35 Ways to Prank Your Mom on April Fool’s Day (Or Any Day!)

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Make your mom laugh with these funny tricks and pranks

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Fake Bugs

2 Deceptive Donuts

3 Upside-Down Water

4 Fake Orange Juice

5 Raisins in Coffee

6 Is It Cake?

7 Cooked Eggs

8 Frozen Treats

9 Jell-O Surprise

10 Salt or Sugar?

11 Broken Light Switches

12 Time Traveling

13 Photo Sabotage

14 Malfunctioning TV

15 Shampoo Struggles

16 (S)care Package

17 Confetti Fan

18 Popping Pillows

19 Water Quality

20 Colorful Teeth

21 Multiple Deliveries

22 The Furniture Has Eyes

23 For Sale

24 Bubble Rug

25 Useless Soap

26 Super Soaker Sink

27 Fake Phone Screen

28 Broken Mouse

29 Voice Commands

30 Autocorrect Hijinks

31 Song Texts

32 Text Miscommunications

33 “Broken” Screen

34 Phone Swap

35 Multilingual Phone

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Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: March 13, 2026 Fact Checked

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Pranks can be a lot of fun, and they don’t have to cost a ton of money to pull off! If you’re pranking your mom, you’ll want your trick to be funny, but not get you into trouble or accidentally hurt anyone (physically or emotionally). From ketchup-filled donuts to a bar of soap that won’t get sudsy or switching all the clocks in the house, we’ve got plenty of quick, fun prank ideas you can use to tease your mom—especially on April Fool’s Day!

Good April Fool’s Pranks for a Parent

• Hide fake bugs in a box of cereal. Your mom will think it’s full of bugs!
• Coat bar soap with clear nail polish. When your mom uses it, it won’t lather!
• Make Jell-O in a glass. Then, give your mom the glass and pretend it’s juice.
• Make fake orange juice. Mix the powder from a box of mac ‘n cheese with water.
• Swap out family pics. Paste a celeb’s photo over any family photos in the house.

Steps

1

Fake Bugs

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1. 
   Put fake bugs into a box of cereal or rice to gross out your mom. Buy some small, cheap, fake bugs and put a handful of them into a box of food that you know your mom is going to use, like her favorite cereal, the flour canister, or a bag of rice. Close the container back up and give it a few good shakes to spread the “bugs” around. The next time she pulls out the container, she’ll think it’s full of bugs!

   • Make sure you are around when she opens the container to use it! You could even try catching your prank on video.
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2

Deceptive Donuts

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1. 
   Fill a donut with ketchup or mayonnaise. Go to a donut shop and order a few jelly or cream-filled donuts. When you get home, gently squeeze out the filling and throw it away. Put a little ketchup or mayonnaise into a large ziplock bag, snip off one of the bag’s bottom corners, and refill the donut. Then, wait until your mom picks up a donut and bites into it!

   • Try to match the color of the original donut filling to whatever you are filling it with (avoid filling a jelly donut with mayonnaise, because your mom might notice the multiple colors and get suspicious).
   • If you’re really ambitious, you could try making your own filled donuts at home!

3

Upside-Down Water

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1. 
   Leave upside-down cups of ice on the counter. After your mom goes to bed, go to the kitchen and fill a glass cup halfway up with ice cubes. Place a paper towel over the glass, flip it over so it’s upside down, then pull the paper towel out from underneath. In the morning, your mom will come downstairs to find an upside-down cup full of water (from the ice melting), and she will have to figure out how to clean it up!

   • If you need to help your mom clean up the water, simply put a large bowl under the edge of the counter, slide the glass forward, and dump the water into the bowl.
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4

Fake Orange Juice

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1. 
   Make “orange juice” using the powdered cheese from mac and cheese. Take the powdered cheese from a box of macaroni and cheese and mix it with water. You can use a large juice pitcher or just mix it in a large glass. Either leave the “juice” in the fridge for your mom to find and drink on her own, or bring her a glass yourself.

