Neighbour’s kid picked my daffodils

Lucylooloo2 · 2025-03-21T22:48:12+00:00

Just that really, had lots of notifications of movement on the doorbell camera and lo and behold a kid (8ish years old) from a few houses down with a bunch of daffodils in her hand. Checked mine in my front garden when I got home and Every. Single. One. has been taken. I’m just really sad tbh. Know there are much bigger problems in the world but they were a little spark of joy for me 😕

devuskums · 21/03/2025 22:49

That's so mean. Can you go and ask for them back!?

LoremIpsumCici · 21/03/2025 22:49

They will grow back next year, so a minor harm.

Mamofboys5972 · 21/03/2025 22:51

I also love having fresh flowers in the garden, especially daffodils. However, that little spark of joy they bring you? They clearly also spark that in others 🥰 maybe that little girl picked them for her mam for mothers day! Super sweet x

3678194b · 21/03/2025 22:52

Ahh, that is so sad. I have daffodils and they are lovely to look at so I would be sad too. Hopefully they've given the child some joy!

If my child walked in with a bunch of daffodils I would ask where they picked them from though, and if they answered truthfully would be knocking on the door, with child, to apologise. They have to learn it's not okay to pick people's flowers. Not everyone would be so understanding!

Sminty2 · 21/03/2025 22:53

I know you loved them and feel sad, I would too but maybe she wanted to give them to her mum or gran and couldn’t afford flowers.
Not saying it’s right to steal but thinking that they may have been picked for a good reason, might take the sting out a little.

Needspaceforlego · 21/03/2025 22:53

devuskums · 21/03/2025 22:49

That's so mean. Can you go and ask for them back!?

She can't exactly put them back on the plants!

Op I get you feeling you have missed out on your daffodils but think of it as a little kid was trying to do something nice for their Mum. There is something quite sweet in that!

Aliceglass · 21/03/2025 22:54

Im sorry. I’d be annoyed too. Kids don’t think the same as adults though. When I was 5 I picked all the petals off a neighbours rose bush for confetti… 🙈

Pallisers · 21/03/2025 22:54

if you know which neighbour it is I would go to them and say "your dd picked my daffodils today - can't do anything about it now and I know children will be children but I would appreciate if you could explain to her that the daffodils in my garden - just like the wildflowers in the wild - are not to be picked.

There is nothing super sweet about a child picking flowers from someone else's garden. That little spark of joy - gone because the kid picked them.

BettyWont · 21/03/2025 22:56

It pisses me off more when they're with an adult who doesn't tell them to stop.

I work in an art gallery/museum and our garden volunteers work really hard to keep the grounds nice.

Yet we're constantly having to tell adults to stop their kids from picking the flowers.

Keiththecatwithamagichat · 21/03/2025 22:56

I actually have a childhood memory of being shouted at by a teacher for picking some daffodils at school and being a bit shocked. I now understand they're bulbs and will only flower once per year but as a child I just wanted to pick some pretty flowers amd saw no difference between them and buttercups or daisies.

So I completely get why it's annoying but the child may not understand!

TheFairyCaravan · 21/03/2025 22:56

I can’t believe that people are making excuses for this and saying it’s “sweet” that the little girl did it for her mum. If my children had done it I’d have been really cross with them and taken them back to the house to apologise.

I’m sorry @Lucylooloo2 I would be upset too.

SkankingWombat · 21/03/2025 22:57

I would be gutted too. I spent years drilling into my DCs not to pick garden flowers, whether in our garden or others, and explaining how much nicer they look (and longer they last!) when left attached.
I think you may need to say something to the parents, otherwise she'll be back for the tulips next...

Beyondbeliefsometimes · 21/03/2025 22:57

I remember doing this as a kid. Picked beautiful flowers from a neighbours garden to surprise my mummy. I was delighted with myself as they were so lovely and knew my mum would love them. Never once crossed my mind when I had picked them that was them gone from that garden. Wasn't until I got home and my mum obviously realised and told me never to pick flowers again from someone's garden but thank you. It's only now as an adult I can truly understand how that would have impacted the home owner, the hours into her gardening she did (funny seen her earlier today now in her 90s still out gardening). I now try and tell my kids, flowers are for smelling only. But kids don't have the long term realisation sometimes.
I think it's OK to be sad though, they are beautiful.

