UPDATE: 20-year-old woman tells step-dad and mom off for pranking 17-year-old brother: 'You might be laughing now, but you'll be crying later'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Mar 17, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

Pranking is always fun for the person pulling off the joke, but it's a mixed back for the dude who got pranked. 

If you're a prankster, you might be constantly finding ways to poke fun at those around you. That's all fun and games for you, but people react very differently to getting pranked. It's not just the joke itself, but the timing of the prank and the people involved matter a lot too. A lot of folks, myself included, really dislike pranks. Why? Well, in general, they give a lot of satisfaction to the person pulling the prank, but they often just irritate the person on the other end. There's not a lot of benefit to being pranked! As the person pulling the prank, you get to laugh or record some video content, but you're doing this at your friend or family member's expense. 

This 17-year-old just found out the hard way that his own family members are pranksters who are willing to take a joke way too far. They sound completely awful, and it might be best for that kid and his sister to cut them out of their lives and find a nicer life with people who are more respectful. 

Next, read about the mechanic who flirted with a customer in a concerning way, plus her partner discovered the messages: "He should be fired for this." 

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  • 01
    'My step-dad and mom shouldn't be surprised at what my little brother said... when they pulled a prank on him'
    via Trevor Bvochora on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    "AITA for telling my step- dad and mom that they shouldn't be surprised at what my little brother said to them when they pulled a prank on him?"

    I [20 F] am an older sister to my little (biological) brother (17 M) who finished high school last year. My little brother and I are really close. He says I'm the best friend he has and he loves me more than anyone (of course this is not true, he has many friends of his own).
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 03
    My brother has been asking our step-dad/mother if he could get a new car for his grad party since last year, and he said he'd pay. 50-75% with his own hard- earned money while they paid the rest. They said no. I have a car but I had been working for one, they helped me pay off for it. So my brother's arguments with our parents got heated after awhile (one time I told my brother that I'd help him pay off expenses for a good car once I got my own. He
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 04
    hugged me and said I didn't need to worry and that he owed me way more than I owed him). But he continued to press our parents all of last year until they gave in and said yes like they did for me. Note that our step-dad and my brother have a negative relationship for the most part. Our bio mother and step-dad got together soon after our bio dad and mom divorced when we were little. My brother thinks that step- dad and mother were seeing
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 05
    each other before our real parents divorced and tbh, I think that might be true. Not certain, though. Anyway, my step-dad, mother and brother compromised and said they'd get him the car in 2021 so that people don't gawk at him at the graduation party. June this year my brother and step-dad/mother are still on about the car, now the arguments getting loud and lasting hours until evening. My step-dad was
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 06
    getting into screaming matches with my brother over it but they reached a final compromise of the car being bought last week. The fated morning comes and my brother wakes up to our step-dad and mom guiding him outside to... a car. But not his, our mother's. Step-dad used his and my brother's money on a dumb prank, bought a completely different model of car, and said it was for our mother. Our mom and step dad just laughed and kissed
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 07
    each other. My brother didn't lose it, he didn't even look angry. He just looked de d in our step- dad's eyes and said, and I'm not joking, verbatim: "you might think stupid, you might I'm think whatever. But I'm just better than you, bro. You know that, I know that, and our mom is a idiot for staying with a like you. But I'll make you wish you'd never met us. I promise you. You might be laughing now, but you'll be crying
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 08
    later." He then walked off, not even looking back at them as they stared horrified. They asked me what was that about and I, feeling terrible for my brother, said they had it coming and not to be surprised. So now they grounded both of us. I've had to explain the situation to my friends as I can't see them anymore but I feel so bad for my baby brother and they back me up on this and ask me to comfort him as much as possible.
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 09
    But our parents are so mad, and they can't see that my brother had his heart crushed. AITA?
    via u/jamie_doo

    This sister is doing the best she can, and her brother will certainly remember her support during this difficult family experience. It seems like this was one of the first times that the brother really saw his step-dad and mom for who they really are. His eyes were opened to their disdain for his feelings, and he won't soon forget it. 

  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10480297216
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11
    [del... • 4y ago. Edited 4y ago NTA. Your brother is a better person than I am because I would be blasting stepdad/mother everywhere. I'd call the local news stations and ask if they are interested in a story of parents stealing from their child, I'd tell family, friends, people at church, random strangers on the street, post about it on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, make a
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 12
    You Tube video, everything. Your mother is the worst for letting someone do this to her child. I want to say so many things that would get me permanently banned.
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 13
    ja... OP Thankyou everyone, all the insights mean a lot. I'm working on talking to my brother on a potential legal action like a lawsuit to get the expenses back from our step-father. My bio dad is generally nice and loving to us (I think he barely tolerates our step-dad and his ex-wife, our mother) and he'll take us back in full time
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 14
    if the law allows it. If not, my brother and I will move in together to our own place. Right now, I'm trying to be there for my little brother as much as possible. Lots of cuddles and free food but he won't stop bawling his eyes out. I'm worried psychological harm has been done to him.
    via u/jamie_doo
  • 15
    indignant-loris I don't understand how they think they can ground a 17 year old, never mind a 20 year-old! Pranks are mean. they're an atrocious form of "humour". More bu ying than humour, really.
    via u/indignant-loris
  • 16
    Your bother's money was stolen. He should make a report to the police. NTA
    via u/indignant-loris

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family dynamics family drama aita mother step dad cars family feud family step father daughter son Father
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