Christmas ever. I am now 53 years old and to this day I have never snooped since that day. She will learn her lesson; and why ruin Christmas for everyone else, because that is what will happen.; the sleep-over guests, going to the movies and to the village. These are all things that everyone else had planned too. She will learn her lesson I can guarantee; I did. :) Merry Christmas

My son did that every year. But I never took the gifts away from him. He didn't have any surprises on Christmas, but he did get to keep his gifts. Come on, don't be a scrooge!

I hope you are over your mad by now and can reconsider and not make Christmas miserable for everyone. The punishment does not fit the very minor crime. Children are curious and don't always have the impulse control to not satisfy their curiosity.

Please remember the real reason for the season. Do you think God would sit each one of us on the mantle for almost a year everytime we sinned? I think not. He loves us and forgives us.

Please rethink your decision. Your daughter is a normal 11 year old. I can't imagine remembering Christmas in such a negative way. Talk to her, let her know you're disappointed, but most of all let her know you do love her.

I wish Nia would come back and tell us if she means that the gifts will sit on the mantel for a year, or that they will be there on Christmas...it's crazy to keep them there for a year. I don't think she meant that, but I would like to see what she says.

Resa, I agree with you!!! A spanking would be MUCH better. I have often thought that some of the punishments that people give who do not spank are MUCH crueler than a swat or two. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Nia, Please, Please reconsider your Daughters punishment. Have forgivness in your heart. Our children grow up so fast, & when you get old you think back & wish to God you would have been a bigger person. Let us know what you decide. By the way I'm a 64 yr. old Grandmother of 7, & yes I've been diappointed may times but would never make lasting bad memories for such a small thing.

I agree with Resa and Platoonmom, Bonnie you are too funny! I wish I could give her a tight hug. She is just a child, When I was a child I did childsih things.....

Where is the mantle? Where everyone can see? So you can make a big tribute to what a child has done? You make me think of the story of the child whom was adopted I once heard. Everytime the child did something wrong the adopted father would pick the child's picture off the mantle and say see what you have done? I adopted you and you did this? Always bringing up the subject of adoption and mantle and that the child was not worth really anything to them. To your glory you have set a bad example to a child. That when they have done wrong that you will go overboard and beyond.
your comment "right now I am not liking her very much" is so sad. And if your child has ever heard that will remember that. And resent you more then love you. For I know many cases of that within families.Even if you have other children you have set an example even for them to wonder and ponder what would happen to them if they have done wrong.
It's a family joke in one family I know of the children snooping when they were young. To where the grown adult makes comments about it and laughs. Someone else made a religous comment that I thought of too. Jesus forgives and so should we. Don't hold grudges or bitterness for another day. Remember Jesus it the true meaning of the season. Not the commercialism of the materialism of the season.
If presents go under the tree whom won't shake them and wonder what they are. Do you leave presents alone when there for you? I think your child will not ever what to touch a gift again for they will always remember this day.And resent the holidays. Say your sorry to your child. Love and listen to your child. Hold them close with love and kindness. And teach them patience and guideness. For one day there here then gone and time flies by so quickly. That there grown up before you know it. Or some of the ones on this board have lost a child and would love the joy of holding them close one more time. Rethink what you have done. Everyone can forgive and go beyond. And most of all LOVE.

She spoiled the element of surprise for herself. Being angry with her will only hurt you and her....I'd be disappointed and I would say something and ask her to please not do it again but then......just breathe deep and forgive.

One of my children's friends openly told me the other day that her and her siblings carefully unwrapped their gifts enough to peek and then re-wrapped while the parents were away. So your dd isn't the only one that can't stand the suspense.

I don't think any opinions here will change the little girl's punishment. I can see disciplining her for not following rules but to be proud of humilating her beyond reason shows one very disturbed parent. I'm sure the little girl is used to this type of treatment after 11 years.

And the Christ Child was born in a manager.
Peace on Earth
Good will toward men

I am praying for Nia and for her child. And for that entire family.
IHN MontanaJan

This posting has really made me sad. What a total over reaction to a very common childhood action. I was a peeker as a child and learned it just ruined the surprise for me. In my home I would have just told my child that they were only ruining it for themselves. Are you angry because she ruined your fun? Do you really plan to torment your child till next November? A rather long punishment and rather childish!

I hadn't responded until now as I really thought this was a bait post. Surly no mom could be that vengeful towards her own child.

That is until today when I was reading bids for Nintendo DS - some dad was selling his kids Christmas presents on ebay because they were bad kids. Bidding was at a grand. People were commenting that it was a crappy thing to do. I think the mantle thing is worse somehow. This dad was defending his actions with 'they were bad kids'... bad kids or bad parents?

God bless the little children.. especially those who are victims of their parents cruelty.

I heard about this post on another board and had to take a peak. When I searched for your reply not wanting to read all 130ish posts, I found your reply to "what would you do if you found $40,000" your reply was:

"being a God fearing woman, if I found a bag of money like this woman, I most certainly would give thanks to the lord for placing this bountiful blessing in my life, and then go from there"

IMN2BHO that is not the Lord placing a blessing in your life ---- that's the devil working on you with temptation. We all know the proper thing to do would be to try to return the money. (not sure what I would do myself)

Big deal your dd didn't do what was proper; she opened her own gifts. You said yourself you would take someone else's $40,000 and tried to justify by telling yourself it was from God.

Wake up; she's a kid. You are an adult and would give in to temptation yourself.

So she looked. I think every kid has done that at one time or another. Well, maybe not all the gifts, but what the hey. It's something you will laugh about later on. It's like everyone else has told you, she has whipped herself.