Be Kind On April Fools’ Day

What do you really know about April Fools’ Day and how it started? I’m Scoop the Cub Reporter and that’s the question we’ve been kicking around for The Shady Pines Gazette news. My editor, Ms. Zulah Talmage, and I are looking into this truly foolish day.

Zulah bangs her hands on her desk. “Scoop, first we talked to people around town and now I’ve looked through everything I can Google,” says a frustrated Zulah.

“There are all sorts of theories about how this blasted day got started, but nothing for sure.”

Scoop swivels in his chair to look at her. “I know. It’s weird. All I can find is that this is the day when people try to play clever tricks on one another. And some of those tricks aren’t very nice at all!”

No Harmful Pranks

“Yes,” says Zulah as she crosses the room to get another cup of coffee. “You’re suppose to be creative, but not mean. Like putting salt in the sugar container is not only a bad prank it can be harmful.”

Scoop thinks for a minute. “Yeah. If you put a bunch of salt in your coffee Ms. Zulah you’d start choking!”

Zulah holds her coffee and mug and points at hi. “Exactly. And that’s not funny.”

What Should You Do?

Scoop scans his computer. “It says here a prank should be something that requires planning, timing, and maybe a little acting. The whole idea is that when you shout, “April Fools’ Day” the person you pranked should at least smile if not laugh. Oh, and here are some jokes.”

Joke Time

Zulah nods her head in agreement. “OK. Scoop, why don’t you share some of the jokes you’re seeing?”

Q: What do you call a dog with no tail?  A: A hot dog!

Q: Where do sheep get their hair cut?  A: At the baa-baa shop!”

Q: Why is six afraid of seven?  A: Because seven ate nine!”

Upside Down and Turn Around

Zulah is on her computer searching for ideas, too. “Oh this sounds like fun for parents and kids.”

Turn some things in your house upside down like an empty wastebasket, a cup or a small stool. Then you ask the child to search for the objects and turn them right side up

Next, arrange some objests backwards like turn a TV face to the wall, the back of  a chair turned towards the table, and books with spines facing the back of the bookshelf. Can your kids find the backwards objects?

Finally, play turn-around tricks like making the bed with the pillows at the foot instead of the head, or change the seating arrangement around your dining room table and have the kids put it back the right way.

A Few More Thoughts

“I guess Ms. Zulah, it really just comes down to the Golden Rule,” says Scoop.

Zulah is scribbling notes in her reporter notebook. She looks up. “What do you mean Scoop?”

He cocks his head to one side. “It’s just like any other day. We should treat people the way we would like to be treated. You can have fun, but don’t hurt someone else’s feelings while you do it.”

Zulah lays her pen down. “Why, Scoop I think that is the best way to look at it. You write the article.”

“Thank you Ms. Zulah!”

“And remember Scoop, it’s April Fools’ Day NOT April Fool’s Day.”

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