WIBU in making this child cry?!

[ILoveFlumps]

We have a new build house, which has shingles on the front garden next to the driveway.
I went out of my front door to put some rubbish in the bin and find a man with his toddler son playing on the shingles. I was a bit confused and politely said “excuse me, would you mind not doing that on my front garden?”. The man then replied “he’s just a child who is playing”. I replied “but it’s my property”
He then picked up his child who then started crying and as he was walking away he said to me “are you happy now, you made him cry?”
I’m a bit taken aback! Was I wrong to tell them to stop playing in my front garden?!

No, you were not

Was it really necessary? There isn't a whole lot for parents to do to entertain their kids right now - a few minutes looking at shingles on your front drive might have given him a few minutes peace!
Yes technically they shouldn't have been doing it but a bit of compassion or ability to see the bigger picture might have been nice. What a grump you are.

You certainly were not unreasonable at all

No 😂 his dad was a weirdo

Oh please, another one raising his kids to believe he us the centre of the world that entitles him to do as he likes.

He made his own dc cry.
Entitled git..

YANBU, what a weirdo! We’ve got shingle on our drive and have had several kids pick it up and throw it (often at/ near the cars). Currently saving up to have it paved!

Not unreasonable and not a grump!! You don’t want randoms on your property. Making a mess with the stones is annoying as well.

He wbu to say that to you it's rude. As a parent I would have said to mine to get off somone else's property but OTOH I would probably wouldn't have asked them to move either unless it was really causing issues for me.

I genuinely don’t understand how anyone could think this was ok. Children need to learn about leaving other people’s property alone- if DS wants to run on someone’s front garden, he is told no very firmly!

@Isit2021yetplease lockdown boredom isn’t an excuse for entitle behaviour. Her property is her hers and not his and his spoilt little brat.

What do you mean playing on the shingles, was the kid just sort of picking them up and looking at them or Was he full blown having a pretend tea party?

@Isit2021yetplease

Was it really necessary? There isn't a whole lot for parents to do to entertain their kids right now - a few minutes looking at shingles on your front drive might have given him a few minutes peace! Yes technically they shouldn't have been doing it but a bit of compassion or ability to see the bigger picture might have been nice. What a grump you are.

Seriously?!!!? So we can all bring our kids to play in your garden so. Good to know!!

No OP you were not unreasonable and the only one who made the child cry was his stupid father. Seriously who takes their kid to play on some strangers garden?!!!

Yanbu. Bet you there would be banging on the door and complaint about how dangerous your front garden is if the child got god forbid injured

You should have said yes

@Isit2021yetplease oh piss off 😂
Where does it end? Play in my back garden, go on my trampoline/play equipment, come in and play on my iPad . Op isn’t responsible for entertaining this mans kid who could have kicked the shingles everywhere and made a mess

No it’s very odd to let your child play on someone else’s property

YANBU. It's your property.

I don't think you were being unreasonable as it's your property but I don't see what harm the child was doing. If I were the parent I would've been a bit surprised by how precious you were about your gravel.

It would depend if he was there for ages or just a minute or two. Obviously he has no right to be there but still... One of my toddlers used to crouch at the end of a drive way to pick up and put down stones very slowly. It was the highlight of the walk. Technically we were not being perfect but realistically no one batted an eyelid.

You've probably not made any friends in your new-build today, so if you were hoping to become part of the community then you've probably blown it at least with that family and anyone else they know, or anyone else with kids.
Personally, I think it depends what you want out of the place you live. If you want to live in a place that's protectionist, individualistic and "little Britain" then you've done the right thing and should probably install CCTV and keep a log to be sure. If you wanted to live somewhere where all the children play together and where the adults pop round for a cup of sugar, and sometimes the kids wander over your lawn, then YABU. But I'm sure your shingles will look prettier than everyone else's when you come to sell.
Life is what you make it. But don't expect that family to help you when you need it.

I would have just let him play.

We sometimes get people with toddlers standing on our front lawn as you can see right down the railway track from there. It does slightly annoy me but they're not harming anyone and if it entertains their kids for 10 mins then so be it.

You didn't make the child cry though. The father did. If he had shown respect for other people's property, none of this would have happened. In any case, children are always bloody crying. If it wasn't the shingles, he'd have been bawling about something else.

YANBU. Definitely not when the man stupidly asked if you were happy "you" made the child cry! That idiotic comment is enough to tell us all we need to know about him.