What’s Trending

Welcome to my new page ‘What’s Trending’.

Here, I’ll cover hot topics, all the goss, and what you need to know quickly as a busy parent.

Social media pranks: hilarious or designed only for shock value?

The ‘prank’ is a quintessential pastime of the Australian larrikin.

Many social media stars have made a decent living off the popularity of making jokes, pulling stunts and pranking strangers.

Commonly a prank is a practical joke, trick or mischievous act intended to be funny, but not to cause any harm or damage.

Opinions differ on that last part.

Here in Australia, there have been notable incidents where people – many just teenagers – are filming their stunts for social media gains.

These videos have gone viral for all the wrong reasons, receiving millions of views and condemnation from the Australian public.

Here are the two recent headlining pranks:

Three teenagers were party to the pushing of an elderly fisherman off of a Mornington pier around 11:30 pm one night in January this year.

Even more shocking, the teen that pushed the man allegedly was out on bail at the time, according to 9news.com.au

Just this week, a teenager was filmed pouring milk from a bridge onto a group of people enjoying their day on a GoBoat.

According to the Herald Sun, company GoBoat were helpful to the victims of the teen’s prank after their day was ruined.

However, the teen allegedly at the centre of this milk-storm believes that many are taking the joke “too far”, having contacted his school with reports they are trying to get him expelled.

Bryce and I experienced a radio prank at our expense which did not go down well.

Especially as I was postpartum, depressed and fragile; and the stunt was simply out of touch.

Of course, it’s not just happening in Australia.

In Wales, an inquest has just concluded in to the case of young Christopher Kapessa, who perished after it was “found he drowned after being pushed into a river in a “dangerous prank””. source: BBC News.

Absolutely horrific.

Finally, to lighten the mood a little:

In New Zealand, an OnlyFans model was allegdly banned from Bunnings (a major hardware retailer) after she left her knickers in an aisle for ‘tradies to find’ reported Yahoo NZ.

So, where do we draw the line with pranks?

Of course, all pranks and jokes shouldn’t be demonised.

Kids will still be kids (even the adult pranksters).

Parents need to have discussions with the children and have them recognise the limits to a fun and safe prank.

Instilling “think before you act”.

That way, that split-second thought may encourage them to change their mind before pulling that stupid or harmful practical joke before it; inevitably ruins their lives.

How many photos do you currently have on your smartphone?

I have a whopping 13,480 photos (including videos). 

Do you know how many of those photos I’ve printed in the last two years? 

Zero. 

I’ve also been married in the last 12 months and have not printed a single photo. 

Why?

I’ve become accustomed to showing photos on my phone or uploading to social media.

I also have toddlers with endless energy so I haven’t had a chance to put any frames up on the walls – it’s not a priority for us at the moment.

A trend I have been seeing all over Instagram and TikTok is the ‘photo book’.

I decided to give it a go. 

For Christmas, I made each of the twins their own photo book called ‘The People I Love’. 

As we have family all over Australia, the family members they may not see all of the time, they now can open their books and recite their names and recognise their faces. 

It’s a great learning and memory tool for young children. 

I was also pleasantly surprised by the result, quality, cost and shipping times by the company. 

Take a look at the short video below: