Child squirting water at stranger

TeenMinusTests · 05/04/2021 18:51

As the parent I'd apologise profusely and get the child to apologise too.

At the person who was squirted I'd be cross if there was no apparent remorse/apology but gracious if there was.

TotheletterofthelawTHELETTER · 05/04/2021 18:52

If I was the parent I’d be furious and make them apologise while removing the water pistol.
I’m not sure if I was the squirtee. I’d probably ask to speak to their parent.

Bunnybigears · 05/04/2021 18:56

Were there adults with the children or were they alone? How wet did the squirtee get?
If the kids were alone and I was the squirtee and didn't get very wet I would just carry on and not even say anything.
If the kids were alone and I was the squirtee and got very wet I would turn round and tell them to be careful what they are doing and that would be that, they are kids and I'm not precious.
If there was an adult with the kids I would expect them to say sorry to me and to tell the children to be more careful.
At the end of the day they are kids, they have been bored for ages, its only water, I couldn't get too worked up about it.

Merryoldgoat · 05/04/2021 18:59

Pretty much what @Bunnybigears said.

SilverBirchWithout · 05/04/2021 18:59

As the parent, I’d be very apologetic and offer a towel to the person.
I’d bring my children in/confiscate the water toys, and not let them play out the front with water toys again.
As the person who got wet, be pretty cross, and probably shout at the children. I’d also knock on parents’ door to let them know how annoyed I was about their unsupervised play with water. One squirt could be an accident, more than one is loutish behaviour.
If this was a pattern of bad behaviour which had been going on a while, I might contact the police (although I accept this is probably a bit extreme).

TeenMinusTests · 05/04/2021 18:59

3 or 4 times implies intent to me, so I would be crosser than if a single accidental misfire.

DancesWithDaffodils · 05/04/2021 18:59

Another furious parent who would be apologising and getting child to apologise whilst stopping the water game for the rest of tye day.

If id be squirted last week, one the one day it was warm, I'd be ok after an apology, I think. If it happened today, I'd be royally pissed off, and not sure I could contain my anger - it's been snowing here, and is freezing.

MissyB1 · 05/04/2021 19:00

As the parent of the child I would insist on the child apologising and I would remove the water pistol. I would feel mortified.

As the person squirted I would expect an apology.

Saz12 · 05/04/2021 19:01

I would take water pistol from child & get them to apologise.
If the squirtee then ranted at child, I’d only step in if it was really abusive, sweaty, or aggressive. If the squirtee laughed it off, then I’d tell child that most people would be furious.

If I were the squirtee it would depend on my mood, but I’d not laugh it off (even if I wasn’t bothered) because it’s not OK for children to do that. Although it does depend on exact circumstances, if squirtee was also armed with water pistol or a hose then that becomes very different!

Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2021 19:01

@LudoBear

Group of children aged around 6 to 10 playing with water pistols. Somebody walks past and one squirts water 3 or 4 times at the person. Person is not known to the child.

As the parent of the child, how would you react?

As the person who has been squirted, how would you react?

How are we doing the voting here?

DontBeRidiculous · 05/04/2021 19:02

If I was the parent, I'd be embarrassed, apologise, have the children apologise, and maybe take away the water pistols for a while, depending on how they were behaving, whether or not they seemed remorseful, etc.

If I were the stranger, I'd be annoyed. Whether or not I'd say anything would depend on the reaction of the parent. If they apologised, I'd say it was okay, but if they acted as though it was no big deal, I'd be even more annoyed. I might tell the children that they shouldn't squirt water at passers-by, but if the parent/other adults there were intimidating, I might just get away and hope karma bites them in the rear end.

purplecorkheart · 05/04/2021 19:02

What MissyB1 said. As a parent I would be particularly furious if they sprayed an elderly person.

wizzywig · 05/04/2021 19:03

I know I'd want to grab the water pistol and stamp on it, but that'd be wrong

Clymene · 05/04/2021 19:04

I would shout at the child and I would apologise profusely if I were the parent. And bam my kid from water pistols

FireflyRainbow · 05/04/2021 19:05

I'd be fuming either way. If I was the person I'd want to speak to the parents and probably be pissed off.

PascalHey · 05/04/2021 19:05

As the parent I would apologise, have the child apologise, remove water pistol and bring them in. They wouldn't be allowed to play out for the rest of the day and I'd have a good chat about why it was not on.

If I got squirted, honestly i would laugh and say No bother. But secretly be thinking Ooh what a little shite.

SummerHouse · 05/04/2021 19:06

Reading between the lines, I am thinking the squirtee overreacted. Covid related is my guess.

FireflyRainbow · 05/04/2021 19:06

If my kid squirted someone the pistol would be in the bin and they would be in bed.

Clymene · 05/04/2021 19:07

I said shouted because I did - some kid deliberately fired a super soaker at me and I was furious. I didn't plan to - it was a visceral reaction

Halo1234 · 05/04/2021 19:10

I would be annoyed both if I was the parent or the person who got wet. Its so so rude to do that to an adult (or another child unless it was in a water fight game and they agreed)
As a parent my child would be in trouble. No more water toys until they could be trusted. An apology to the person. They would be told they had embarrassed me had no thought for other people. How dare they be so disrectful to anyone. I would be furious.
If I was the person being deliberately soaked by a child who was not mine. I would say dont squirt that at me. Thats not nice. If I knew the child I would tell their parents. If I didn't wouldnt/couldnt.

TeenMinusTests · 05/04/2021 19:11

I also think I would be more tolerant of a 6yo than a 10yo.
10 is old enough to know you don't squirt people outside the game.
At 6 they might not realise this and get over excited.

AnyFucker · 05/04/2021 19:13

Well, what happened op ?

Original poster

LudoBear · 05/04/2021 19:18

I was the squirtee. I turned round and asked them to please not squirt me. They did it again. Four adults amongst the kids were all laughing! Everyone thought it was hilarious. I just walked off but was secretly fuming as it was deliberate.

OP posts:

EarringsandLipstick · 05/04/2021 19:21

@LudoBear

I was the squirtee. I turned round and asked them to please not squirt me. They did it again. Four adults amongst the kids were all laughing! Everyone thought it was hilarious. I just walked off but was secretly fuming as it was deliberate.

That's horrible. Really nasty behaviour. If something like that happened, it would definitely upset me.

The idea of the parents laughing along ... 😳

PascalHey · 05/04/2021 19:25

@LudoBear

I was the squirtee. I turned round and asked them to please not squirt me. They did it again. Four adults amongst the kids were all laughing! Everyone thought it was hilarious. I just walked off but was secretly fuming as it was deliberate.

With parents like that then it's no wonder the child squirted you again. The adults all sound idiotic and they're obviously bringing their children up the same way. How wonderful for the gene pool 🙄 I'd be annoyed too and would probably have some choice words for the parents as I walked away.