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Original poster

Neighbour’s kid picked my daffodils

809 replies

Lucylooloo2 · 21/03/2025 22:48

Just that really, had lots of notifications of movement on the doorbell camera and lo and behold a kid (8ish years old) from a few houses down with a bunch of daffodils in her hand.

Checked mine in my front garden when I got home and Every. Single. One. has been taken.

I’m just really sad tbh. Know there are much bigger problems in the world but they were a little spark of joy for me 😕

OP posts:
Elboob · 22/03/2025 13:57

mrsjg · 22/03/2025 12:14

I’d be annoyed too. Years ago we planted some crocus in the front garden to grow through the lawn and saw next doors kids stamping on them when they flowered 😡

Bloody hell! I hope their parents gave them a telling off and apologised when you told them!!

JudgeJ · 22/03/2025 13:54

Katemax82 · 22/03/2025 13:20

I have a vivid memory of being bollocked by a neighbour for picking their flowers when I was 3

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I recall our granddaughter, about 4, being told she could have 5p for every dandelion she brought me, I showed her what they were and off she went. She came back with almost every yellow flower in the garden and a large mental bill! Damn her Maths ability.

Extiainoiapeial · 22/03/2025 13:54

TheHerboriste · 22/03/2025 13:51

She’s not two, she is well old enough to understand the concept of thievery.

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You would think so but considering the batshit comments on here like 'each to their own' in defence and 'super sweet' to do this... I do wonder!!!

Extiainoiapeial · 22/03/2025 13:52

x2boys · 22/03/2025 13:43

My point was they are a quid in the shop so no need to steal somone elses.

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Oh sorry I misunderstood 😊
Totally agree

TheHerboriste · 22/03/2025 13:51

Anywherebuthere · 22/03/2025 13:43

It is selfish to steal(pick) flowers from other peoples gardens or public places. Taking those flowers then means others don't get to enjoy the beauty of it.

Children don't understand this. It's up to the parents to teach their children to grow their own or buy them.

She’s not two, she is well old enough to understand the concept of thievery.

TheHerboriste · 22/03/2025 13:50

CB i’d be marching down there in a rage.
Child of that age is WELL old enough to know better.

I’d demand an apology and their daffodils, and that they not set foot on my property again.

None of this maudlin nonsense from me.

CustardySergeant · 22/03/2025 13:47

Anywherebuthere · 22/03/2025 13:43

It is selfish to steal(pick) flowers from other peoples gardens or public places. Taking those flowers then means others don't get to enjoy the beauty of it.

Children don't understand this. It's up to the parents to teach their children to grow their own or buy them.

Do you think the girl was somehow unable to see all the daffodils in her own garden? She chose to steal the OP's and left those in her own garden where they were.

x2boys · 22/03/2025 13:43

Extiainoiapeial · 22/03/2025 13:42

Supermarket daffs last a few days. Ones planted in the ground last weeks. It's hardly the same

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My point was they are a quid in the shop so no need to steal somone elses.

Anywherebuthere · 22/03/2025 13:43

It is selfish to steal(pick) flowers from other peoples gardens or public places. Taking those flowers then means others don't get to enjoy the beauty of it.

Children don't understand this. It's up to the parents to teach their children to grow their own or buy them.

Extiainoiapeial · 22/03/2025 13:42

x2boys · 22/03/2025 13:36

You csn get them for a quid in the supermarket.

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Supermarket daffs last a few days. Ones planted in the ground last weeks. It's hardly the same

TheWombatleague · 22/03/2025 13:41

Send them an "Every time you pick a daffodil a family of bees starves to death" card?

ClaredeBear · 22/03/2025 13:40

Hwi · 22/03/2025 11:40

Aww, and when your neighbours' kids steal your earrings from the trinket dish (when unfortunately the window was left open) and the little Borstal shites got in, maybe you can give them your pendant as well, so next year they will have a set? Are you seriously proposing to reward ASBO behaviour? I hope this is acing in in terms of sarcasm on your part and I am just taking everything at face value again?

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Your aggressive tone is an extreme overreaction to my suggestion. Apparently these kids are around 8 years of age, so I’d be inclined to kill that sort of behaviour with kindness.

CustardySergeant · 22/03/2025 13:39

x2boys · 22/03/2025 13:36

You csn get them for a quid in the supermarket.

