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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think the police were right?

63 replies

Lucyinthepie · 15/03/2011 14:29

daffodils story
The children had picked (or pulled up) great bunches of 70 or so daffodils from a public park and the parents were supposedly unaware of what they were doing. That's quite worrying really isn't it, as the youngest is only 4 and it would take some time to gather that many floweres.
The daffodils are in a public park for everyone to enjoy, what would make any adult think it was OK for their children to pick them? If they get pulled up the daffs don't grow again do they? I'm no gardener, but that was what I was told about bluebells. You cut them, never pull them.
The councillor showed a bit of common sense in speaking to the police. He, like the rest of us, would be only too aware of the possible implications of approaching people who were already showing a lack of common consideration to others.

OP posts:
Bloodymary · 15/03/2011 14:46

Even at the tender age of 4,(or even 3) my children knew that it was wrong to pick flowers in the park.
I am not saying that they never had the odd sneaky one, but huge bunches is just wrong.
Why was she not keeping a closer eye on them?

Desperateforthinnerthighs · 15/03/2011 14:48

Yeah, I would let DS pick a couple but thats about it - certainly not a massive great bunch! Must have taken a while to pick that amount.....scary!

piprabbit · 15/03/2011 14:49

YANBU.

BeerTricksPotter · 15/03/2011 14:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

meditrina · 15/03/2011 14:58

YANBU - they flowers are there for everyone to enjoy. If every passer by picked a couple (let alone that number!) then there would be none at all in no time.

Original poster
Lucyinthepie · 15/03/2011 14:59

I hope the mum is a mumsnetter. Grin

OP posts:
saffy85 · 15/03/2011 15:01

YANBU

Whether they picked "about 20 between them" or 70-80 as the person reporting the incident said, that's alot! I let my DD pick a few bluebells when she sees them but things like daffodils, roses etc I make sure she leaves alone! Someone's taken great care to plant them and wouldn't be happy at another person coming along to pick them and ruin them, as this story shows!

BeerTricksPotter · 15/03/2011 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LessNarkyPuffin · 15/03/2011 15:03

Yep. A 10 year old should know better.

Wonderful that the parents were apparently paying so little attention to them that they had no idea what they were doing.

LessNarkyPuffin · 15/03/2011 15:06

Oh, just read the article. Even better. She was with the 10 year old so had no idea what the 4 and 6 year old were doing!!!! I suppose the father was 'supervising' them, but their mother wouldn't consent to the photo.

Ephiny · 15/03/2011 15:07

YANBU, sounds like disgraceful behaviour from the family, the parents should be ashamed. I can understand a child grabbing one or two flowers before you can stop them, but hard to imagine them ripping up 70 without you noticing, that would take some time! Anyway according to the councillor who called the police, the 'parents' appeared to be actually encouraging them.

The headline is nonsense though, no one 'threatened to arrest' the children, it was the adults who were spoken to and given a warning by the police.

KnittedBreast · 15/03/2011 15:09

the child was 4? I think the police were obviously over reacting and probebly looking for an easy way to pick another arrest

reelingintheyears · 15/03/2011 15:10

OMG.... i was going to write this one as it's in my local rag today....

Made me mad.

I don't believe the Police 'accosted' them, i expect they approached them and told them off, quite rightly.

I totally agree they shouldn't have been picking them and the Mum should be too ashamed to go to the paper with the story.

Why do people think it's ok to spoil parks etc just because they're too tight to buy/plant their own flowers.

I hope she is a MNer.

Grrrrrrrrrrr

mayorquimby · 15/03/2011 15:11

They were bang on.

They didn't threaten to arrest the kids as the headline suggests.
They came by and warned the parents that such behaviour could be classed as criminal damage so stop your kids from doing it in future and mayvbe don't react like daft twats with a ridiculous sense of entitlment.
"oh no, the police told me to stop doing something wrong. Shouldn't they be out catching the rapists and murderers."

susall · 15/03/2011 15:13

My kids only ever pick up the damaged ones and its normally only enough to fill a small vase. To pick/pull up 70 is crazy and it is amazing how many parents think its ok to turf out their younger kids with their older siblings, the daffy pulling should not be the main worry here.

reelingintheyears · 15/03/2011 15:14

KnittedBreast, i don't think from the article that the police were threatening to arrest the 4 year old.
I think the police know that 4 year olds cannot be arrested.

LessNarkyPuffin · 15/03/2011 15:15

'My kids only ever pick up the damaged ones and its normally only enough to fill a small vase'

Well that's fine the Hmm

mayorquimby · 15/03/2011 15:16

"Surely the police have better ways to spend their time and taxpayers' money?"

yes of course they fucking do, so stop wasting their time by allowing your kids to wreck the park. I'd imagine the police were as pissed off about the waste of time and resources as well but it's not their fault they had to come down and tell you something as obvious as don't trash the park.
The police also have far better things to do than come around and tell someone to turn down the speakers at a house party, but if some inconsiderate dick decides to blast out techno at 4 in the morning next-door to this couple you can guarentee they'll be calling the police to get it sorted.

susall · 15/03/2011 15:17

Sorry but I dont get whats wrong with saving flowers that will die through vandalism by others!!!

JeelyPiece · 15/03/2011 15:17

saffy85 bluebells are wild plants and it is illegal to uproot them.

Don't think the police acted unreasonably in this case.

Original poster
Lucyinthepie · 15/03/2011 15:17

It isn't if they get pulled out of the bulb, there won't be another daffodil there next year.
I don't think that children should be allowed to "pick" even damaged flowers to be honest. It sets the wrong example.

OP posts:
reelingintheyears · 15/03/2011 15:18

You shouldn't be picking any.

If we all picked 'just a few' they'd soon all be gone.

A man i know runs a local pub and had to tell some young Mums off for letting their DDs pick the flowers from his tubs....

Their response was that he was being mean and that all little girls like picking flowers.

The pub now has vile plastic plants.

KnittedBreast · 15/03/2011 15:18

i know the police were not threatening to arrest the 4 year old. I meant threateaning the parents was wrong.

if picking flowers from a public place is criminal we really do need less laws. what about the right to forage? like with berries and mushrooms is this criminal too?

JeelyPiece · 15/03/2011 15:20

How were they aiming for an easy arrest, they didn't arrest anyone did they.

The parents were allowing their children to damage public property.

LessNarkyPuffin · 15/03/2011 15:21

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Daffodils have to be planted. Parks are managed public spaces maintained by tax money.