I think every "kid" is probably guilty of playing some sort of prank. How many of us can remember dialing a number at random and when the person answered, ask "Is your refrigerator running?" and when they'd say 'yes', we'd say "Better go catch it!" Oh, har de har har! How hilarious. Not. That type of prank is harmless. We didn't think about the poor little old lady or man who had to take forever to get to the phone, only to find out it's a prank call. However, once vandalism or theft enters the picture, a whole new dynamic sets in. When I first moved into this house a little over 3 years ago, some kids from the next neighborhood decided to help themselves to my firewood. I thought I might be imagining things when I realized that my firewood was dwindling until one day when they thought I was at work, I saw them come into my yard and scoop up as much as their arms could carry. They were having bonfires every night in the autumn. When I approached them on it, of course, they not only denied it (Hello, I've caught you redhanded, you idiots!) but they said words to me that no kids should even know. I didn't know where they lived, so talking to their parents was out. Long story short, I called the cops and they handled it for me. Their families eventually moved to another neighborhood to terrorize someone else, no doubt. Kids will be kids but theft, vandalism, disrespect? No. No way. Ever. I would never have tolerated it w/my own kid and I won't tolerate it w/anyone else's.