Neighbour’s kid picked my daffodils

We have a 'woodlouse cafe' in the garden! A small stack of pallets filled with rotting wood, cardboard, cuttle fish, and random veg/table scraps that they like to eat. Dd is obsessed with woodlice and has 20 boxes of rare and exotic species in her room.

I don't mind them being in the garden, I just wish it hadn't become a free for all where they now eat everything in sight!

No. She shouldn't go unto other people's gardens and she shouldn't knock on strangers' doors. She is not entitled to pick anyone's flowers.

You're*

Firstly, a weed is a plant in the wrong place.

Secondly, people deliberately plant daffodils because they want them in their gardens. I don't have a lot of "things" because they don't matter much to me, but I do have a lot of plants because those are something that bring me joy and calm.

Taking my flowers is the same to me as someone walking in and taking ornaments off the mantle to someone else. I plant daffs be ause they remind me of my grandma pointing and laughing that winter was nearly over when she spotted one.

You don't take other people stuff. Regardless of whether you feel it to be important.

What a mean post.

Daffodils aren't one rung up from a weed, if you don't treat them right, they don't flower. And some people's front gardens are their pride and joy, something you obviously don't get

@Bitofanchange it doesn't matter how expensive or cheap they were. The OP clearly stated that they gave her 'sparks of joy' thereby being cherished in her garden. It was sad for her to see each one cut and even sadder to see the one in the child's own garden intact. That's selfish behaviour- but not the child's fault as clearly hadn't been taught boundaries and lack of good role modelling.

All that fuss your making over flowers that are only one rungy up from a weed is truly pathetic. One only assumes you have no real problems.

They weren’t expensive perennials, they were daffodils.

@Diorchristian 😂maybe the OP doesn't want ANY of her flowers picked! Really not 'win win' in that scenario!

@Busybeemumm umm busy bee you did read and comprehend my post?
Whereby op knocks on the door and complains about picking all her flowers but simultaneously doesn't crush the child and offers her to pick a flower if she knocks first to ask permission.
Win, win.
Umm no where did I state that this child should have free reign to ops property and garden.

Ummmmm

Urm no, she can't just enter someone's garden to even pick one -poisonous or not. Clear consistent boundaries is what children need otherwise it's a slippery slope -two flowers become 4 then more! It's rude and disrespectful to enter someone's garden at all, let alone pick their flowers!

On reading the title I thought does it matter some little girl has been moved to collect and pick some beautiful flowers.
However taking every single one is not on and if she takes these what's to stop her taking anything else?? Also something may be poisonous to pick.
I would tell the parents and say she can pick two flowers if she wishes in future but she must knock and ask due to the above.

@CapybaraInMyGardenOhIWish they are indeed muntjac but my aim is so legendary awful that were I to arm myself with even a catapult the deer would be fine but my neighbour 3 doors down might be in danger 🤦.

I do also have a a bit of a soft spot for a capybara too. But don't think I'd have room for both.

Stupid answer, so I take it we can all invade your garden and take what we want? Cool...

My DS used to go to do this in the park and I explained that the park keeper had planted them and they weren't for picking.

Exactly!!! All the posts saying, ah she picked them for her mum etc.. NO the kid should be taught this is wrong and trespassing on other people's property. Typical of todays culture- parents cba raising their kids to be respectful.

@AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta apologies I meant alpacas, not capybaras! Time to accept that I need to be in bed as brain is no longer functioning properly at this hour. I used to be a night owl, but alas I am no longer.

I hear ya. Santa screwed me over the same way . He isn't getting any cookies or mince pies this year! Rudolph can have a carrot if the guinea pigs haven't had them all. Mind you, I expect capybaras would also take a liking to your flowerbeds, they 're also herbivores, after all.

If the deer are muntjac, I've heard they taste quite nice and their population is out of control, maybe a crossbow is needed?

I think picking buttercups is perfectly fine! It's not the same as going into someone's private property and taking their flowers. Eight is more than old enough to know that you don't take flowers from someone's garden!

Good for you . I have no tolerance for kids hurting animals just because they can.

There was a post not long ago on here, not an OP, but a response to a post on spanking. The poster admitted as a child she once stepped on a ladybird on purpose and her dad dealt with it by stamping on her bare feet. The way some posters talked, you would think the dad was an abuser! The poster herself said her dad was in the right and that she doesn't abuse animals or other kids anymore.

You don't wander into someone else's garden, never mind pick flowers! It's trespassing as well as stealing!

It is to me. I spend a great deal of time and money on my gardening. Some of the perennials take years to establish; no little brat is going to damage them with impunity.

Eight is NOT a young child. Seven is considered the age of reason by developmental psychologists, religions, schools. Certain it's old enough (hell, four is old enough) to understand the concept of private property, damage, etc.

So tired of people making excuses for bad behaviour.

How were the flowers you were watering, did they survive?

it’s hardly the same thing, is it?

8 years old is not super young. It’s 2 years off the age of criminal responsibility.

it is not “super sweet” for someone else’s child to trespass on your property and steal it.

During lockdown I happened to be watering my front garden when a kid walking a puppy went by, whipping it hard with a stick about two feet long. The puppy was tiny, shaking, tail tucked between legs. I called out to him to stop and he swore back at me.

Disrespectful, animal-abusing little fucker got a hard stream of cold water straight in the face and chest, and arse when he squealed and turned tail. Ran home and big bully daddy came along a few minutes later. I gestured to the neighbours who were there to back me up and who had witnessed the animal abuse.

Never once saw that kid again; the father still walks by occasionally with the dog but the boy never does. Good riddance.