   • If your mom doesn’t normally drink orange juice and you bring her a glass, she might be suspicious. In this case, it might be better to leave it in the fridge for her to find on her own.
   • Using warm water might help the powdered cheese dissolve faster. If you do this, make sure to refrigerate the “juice” so it’s cold before serving it to your mom.

5

Raisins in Coffee

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1. 
   Slip a few raisins into her morning cup of coffee. Distract your mom for a few moments, and when she’s in the other room or looking elsewhere, put 3 or 4 raisins into her cup of coffee. When she gets to the bottom of the cup, she’ll think there are bugs in it!

   • To distract your mom, you could ask her to find something for you in another room, or simply ask her to look at something across the room (e.g., “What’s that on the wall over there?”).
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6

Is It Cake?

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1. 
   Decorate a cardboard box to look like a cake. Use a shoebox, sponge, or something similar and cover it with icing. Write a message on the cake, like “Happy Birthday, Mom” or “We Love You!” When she goes to cut into the cake, she’ll be very confused! Make sure you have a real cake ready for her, though, so that your prank isn’t too cruel.

   • You can get a good reaction video of your mom trying to cut into the “cake” and share it with her later.

7

Cooked Eggs

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1. 
   Boil a few eggs in secret. If there are fresh eggs in the refrigerator, grab a few and hard-boil them. Then, put them right back in the carton. After that, just wait for your mom’s surprise when she cracks open the eggs and discovers they’re not what she was expecting. This is an especially great prank if both of you enjoy hard-boiled eggs anyway!
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8

Frozen Treats

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1. Freeze a bowl of cereal (or a cup of hot cocoa). For the cereal version, pour out a bowl of cereal and milk, then store it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, pull it out and bring it to your mom; she’ll try to eat, only to discover the milk is frozen solid. Similarly, for the hot cocoa prank, make a cup of hot chocolate and stash it in the freezer overnight. The next day, serve your mom the cup (with marshmallows to hide the frozen cocoa).

   • You can pull both versions of this prank, or just pick one!

9

Jell-O Surprise

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1. Swap a cup of juice for Jell-O. Does your mom enjoy fruit juice? If so, this might be a fun prank to pull! Pick a Jell-O flavor that resembles the type of juice your mom would usually drink (for example, red Jell-O for fruit punch, or purple Jell-O for grape juice). Make the Jell-O in a juice glass and refrigerate it; then, when the Jell-O solidifies, serve it to your mom. She’ll try to drink it, only to discover that it isn’t really juice!

   • You could even garnish the glass with a piece of fruit to make it look a little fancy!
   • If you want to use a straw, be sure to place the straw in the glass before the Jell-O solidifies; that way, it’ll look natural when you give your mom the glass.
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10

Salt or Sugar?

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1. 
   Replace the sugar (or sweetener) with salt. Does your mom put sugar in her coffee or tea? If so—and if there’s a sugar bowl that’s easily accessible—try replacing the sweetener in the bowl with salt. The next time your mom makes a drink and puts “sugar” in it, she’ll be in for a surprise! Just remember what you’ve done if you need some sugar.

11

Broken Light Switches

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1. Use clear tape to stop the light switch from working. Just put some clear Scotch tape under the switch, ensuring that it can’t be fully switched “on.” The next time your mom goes to turn on the light, she’ll be left wondering why the switch won’t work (until you explain the prank, at least). If you’re feeling especially mischievous, let her struggle for a bit before coming clean!
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12

Time Traveling

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1. 
   Change the clocks around the house. Wait until your mom is in bed (or out of the house), then go around the house and adjust all the clocks, setting them to a few hours later than they’re supposed to be (for instance, if it’s really 11 p.m., change all the clocks to read 1 a.m.). Don’t forget to change your mom’s alarm clock! When she wakes up in the morning, she’ll just go about her normal routine, though she may be confused as to why it’s darker outside than usual.

