April Four-Eyed Fools!

On Thursday Dylan played a great April Fools trick on his class, with the help from Derek and their teacher, Mrs. J, who was totally in on it.

You must know that my twins have spent at least a month trying to come up with the perfect April fool's. I have heard every plan imaginable. Apparently, fifth graders have an inborn NEED to plot the ultimate April first prank, and their teacher has seen quite a few doozies in her time.

This year Dylan had me buy these lovely glasses for him at Wal-Mart. He showed up to school wearing them on Thursday morning. He told everyone that he failed the recent vision screening at school, so him mom took him in for an eye appointment, and the Dr. said he needed glasses right away. His mom didn't want him going back to school without glasses while his new glasses were being made, but there were some glasses already made that were the exact same prescription and his mom bought them for him to wear right away - even if they were a bit big for him. (Yah, I know. This whole thing hinged on the idea that I am a complete numbskull - a sacrifice in reputation that I was willing to make for my child and the sacred April Fools' holiday.)

Dylan came to school, and acted all embarrassed and upset that he had to wear those stupid glasses. He really hammed it up, and showed off his thespian skills. At first his classmates were kind of making fun of him, and he got so upset that he had to leave the room so no one would see him cry. While he was out of the room trying to regain his composure, their teacher told them that Dylan was very upset, and that they all need to be more sensitive to Dylan. She laid a guilt trip on them all, and when Dylan came back in the room, the teacher showered him with candy and stuff to make him feel better. So then the kids went way overboard telling Dylan that his glasses were very nice and they looked good on him, etc. The teacher said it was hilarious to watch the kids outright lie to him like that. Then she had to send Dylan out again, and explain to the class again the fine balance between making someone feel better without giving outrageous false compliments. She asked what would happen if everyone told him he looked terrific in his glasses and so he decided to keep those ones and cancel the new glasses he had ordered. It was funny. It lasted most of the day, and the teacher really played it up and used it for a teaching moment for the kids.

And the funny thing was that Derek, who is NOT a skilled liar (he always smiles and laughs when he is lying), was laughing and giggling the whole time. But instead of his behavior giving the joke away, everyone just thought that he was laughing at Dylan and his stupid glasses (because Derek's glasses are just so much cooler!) and just chalked it up to Derek picking on his brother. Derek (like me) didn't mind being made to look like a mean brother, as long as it perpetuated the joke. He loved being a part of it all, and still insists that the whole thing was his idea.

Anyway, Dylan finally let the cat out of the bag much to every one's surprise. A successful April fools' prank! (and nobody got hurt!)

Now we don't have to think about coming up with another prank again for another 11 months.

But I'm thinking that Dylan's glasses were not the only prank being pulled in the elementary school that day - not in a school where the Easter Bunny, who kind of resembles the principle, is directing traffic.

Happy April y'all!