Page 30 | Neighbour’s kid picked my daffodils

Lucylooloo2 · 2025-03-21T22:48:12+00:00

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 😕

WinterMorn · 22/03/2025 00:36

Azulejo9 · 21/03/2025 23:23

Aw seriously, these are as cheap as chips, just think about the joy they may have brought her to bring them home to her Mum. Kids at 8yrs old are just that.. kids’

stop sweating about the small things

No, no, no. It’s not ok.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 22/03/2025 00:33

Ohhhh, I remember doing this when I was about 6. Best friend and I were sitting in the flower garden in the front yard of the neighbour's when they came home. We ran home as they were parking the car. Best friend cried to her mum confessing everything. 😭
I put my flowers in a vase for my mum and told her I found them in the forest. 🤥

FWIW I don't think the neighbours spoke to our parents.
😅

WinterMorn · 22/03/2025 00:32

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

But that were not hers to pick. The intention may have been sweet, but it doesn’t make it right.

Onthemaintrunkline · 22/03/2025 00:29

LoremIpsumCici · 21/03/2025 22:49

They will grow back next year, so a minor harm.

And what’s to stop a repeat next year? It’s stealing!

abricotine · 22/03/2025 00:28

Have a word as others suggest or she’ll be back for your tulips! I suspect her own garden will remain unscathed.
my daughter is around this age and has known for years not to pick flowers in parks and gardens…

BobbyBiscuits · 22/03/2025 00:28

How horrible. You must have a word with the mum. That's really out of order and I'm sure kids are taught not to pick flowers from people's gardens? Hopefully she will be now.
If I was the Mum I'd buy you a few new daffodil plants in pots to replace them and a bunch of nice cut flowers just to say sorry.
I hope your tulips will be safe x

Enough4me · 22/03/2025 00:26

OP it's not on, she ignored picking daffodils in her garden to venture to yours and take them. An 8 year old would know you'd see them all gone.
Why she would want to be naughty is a mystery, but one for her parents to deal with.
If they offer you a pot of new ones or similar accept it as they'll be upset with her behaviour if they are regular parents (if they appear not to care, then warn them you spray your garden and use chicken poo manure and it can affect eyesight and the nervous system).

Needspaceforlego · 22/03/2025 00:25

Just because people can see the child was probably trying to do a nice thing, doesn't mean they don't also think the child shouldn't have done it because of the harm done.

I think Op is right to have a word with the kids Mum but while I'd forgive this time I don't think I'd be so forgiving if it happened again either.

8 might seem old to lots of posters, but lots of kids are only getting their first taste of freedom at 7 or 8. First time they are able to get out unsupervised to play (,and nick flowers for mum)

sellotapechicken · 22/03/2025 00:24

Azulejo9 · 21/03/2025 23:23

Aw seriously, these are as cheap as chips, just think about the joy they may have brought her to bring them home to her Mum. Kids at 8yrs old are just that.. kids’

stop sweating about the small things

I bet your kids are so entitled

DreamTheMoors · 22/03/2025 00:24

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.

There’s never a good reason for taking something that doesn’t belong to you.
An 8-yr-old is old enough to know that.
And trying to justify it to @Lucylooloo2 is mean, who now has an empty garden.

Fleur405 · 22/03/2025 00:20

Just go dig up all their bulbs and replant them in your garden. Don’t fill in the holes.

sellotapechicken · 22/03/2025 00:19

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

Ok I’ll send my kid round and pick the flowers In your garden for their mum. Love to see the little spark of joy in their eyes at ruining your plants

MakeYourOwnMusicStartYourOwnDance · 22/03/2025 00:16

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

Sorry, but they should know not to pick flowers from people's gardens, I've always told mine not to pick flowers. If we all picked what we felt like there'd be none left to enjoy!

neilyoungismyhero · 22/03/2025 00:15

LoremIpsumCici · 21/03/2025 22:49

They will grow back next year, so a minor harm.