   • If your mom uses her cellphone as her alarm clock, this trick might be harder to pull off.
   • If your mom works or has somewhere she needs to be in the morning, don’t move the time backwards and make her late—that will probably get you in trouble!

13

Photo Sabotage

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1. 
   Swap out family photos for pictures of a celebrity (like Nicholas Cage). Find an image (or several images) of a celebrity online, and print them out in different sizes Over the course of a week, swap out family photos for pictures of this celebrity, or tape their face over someone else’s in a photo (be careful that the tape or sticky tac you use won’t rip the photo when you take it off later). Wait for your mom to notice that all the family photos have been taken over!

   • You could even put the celebrity photo on the inside of cabinet doors or under your mom’s pillow to confuse her even more.
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14

Malfunctioning TV

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1. Remove the batteries from the TV remotes. This prank is super simple: just open up the TV’s remote controller and pull out all the batteries. The next time your mom (or anyone else in the house, honestly) tries to use the TV, they’ll be totally nonplussed and wondering why it won’t turn on.

   • For an even better prank, turn the TV to your favorite channel and then remove the remote’s batteries. That way, everyone will have to watch your channel (and no others).

15

Shampoo Struggles

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1. Cover a bottle of shampoo with plastic wrap. You could tamper with your mom’s shampoo and replace it with something like lotion—but for a slightly more benign prank, just unscrew the cap of her shampoo bottle and cover the opening with a small piece of plastic wrap. Then, screw the lid back on and return the shampoo to its usual spot. The next time she tries to take a shower, she’ll discover that her shampoo just won’t come out of the bottle!
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16

(S)care Package

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1. 
   Put a special package in the mail for your mom to open. All you have to do is fill a cardboard box with anything that might give your mom a (small) scare—like fake bugs or snakes. Then, label the box with her address and place it in the mailbox (or beside it) to make her think it arrived in the mail!

17

Confetti Fan

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1. Hide confetti atop a ceiling fan in the house. Does your house have a ceiling fan? In that case, you can pull this goofy prank. While the ceiling fan is off, lay some confetti (or shredded paper, if that’s easier) on top of its blades, so you can’t see it just by looking up. Then, wait for your mom to sit or stand somewhere under the ceiling fan, and turn it on. She’ll be showered in colorful confetti!

   • Just be aware that this prank is kind of messy (since you’ll get confetti everywhere). At the very least, it isn’t hard to sweep up!
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18

Popping Pillows

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1. Fill her pillows with balloons. While your mom is busy or out of the house, blow up a few balloons. Take her pillows out of their pillowcases and fill the pillowcases with balloons instead. Then, arrange the pillowcases on the bed, making them look as normal as possible. When your mom goes to lie down, she’ll discover that her pillows aren’t what they seem—and might even pop a balloon or two!

19

Water Quality

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1. Apply food coloring to a sink spout. Grab a cotton swab and apply some gel food coloring to it (any color you like). Then, swipe the swab around the rim of the sink’s spout, where the running water comes out. The next time your mom tries to run water from the sink, it’ll come out looking very much not like water.

   • You could choose red food coloring to make the water look like blood if you’re really going for “spooky,” or go with some other color if you’re just having a little fun.
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20

Colorful Teeth

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1. 
   Add drops of food coloring to your mom’s toothbrush to dye her teeth. Red, blue, and green food coloring work the best for this prank. Add 1 or 2 drops of the food coloring to the bristles on your mom’s toothbrush. Try to put the drops in the middle of the brush and as close to the base as you can so the color doesn’t attract your mom’s attention. When she goes to brush her teeth at night, she’ll look up into the mirror to see colored foam on her teeth!

   • Luckily, your mom can just brush her teeth a few more times (after she’s rinsed out her toothbrush), and her teeth should come clean.

