My mother kept donating me junk so I hid 200 ducks in her house?

What happens when a simple attempt at light-hearted payback turns into something unexpectedly joyful? One person reached their limit after years of receiving boxes filled with outdated and useless items from a loved one, despite repeated requests to stop.

The creative response involved secretly placing hundreds of small plastic ducks throughout the house. Many expected tension or frustration, but the outcome brought laughter and connection instead. This situation highlights how family habits can clash with personal boundaries, yet a playful approach sometimes resolves things in ways no serious talk ever could.

‘My mother kept donating me junk so I hid 200 ducks in her house?’

The story starts with the ongoing frustration over unwanted gifts.

I'm not sure if this is a petty revenge, or even a revenge due to the outcome, but it started as a way to have some petty revenge to my...

A few examples from last month:.  Address stamps with my information on them from when I lived at home, 15 years ago.  A dentist appointment card with appointments from 2006.

About 30 keys... Just 30 random keys, without knowing where they fit on.  USB sticks and memory cards ranging from a few MB to max 2G

Family dynamics play a role, especially after a loss.

I love my mother and I know she doesn't mean this in a bad way. But I have told her to stop it so many times to no avail. When...

She is still cleaning up the house since the death, so I understand from where it all comes, but some things are clearly meant for the bin instead of donating...

But last month I had really had enough and bought 200 plastic ducks online. When she was on holiday recently, I planned to take my revenge and hid them all...

Some are very visible, like in the middle of the hall, in her washing machine or on the photo frames. But most are really hidden in places where she won't...

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Like in sculptures, between the roots of her plants, between 2 coffee cups, in the pockets of her clean trousers, between her clean folded sheets, on top of the showerhead,...

They are always hidden at height because she regularly babysits our toddler and I don't want him to be able to swallow them.

You would think that 200 ducks is a lot, I recently ordered a new bag because there are so many places I can still hide some. The revenge part has...

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Additional details clarify the situation.

Edit: The "giving junk" thing has been going on ever since I've left my parents house, so around 15 years. Long before the death of my dad last year.

And yes, I have tried everything, from refusing it to accepting and throwing away in her bin. It just doesn't click for her, that if she find something, it doesn't...

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She had told me a few times that it is junk that she's giving me The current situation is that if I don't accept it, she stores it for later...

Edit 2: So many people add stuff to my story and think my mother is senile, a hoarder or has problems throwing thing away, but it’s not like that at...

My mother is a healthy 64 years young independent woman, capable of throwing away stuff. She has cleaned up a lot of stuff my dad collected over the years, like...

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Everything without real sentimental value or 0% usefulness has been thrown in the bin by her. The problem is with stuff that is between 5 and 1% usefulness, like a...

Not the sentimental stuff, we went through that last year, after my dad died. But things that are virtually useless and in most cases are.

Things like appointment cards from 2006, 30 random keys, vacuum bags while she knows we have a Dyson because she bought one herself because she likes our Dyson so much,...

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Things most people know are junk but she somehow thinks are useful for me. She even said sometimes that it’s junk but might be useful for me.

Stuff that, when I point it out, she knows is stupid to give me, like that appointment card from 2006.And yes, we are helping with clearing the house, whenever we...

The core conflict revolves around a well-meaning mother’s habit of passing on low-usefulness items to her child, despite clear requests to stop. This creates repeated frustration for the child, who feels burdened by the junk. The mother’s actions likely stem from a desire to help or avoid waste, while the child’s response escalates to a creative prank. Emotions like affection and exasperation collide, leading to a playful resolution that surprises everyone.

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On one side, the mother may fear wasting potentially useful things or find comfort in sharing during a grieving period. Her kindness drives the behavior, even when she acknowledges the items as junk. The child feels overwhelmed by boundaries ignored over years. Communication breaks down because direct talks fail to change the pattern. Empathy gaps appear, with each missing the other’s deeper intentions.

Relationship expert Dr. Harriet Lerner has explained that “Family members often repeat patterns because they’re trying to solve an emotional problem in the only way they know how” (from “The Dance of Connection,” 2001). This fits perfectly here. The mother’s giving provides a sense of purpose, while the child’s hiding ducks shifts the dynamic to shared joy. Both overlook chances for deeper understanding at first, allowing habits to persist.

To move forward, the child could accept items graciously during visits, then discreetly dispose of them later to reduce conflict. Set a fun ritual, like a “junk swap” day where both laugh over odd finds. Schedule calm talks focused on feelings, using “I” statements like “I feel overwhelmed when…” Practice active listening without immediate solutions. Small steps like these build mutual respect and turn frustration into closer bonds.

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Here’s how people reacted to the post:

Social media users quickly embraced this tale of intended petty revenge that blossomed into family fun. Reactions poured in with humor, personal stories, and practical suggestions. The thread turned into a celebration of how a simple prank strengthened ties in unexpected ways. Opinions varied, but most highlighted the positive twist.

Many readers loved how the plan backfired in the best way and turned wholesome.

Piso-Tincto − Your mother is getting a chuckle every time finds one? Sounds like you brightened up her day to me. How petty becomes wholesome. hahahaha [Reddit User] − Wholesome...

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Prof_Exzenter − My wife started doing this to our family. The ducks are tiny, maybe 1cm high, and we find them everywhere. I made a coffee and found one in...

The best part is the rest of the family has joined in, so when one is found it's celebrated, and just means you now have one more duck you can...

Suitable_South_144 − This is great pettiness! And you are avoiding generational hoarding while engaging your mom's natural hunting instincts! And it's fun for all.

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I agree with other comments about bigger ducks for the safety of your toddler so they can enjoy the hunt as well. Thanks for the gigglefest! !!

Some offered advice on handling the junk or extending the game.

Super_Reading2048 − Buy bigger ducks your toddler can’t swallow and hide them in low unexpected places. She or your toddler might find them & it is fun either way.

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lyndzyzas − Our rule in the family is whenever mom gives you something, take it and say thanks. Then check with the other siblings if it’s not just crap.

“Hey, anybody want Uncle George’s army mess kit? ” Nope? Trash it. This means less junk at mom’s later for us to clear out. She’s happy we took it, everybody...

oceanbreze − Keep your mother happy. Take the junk with a smile. Accepting the junk helps her 1.feel better, 2. helps her clear up the house and 3. cope with...

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A few added light skepticism or humor to the mix.

Constant_Cultural − Great, soon you get a Box from her with 200+ duckies? How is this helping you?

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RainbowUnicorn0228 − Can I have the keys if she finds any more?

CarlosFer2201 − Found James Veitch's reddit account

This light-hearted story shows how a creative response to ongoing frustration can unexpectedly foster joy and connection in family relationships. What began as petty revenge evolved into ongoing playful discoveries that bring laughter. It reminds everyone that rigid boundaries sometimes give way to shared fun, especially when love underlies the habits.

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Readers can take away the value of approaching irritations with humor rather than confrontation alone. Gentle pranks might open doors that serious discussions keep closed. In the end, the ducks created moments of delight amid clearing out the past. Would you try something similar if faced with a similar family quirk, or prefer direct conversations? When a payback plan turns wholesome, does it still count as revenge?

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