Let it be known that we here at We Got This Covered do not condone child abuse in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Let it also be known, however, that we here at We Got This Covered do condone — with rather excessive mirth — tests of character that just happen to be child-sized.
Because sometimes, karma needs a bit of a helping hand in introducing itself to the newer denizens of the planet Earth, and TikTok‘s @coltyy was all too happy to provide; he probably wouldn’t have happened upon this magnificent work ethic if he wasn’t, after all.
In the 46-second video, Colty explains to us that a few kids at the beach were being particularly cruel to him, taking some rather disheartening joy in destroying each and every sandcastle that Colty took time to build. Fed up with their antics, Colty soon graced us with his revenge process; specifically, he was going to construct not just a sandcastle, but a sand palace that would put Minas Tirith to shame, and the base of this palace would be held together by many hard stones.
In case you didn’t put two and two together, Colty intends to bait those destructive children over to the sandcastle with its glory, and when they ultimately decide to kick it down like they did with his previous towers, their toes will be met by a very painful granite surprise. Welcome to the real world, Junior.
We never actually see the results of Colty’s prank, nor do we even know if the kids got their comeuppance. But, in its own way, the unresolvedness of this whole ordeal is its own satisfaction; the fact that the booby-trapped sandcastle is so impressive is just the cherry on top.
Now, a more roundabout and appropriate way to discipline these children does exist, but it’s not up to Colty to model that for them; it’s up to the parents. According to MedicineNet, most disrespectful behavior in children has to do with the simple fact that they don’t know how to express their emotions in mature ways (because they, by way of being children, do not yet have access to maturity). As such, it’s important to understand and then address the cause of the disrespectful behavior, and then make clear that such behavior will not be tolerated.
But, in apparent lieu of that, sandcastles specifically designed to hurt the toes of mischievous children are a somewhat acceptable substitute; it will hopefully get a similar message across, in any case. Maybe they’ll take up healthier pastimes as a result.