21

Multiple Deliveries

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1. Pretend that you did a ton of online shopping. Put together a small collection of cardboard boxes (for instance, by saving boxes delivered to your house in a secret place). Then, tape the boxes together so they look brand new and place them outside, wherever packages are normally delivered. All that’s left to do is show your mom the boxes and sheepishly pretend you ordered a bunch of stuff online—and then come clean after she’s had a couple of minutes to freak out.
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22

The Furniture Has Eyes

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1. Stick a bunch of googly eyes to objects around the house. This prank is totally harmless and lots of fun! All you need is a pack of googly eyes that can stick to surfaces. Go around the house and stick pairs of eyes onto anything and everything you find—from the coffee maker to the toilet! Finding the googly eyes is sure to give your mom a laugh.

23

For Sale

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1. Make a fake “for sale” sign to post on your mom’s car. Grab a piece of paper or cardboard and a marker. Write “For Sale” on the paper with your mom’s phone number, along with a really cheap price for the car. Then, just tape the sign to the back window of your mom’s car. If your mom isn’t the most observant, you might get away with this goofy prank—and she’ll get a bunch of inquiries about the car before she even notices!
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24

Bubble Rug

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1. Hide bubble wrap under a rug or bath mat. Cut a piece of bubble wrap and hide it so it’s lying flat under the rug or mat, and can’t be seen by your unsuspecting family. Then, the next time your mom (or other family members) steps on the carpet, they’ll hear a bunch of strange popping noises under their feet!

25

Useless Soap

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1. 
   Paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish so it won’t get soapy. Take a bottle of clear nail polish and a dry bar of soap, and coat it with the nail polish. Let it dry on a paper towel before you put it back into the shower or by the sink. When your mom goes to wet the bar of soap, it won’t get soapy and will confuse her.

   • Either buy a new bar of soap for your mom or make sure there are spares in the cupboard so she doesn’t have to go without!
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26

Super Soaker Sink

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   Put a rubber band around the sink sprayer to douse your mom in water. Get a rubber band, a hair tie, or an elastic, and wrap it around the sink sprayer a few times until the spray button is held down. The next time your mom turns on the sink water, the sprayer will automatically go off and get her wet!

   • Be sure to remember you did this, so you don’t accidentally spray yourself.

27

Fake Phone Screen

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1. 
   Make a fake home screen on your mom’s phone. First, take a screenshot of your mom’s home screen. Then move all the apps off of it onto the next page. Then, change your mom’s background to be the screenshot you took. When she opens her phone and tries to open an app, she’ll think her phone is frozen!

   • Be sure you don’t delete any apps when you’re moving them!
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28

Broken Mouse

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1. Cover the bottom of a computer mouse with tape or a Post-it. This is another tried-and-true prank, but it’s a classic for a reason! Just place some Scotch tape or a Post-it note over the bottom of your mom’s computer mouse, so its tracking sensor is covered. That way, it won’t work properly when used, and your mom can spend a few minutes trying to figure out why her mouse is misbehaving.

29

Voice Commands

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1. Pretend an appliance has a voice command feature. If your mom isn’t particularly tech-savvy, try convincing her that an appliance at home actually has a voice command feature she hasn’t discovered yet—but not to worry, because you’ve gone ahead and set it up. When the ruse works, she’ll try using the appliance by talking to it (but, of course, nothing will happen).
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30

Autocorrect Hijinks

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   Use the autocorrect function on your mom’s phone to confuse her. Access the settings app from your mom’s phone, and navigate to “Text Replacement.” Once there, create a new autocorrect text replacement. In the “Shortcut” space, type a word your mom texts a lot, like “No” or “Call me.” In the “Phrase” space, put something funny, like “I like chicken” or “My child can have whatever they want.” When your mom texts, that word will automatically correct to whatever phrase you entered!

   • To delete the autocorrect, you just go back into the “Text Replacement” category and delete your entry.

