At Christmas time, it's natural for children to become nosey when it comes to presents - they'll do anything to try and get insider info on the toys their parents have bought for them, regardless of whether it spoils the surprise for them.
One disgruntled woman took to Mumsnet to complain that her daughter who 'doesn't miss a trick' had found her notebook, which contained all the things she'd purchased for her daughter's birthday, and her Christmas presents too. The mum was so annoyed that she said she wanted to return the gifts - but her husband had said that would be taking it too far and that it's 'natural' for kids to snoop.
Asking for advice, she explained: "Yesterday my daughter (six nearly seven and bright/doesn't miss a trick) was building a den with blankets around my work desk. Didn't think anything of it until this morning. She asked me a question that made me stop and double-take.
"On my desk are many notebooks. At the back of one of these notebooks (my Christmas planning one) I have listed all the presents I have purchased for her bday and Christmas (they are close together).
"I have listed her stocking items, the items Santa is bringing, and then the presents we have got and what I have asked the wider family to get. I also have lists for wider family presents, food, and Christmas cards.
"I think she found the notebook when playing and read it based on the question she asked this morning. I'm very cross and hurt, I haven't asked her outright but I have asked her if she has anything she wants to tell me and she said no.
"I have now removed these pages from the notebook. My initial thought is to write a message for her if she returns to the book along the lines of 'I know you have read this - all presents have been returned. Please do not look in my notebooks again'.
"My husband says this is very mean and it's natural for kids to snoop etc. Any advice, please?"
In the comments, people had mixed feelings about the best way to proceed.
One wrote: "Well she’s snooped and she now knows her presents. Lesson learned."
Another agreed: "She’s a child, of course she read it, she’s already ruined it enough by taking the surprise element away, this does not require a punishment!"
Someone else commented: "I genuinely accidentally found my Christmas presents at that age playing hide and seek, opened airing cupboard there they were. Mother was angry at me... but it was a cupboard we regularly open?
"You knew she was playing there, so don't keep the notebook there. But a talk about privacy won't go amiss."
One Mumsnetter said the mum should've known better than to leave her notebook lying around, writing: "That would be a very mean message to write.
"The lesson here is for you: don't leave things you don't want read lying around! You said yourself, she is bright and doesn't miss a trick. Well, she didn't miss this one!"
What would you do in this situation? Let us know in the comments.