She'll probably come back next year and pick them again if nothing is mentioned.

Growlybear83 · 22/03/2025 00:15

I wouldn’t just be sad if a little brat came into my garden and stole my flowers - I would be bloody furious.

aliceinawonderland · 22/03/2025 00:14

Sorry that was meant for @LoremIpsumCici

I typed too hastily and saw your name on top!!

Yellowhammer09 · 22/03/2025 00:14

I'd be so very mad. I would definitely talk to the mother. It's not cute and it's not sweet, it's vandalism.

My 3yo picked all my hyacinths at the weekend; she won't be doing that again.

MounjaroOnMyMind · 22/03/2025 00:13

aliceinawonderland · 22/03/2025 00:12

@MounjaroOnMyMind Seriously, would you absolutely not mind if people just came into your garden and took every single flower?

Where did you get that from? I'd be livid! Of course I'd mind. I was being sarcastic.

MinticecreamwithaCherryonTop · 22/03/2025 00:12

murasaki · 22/03/2025 00:08

Well hopefully it was a lasting memory that taught you not to steal!

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It taught me not to rant and rave at a tiny child as a full grown adult. I was about 4/5. Much nicer ways for that situation.

I would send pop a polite letter op through the letter box, or a little knock. 8 years old and actually coming into your garden is a bit much, what if she does it again when you've replanted.

MounjaroOnMyMind · 22/03/2025 00:12

Some of these responses are making me laugh. The girl is eight years old, not a toddler. Aww her mum will love them... well, the OP would have loved them, too, and they belonged to her! And the girl's mum has her own flowers to love as well as the OP's.

aliceinawonderland · 22/03/2025 00:12

@MounjaroOnMyMind Seriously, would you absolutely not mind if people just came into your garden and took every single flower?

Livelovebehappy · 22/03/2025 00:11

Predictably on here people excusing the child’s actions as ‘cute’ and ‘sweet’. I love this time of year when my daffodils are blooming and something to get joy from when I look out of my window to see a bit of colour after a long grey winter. I would not think it cute that a child came onto my property to steal them. An 8 year old is capable of being taught by a parent that they shouldn’t pick flowers or anything else from someone else’s property.

MounjaroOnMyMind · 22/03/2025 00:09

LoremIpsumCici · 21/03/2025 22:49

They will grow back next year, so a minor harm.

Oh for goodness sake, she has to wait a whole year?

murasaki · 22/03/2025 00:08

MinticecreamwithaCherryonTop · 22/03/2025 00:06

Not a generational thing whatsoever; it was a common thing to do when I was little. DM is a boomer, and was annoyed a woman had absolutely shouted and ranted at me as a very little girl. I had tried to pick some flowers from her garden which were growing over a wall for my Mum, so no trespassing or anything. I was a good kid, just little, and as a child I didn't think I was doing any harm because they were growing over the wall, and I hadn't taken many. Obviously it is still wrong.
I ran home crying my eyes out. Dm thought the woman was OTT, and was really annoyed she had upset me, and told me that she used to do it in the late 1950s/60, so this is not a new thing. Honestly, this memory still sticks in my mind to this day; I just didn't understand; it wasn't malicious! It was a time when DCs played out more and usually unsupervised; it was a very different world back then. I also picked flowers from my own garden for dm, which I was allowed to do, while I was searching for "flower fairies." I think in my child mind I didn't think I was doing anything wrong, with them growing over the wall. I was really shy, and a full-grown woman ranting and raving at me is a memory I will never forget.

Edited

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Well hopefully it was a lasting memory that taught you not to steal!

Frillysweetpea · 22/03/2025 00:08

I think it's fine to speak to the parents and request they have a word with their daughter about respecting your privacy and property. Eight is too old to reasonably be wandering into someone else's garden without invitation, let alone picking flowers. I'd not go in all guns blazing though. The child maybe developmentally young for years or the parents may just be a PITA!