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Not only that, but her own garden was full of daffodils, yet she picked the OP's.

x2boys · 22/03/2025 13:36

Sminty2 · 21/03/2025 22:53

I know you loved them and feel sad, I would too but maybe she wanted to give them to her mum or gran and couldn’t afford flowers.
Not saying it’s right to steal but thinking that they may have been picked for a good reason, might take the sting out a little.

You csn get them for a quid in the supermarket.

Patterncarmen · 22/03/2025 13:35

Iwiicit · 21/03/2025 23:01

Mmm, my brother picked a huge bunch of daffodils from the council flowerbed on the corner of our street. He came home so thrilled to give them to my mum but she went ballistic and really told him off. I remember feeling quite sorry for him, but - he was only five and it wasn't a private garden.
Eight is usually old enough to know better and definitely if it's flowers in a garden. I think I would have a quiet and calm word with parents asking her not to do it again, but I wouldn't be angry.

Yes, I might gently speak to the parents of the child. OP, I’m sorry about your garden.

BunnyLake · 22/03/2025 13:33

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 22/03/2025 12:23

At eight? Really? I know many people believe it to be too young, but in England the age of criminal responsibility is ten years old, so from that age on a child can face charges in the juvenile court. The law therefore assumes that long before the age of ten a child should know right from wrong. Not all parents make sure their children are taught this, unfortunately.

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It depends. If there was a gate and boundary then definitely not but if it was like an open area frontage I might have picked a flower or two for my mum. I’m not saying I would have but maybe in a moment of thoughtlessness I might have. I was a very well behaved child but sometimes there can be moments of lapsed judgement (as seen many times on MN by adults).

ZoeCM · 22/03/2025 13:31

Cancelthebreak · 22/03/2025 12:03

The people who are excusing this type of behaviour are the ones who will be in despair about their teenage children running wild with no respect for them or other people in a few years time.

"Her crime spree began at the age of eight, when she picked daffodils from her neighbour's garden! All downhill from there..."

SammyScrounge · 22/03/2025 13:23

Lucylooloo2 · 21/03/2025 22:57

Thanks all - I don’t feel so silly about feeling so sad about it now.

I am also slight annoyed about it because they literally have their own daffodils in their front garden but they’ve been unharmed!

If you Google 'Edinburgh Castle daffodils' you'll get loads of pictures of thousands of daffodils sweeping down from the Castle Rock. It's a spectacular display. Might lift your spirits to see them.

JitterbugFairy · 22/03/2025 13:20

Sminty2 · 21/03/2025 22:53

I know you loved them and feel sad, I would too but maybe she wanted to give them to her mum or gran and couldn’t afford flowers.
Not saying it’s right to steal but thinking that they may have been picked for a good reason, might take the sting out a little.

Then they should have asked first.

Alliod40 · 22/03/2025 13:20

Im sorry Id be fuming,I love daffodils and I grow them as they represent my Mam who died suddenly as they were her favourite flower,Id be over after her parents and telling them to have a word,you cant ust go around picking flowers out of peoples gardens

Katemax82 · 22/03/2025 13:20

Aliceglass · 21/03/2025 22:54

Im sorry. I’d be annoyed too. Kids don’t think the same as adults though. When I was 5 I picked all the petals off a neighbours rose bush for confetti… 🙈

I have a vivid memory of being bollocked by a neighbour for picking their flowers when I was 3

fitzwilliamdarcy · 22/03/2025 13:19

Mamofboys5972 · 21/03/2025 22:51

I also love having fresh flowers in the garden, especially daffodils. However, that little spark of joy they bring you? They clearly also spark that in others 🥰 maybe that little girl picked them for her mam for mothers day! Super sweet x

Jesus Christ.

CustardySergeant · 22/03/2025 13:18

thesoundofwildgeese · Today 13:08 "If I was the OP and I knew which neighbour the child belongs to, I would have a quiet word with the parents. I might take round a pot of bulbs for the child to look after at home and encourage a love of gardening."

The girl already lives in a house with a garden full of daffodils! Why reward theft?

godmum56 · 22/03/2025 13:16

thankyounextplease · 22/03/2025 13:03

I would take the same number from their garden, then knock on their door holding them and explain why, but then I'm petty like that.

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yup this!

godmum56 · 22/03/2025 13:15

Alittlewordinyourear · 22/03/2025 11:03

I can understand a child seeing the pretty flowers and wanting to pick them. I cannot understand why a child thinks it’s ok to go into someone else’s garden to steal them. Particularly not ok when she has flowers in her own garden but didn’t pick them

I keep saying the same thing. If a child is old enough to be out alone they are old enough to know not to take flowers that don't belong to them.