1 year old exploring front gardens and Xmas decs decd

DD1 has always been super inquisitive, would think nothing of asking someone what they were doing, or asking us what something was or going to get a closer look. Had to be really strict with her, instilling boundaries and keeping her under control.
Who knows what hazards may be present, as parents we gain an almost superskill in making our homes child safe, other people don't, and indeed if they have no children themselves then why would they.

@FamilyofTrees Unless you are planning on suing the home owners if he hurts himself while he is on their property I would say YABU. Why on earth don’t you parent your own child, and if you don’t want to why have another one? Mind you, if you do manage to sue a homeowner you could maybe hire a Nanny with the proceeds?? 😂

Well, that's certainly an imaginative conclusion to have drawn...

I wouldn’t because you don’t know what dangers are there (dogs, broken plant pot, cat shit!). I even have to do a safety sweep of my in-laws garden before the kids play in it - there’s usually shears, weedkiller and broken stuff lying around!

I feel like everyone is being harsh. My 7 yo still touches things 🙄 my neighbour has the ultimate touchy garden stuff and they are always so lovely about it and know it’s just what kids do.
I had an inflatable up for Halloween and a few toddlers / kids touched it , no problem at all - I expect it!

Good grief - what is the matter with people??

Glad you're taking the advice on board, but did you really not think of the dangers to your child letting him into stranger's gardens? I'd be pissed off if I saw little Timmy wandering around while mummy stood idly by because...I don't really know why.
My DC are all now adult so my garden definitely isn't child-proofed. I have a huge open water feature, Imagine trying to drag him out of there at eight month's pregnant. There are also several poisonous plants, steep drops and freestanding features/statues.

Look at, not in.
Letting your kid trespass onto private property is just entitled behaviour.

I wouldn't want to be held responsible for inadverantly mowing it over with 1.5 tonnes of metal because I couldn't see it in my rear view mirror/ through the body work, and wasn't expecting it to be there in the first place.

It's a private front garden, not a public park.

Reins were very useful for the stage where survival instincts haven't caught up with little legs.

Mumsnetters are incredibly precious about their property.

Put reins on him why are you allowing him to walk down the st without holding his hand anyway? Toddlers are unpredictable and can run into the road if they see something of interest to them. Teach him you can look but don't touch.

We really need to license for parenthood.

You're derailing your own thread here!
We're not talking about tax, fascinating though that would be. We're talking about parenting a two year old.
I agree with the other posters who say a big fat no to strangers or their kids in their garden. Reassuringly, OP, you have taken this on board.

WTF-yes of course you’re unreasonable. What do you mean you can’t stop him, he is one year of age ffs 😂 the absolute entitlement. YABVU.

I think the replies here are insane. why would anyone care about a toddler having a little look at their garden. I’m not sure how that seems to translate to you letting your toddler play in traffic or square up to dogs etc as everyone seems to think in here. I think it’s completely okay to let a curious toddler have a look as long as they don’t touch anything. god forbid people have to encounter tiny curious children!

Give it another year or two and you will be posting on here about how your children don’t listen too you and how fed up you are of being a parent.
of course he shouldn’t be wondering onto other people’s properties and I guess you follow him to bring him back?

I despair! How cannot not be obvious to a parent that private property is off limits and that it's their job to teach their child this from the minute they start walking?

Boundaries have to be in black and white for toddlers. I have two godsons who were brought up with no boundaries about anything. One day, when staying in their home, I walked with the elder, aged four, to collect the younger from nursery. On the way, he started running down the hill towards a main road. I called him back. He ignored me. I ran after him, still shouting. He ignored me - then stopped within two feet of the kerb as I caught up with him.

The outcome? I told the parents I was not able to look after the boys by myself other than in the house because they were not responsive to adult authority. Three years later, the parents broke up. The grandma the mother was relying on for after-school care said she couldn't look after them because they didn't know how to do as they were told so she didn't feel she could keep them safe. (Both boys are now grown-up, lovely and loving partners and dads.)

This is a cautionary (and true) tale about boundaries and the bad things that can happen when the woolly-headness the OP is showing here is not restrained.

You are the parent, not him.

Wow if only there was a way you as a parent could stop this from happening!!!

good that you’re taking this all on board and buying reins but why did you need to be told this?!

If I saw your child in my garden, I wouldn’t be in the least bit bothered. But I know people generally don’t like it, so I would never have let my DC do it.

Dogs on the other hand …

I have 3 children although the youngest isn't walking yet. 'No going into people's front gardens' has always been one of the rules when walking. I wouldn't allow this and if/when they tried they'd be moved straight away and they soon understand. If they were likely to continue trying to do it I would keep them in reins.

Terrible parenting

I have Christmas decorations on my front and nearly break my neck everytime I go to the bin tripping over wires. There are often hidden dangers on other people's property you are not aware of. Saying nothing I can do about it isn't an option in parenting. You are about to have a 2nd and you can't even cope with 1

Lazy parenting at its finest. No it’s not acceptable, and by not implementing it he has no boundaries. There is no need for him to “wander” if he holds your hand at all times which wouldn’t give him the opportunity to wander off. If he screams because he doesn’t like it you just stand there until it stops. If it’s drummed into children they hold your hand from the moment they start walking it wouldn’t be a problem. Especially if near a road.

I presumed you let him do this everywhere rather than bizarrelly allowing it on one specific street. Plenty of houses have long drives and many reversing will look at the road to check it is clear but will not be checking their own driveway for children too small to see in their mirror. I say this as I know someone who was run over by their Dad as a small child on their driveway. You said in your OP that you find it difficult to control your toddler so I'm struggling to understand how you confidentally believe you will develop this ability in the event of an incident.