AIBU to not let a random child walk on my garden wall?

[CockysGirl]

Just got in from work and was parking on my drive and a grandparent with a small child (2-3 years old) is lifting them up so that they can walk along my garden wall. They see me standing watching and say "DGC wants to walk on your wall, you don't mind do you?" So I replied, "I'd rather they didn't, it is a tall wall with lots of rose bushes next to it so they may get hurt and anyway, it is my private property" So the grandparent glared at me and huffed loudly and said "the nasty lady won't let you walk on her wall" and proceeded to make a big fuss about lifting DGC off the wall again! AIBU to not want kids walking on my garden wall?

What has our country become when one of life's little pleasures is fraught with 'what ifs' ...

If the child falls off.. it's not your fault. The wall is not MEANT for walking on.

Killjoy

A low wall adjoining a pavement - mean.

A 4ft wall with rose bushes one side - sensible.

Ffs what's with all the wouldn't OF let, would OF held her hand? It makes NO sense. It's wouldn't have/would've. Why are people still getting this wrong?

Because language is in a constant state of evolution and different people use it differently?

I used to love walking on garden walls. You sounds mean and miserable tbh

Yanbu, all well and good saying why not let this one child... what about the next?
Will they pay if your wall is damaged?
If the child is injured will you be expected to pay?

ShesGotBetteDavisEyes it says more about you than the op when you come out with rubbish like that.

I would cement some stones or pebbles on the top which make it very uncomfortable to walk on.

Nonsense, Scrimshaw, it’s not a valid alternative; it’s just plain wrong.

I would cement some stones or pebbles on the top which make it very uncomfortable to walk on

Ah yes the humane alternative to bird spikes.

Really do not understand the possessiveness over a wall. Where is the community spirit? The takes a village to raise a child, let them run free and enjoy themselves?

let them run free and enjoy themselves. Take them to a park, then. Nobody is free to enjoy themselves on other people’s property, however much of a meanie you think it makes the owner.
Grow up.

YANBU it’s your private property, your rules.
Best to teach a child from a young age to respect other’s belongings even if they don’t always understand or like it.

The grandparent was rude and if one of DS’s grandparents behaved so rude to another person in front of him, I’d have a word with them about learning to respect others from a young age.

I can’t believe how many people on this thread seem to be unable to grasp the concept of private property.
The wall is not the child’s so they shouldn’t touch it. It’s not a difficult concept. And whether it will harm it or not is completely irrelevant too.
It’s highly likely that a 2 year old sitting or walking across the OPs car bonnet wouldn’t hurt it either but surely you wouldn’t think it was ok to for the child to do it because they would enjoy it.
As a teacher I see the result of this kind of entitlement and ‘children should be able to do what they want as long as it make them happy’ attitude. Entitled little sods who think the world revolves round them, kids who take things from my desk and respond with it didn’t break it so it’s ok that I took it.’ Or throw other children’s bags around because they have never been taught to leave things alone which don’t belong to them.

I had a wall built across our front garden because I liked the idea of people sitting and enjoying my garden, which they did, and I did and people would stop and chat and sit with me
Reminds me of a song...'the fences which erected to protect, simply divide'

74NewStreet
Grow up? Moi?
I’m quite grown up, because I understand that children having fun cannot be scheduled to only happen in designated fun zones aka parks. And not everyone has access to a park. I don’t. My village has zero parks.

You built a wall so people would sit on it and talk to you... Ok.

Designated fun zones 🤣. No, just not other people’s property. It’s not a difficult concept at all.

plan that’s fine. Your children are free to walk on public walls and run through public streets. Just not on other people’s property.
It’s really not a difficult concept.

74 apologies, I unwittingly stole your phrasing!

I think it needs reiterating on this thread, Smiley!

Isn't it really bad manners to walk or sit on other people's walls? It was not allowed when I was a kid! I still can't stand it when my friend sits on garden walls!

Another example of people allowing children to think they can do whatever they want, and if someone objects you be cheeky and call them names.

I wouldn’t do it with my kids, because I know it would piss some people off. But I wouldn’t care at all if someone did it to mine. They’re just kids, & the GP was holding their hand so don’t try to disguise your bitterness about a child doing a fun thing as concern.

And not everyone has access to a park. I don’t

So you play on other people's property?

It’s really not a difficult concept.

Nor is the concept of sharing space along a private/public boundary line for the sake of a child’s enjoyment. It’s petty to police a wall.