Saphire123 · 21/03/2025 22:57

Pallisers · 21/03/2025 22:54

if you know which neighbour it is I would go to them and say "your dd picked my daffodils today - can't do anything about it now and I know children will be children but I would appreciate if you could explain to her that the daffodils in my garden - just like the wildflowers in the wild - are not to be picked.

There is nothing super sweet about a child picking flowers from someone else's garden. That little spark of joy - gone because the kid picked them.

This /

Kids will be kids, but they have to learn to respect others property.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 21/03/2025 22:57

I definitely picked flowers as a kid and would never have an iota an adult would be upset about it! Kids don't realise these things

Original poster

Lucylooloo2 · 21/03/2025 22:57

Thanks all - I don’t feel so silly about feeling so sad about it now.

I am also slight annoyed about it because they literally have their own daffodils in their front garden but they’ve been unharmed!

OP posts:

AffableApple · 21/03/2025 22:57

Pallisers · 21/03/2025 22:54

if you know which neighbour it is I would go to them and say "your dd picked my daffodils today - can't do anything about it now and I know children will be children but I would appreciate if you could explain to her that the daffodils in my garden - just like the wildflowers in the wild - are not to be picked.

There is nothing super sweet about a child picking flowers from someone else's garden. That little spark of joy - gone because the kid picked them.

This.

(Also Mother's Day is over a week away, so unlikely to be for that for those suggesting so.)

Smokeyblueblack · 21/03/2025 22:58

Oh I really sympathise OP. I would be very upset.
It also makes me sad that you see people, not just children, picking daffodils in public spaces but they don't even bother taking them home. They just throw them away a bit further down the road.

100PercentFaithful · 21/03/2025 22:58

I’m sorry to hear that OP.
I love my daffodils.
I can’t bear to actually pick them myself as they bring me such pleasure - I buy some from the supermarket to have in vases. I enjoy looking at them out of the window and seeing them cheering up my otherwise dull garden.
Over the years I have enjoyed collecting different types.
I would be REALLY upset if someone came along and picked them.

BettyWont · 21/03/2025 22:58

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 21/03/2025 22:57

I definitely picked flowers as a kid and would never have an iota an adult would be upset about it! Kids don't realise these things

Which is why the OP needs a friendly, polite word with the child's parents.

So they can explain to the child that it's wrong.

Original poster

Lucylooloo2 · 21/03/2025 22:59

SkankingWombat · 21/03/2025 22:57

I would be gutted too. I spent years drilling into my DCs not to pick garden flowers, whether in our garden or others, and explaining how much nicer they look (and longer they last!) when left attached.
I think you may need to say something to the parents, otherwise she'll be back for the tulips next...

Eek! They only think making me feel slightly better is that I can see my tulips coming but feel like I need to be very protective of them now!

OP posts:

100PercentFaithful · 21/03/2025 22:59

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 21/03/2025 22:57

I definitely picked flowers as a kid and would never have an iota an adult would be upset about it! Kids don't realise these things

I hope you have taught your own child consideration for others.

BettyWont · 21/03/2025 22:59

Lucylooloo2 · 21/03/2025 22:57

Thanks all - I don’t feel so silly about feeling so sad about it now.

I am also slight annoyed about it because they literally have their own daffodils in their front garden but they’ve been unharmed!

Ahh now that puts an entirely different slant on it I think.

Have a friendly word with the parents tomorrow.

caringcarer · 21/03/2025 23:01

Mamofboys5972 · 21/03/2025 22:51

I also love having fresh flowers in the garden, especially daffodils. However, that little spark of joy they bring you? They clearly also spark that in others 🥰 maybe that little girl picked them for her mam for mothers day! Super sweet x

Stealing is not super sweet.

Iwiicit · 21/03/2025 23:01

Mmm, my brother picked a huge bunch of daffodils from the council flowerbed on the corner of our street. He came home so thrilled to give them to my mum but she went ballistic and really told him off. I remember feeling quite sorry for him, but - he was only five and it wasn't a private garden.
Eight is usually old enough to know better and definitely if it's flowers in a garden. I think I would have a quiet and calm word with parents asking her not to do it again, but I wouldn't be angry.