31

Song Texts

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   Text your mom song lyrics line by line. Choose a song that also sounds like it could be a conversation, like Adele’s “Hello” or Justin Bieber’s “Sorry.” Then, text your mom one line of the lyrics at a time. She will respond to your messages, thinking you're trying to talk to her about something important! See how long it takes for her to realize what’s going on.

   • If your mom starts to freak out or get really concerned, you may want to call her or tell her what’s going on so she doesn’t think you are having a mental breakdown!
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32

Text Miscommunications

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   Send your mom a text that was “meant for someone else.” For example, you could text your mom “Got 2 grams (0.071 oz) for $40,” immediately followed by “Ignore that, sorry,” and see how she responds! This is a popular prank on the internet right now, so you can show her other people’s responses, too.

   • Other fun ideas to text are: “Don’t tell my mom I got suspended,” “I think I can sneak out around 11,” and “I’m not ready to be a parent.”

33

“Broken” Screen

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1. Make it look like her phone screen is cracked. Use a search engine to find images of broken phone screens, or even apps that make it look like the phone screen is cracked. For a minute or two, your mom might really think her phone was somehow busted—at least before you reassure her with the truth.

   • Numerous apps on the App Store and Google Play can simulate the appearance of a broken phone screen. Just run a search and pick one that looks promising!
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34

Phone Swap

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1. Swap your mom’s phone with someone else’s in the house. This prank only works if your mom has the same phone as another person (like your other parent or one of your siblings). Snatch both phones and swap their phone cases, so your mom’s phone looks like someone else’s and the other phone looks like your mom’s. Then, put both phones back in their usual spots, and both owners try (and fail) to get their phones to work!

35

Multilingual Phone

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1. Change the language settings on your mom’s phone or TV. Adjust the settings on either device (or both, if you’re really trying to stir up some chaos) to a language you know your mom doesn’t speak—like French or Spanish rather than English, for example. Then, just wait for her confusion when she turns on her phone or TV and is greeted in a foreign language!
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• Question

  I want to do something that will annoy my mom.

  

  Community Answer

  Every time she bends over, make a farting noise. Or, when you get your report card and she says to get your grades up, tape the report card to the ceiling and tell her your grades are up.

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• Question

  How do I get back at my mom for scaring me?

  

  Sarah Battilana

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  Try hiding in a closet and jumping out and surprising her, or you could even sneak into the back of her car before she leaves and then scare her by sitting up quickly (just make sure you scare her before she is out of the driveway so no one is in danger!

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  What is something my mom will really fall for?

  

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  If you can get your hands on her phone then screenshot her home page, move all her apps off the home page, and set the screenshot as her background.

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Tips

• Be sensitive to your mom’s feelings. Stick to harmless and silly pranks, not ones that’ll hurt her feelings—and if she doesn’t like being teased or pranked, it’s best not to prank her at all, even if you think it’s funny.
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• If the prank involves ruining something (like a bar of soap or a food item), try to replace it for your mom.
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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• When pulling a prank, act casual — not too innocent, but not obviously suspicious either. This prevents your mom from catching on. If you're an only child, you'll likely be the prime suspect anyway, so nonchalance helps throw off suspicion.
• To avoid seeming suspicious, tell your mom you just noticed something broken in another room and ask if she can come assess if it's fixable. Go with her, wait a few seconds, then say "Oh well" and leave while you execute your master prank!
• If you're a teenager, apply a convincing-looking fake tattoo and "accidentally" show it to her. When she freaks out, say, "Mom, I'm sorry!" and try to keep the prank going as long as you can.
• If pranking your mom by hiding something she needs, make sure to return the item after a few minutes and yell "April Fools!" Don't actually make her late for work or anything.
• Write weird, random notes and stick them around the house to confuse your mom. Then when she's in the bathroom, remove them all without a trace! She'll be so puzzled.

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