Neighbour’s kid picked my daffodils

[Lucylooloo2]

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 😕

You need to tell the mother.

Agree that you need to have a word, and make it clear that you have her on your footage.

She's 8, not 4. She should know better.

YANBU. My 7 year old wouldn’t go and pick flowers from someone else’s garden. Not acceptable. I’m not a gardener/precious about gardens either.

Maybe get a card and write a careful considered note asking them to have a word with their child telling them not to.

Hi @Lucylooloo2 - if you know who the child's parents are, remind them that all parts of daffodil plants are toxic. If the child gets sap from the stems on her hands and then manages to injest it, she may suffer a stomach upset.

The bulbs are the most toxic part (if eaten; I assume children won't do this but I have seen dogs dig up bulbs in my local park. Their owners appeared oblivious to the potential dangers).

I had a teacher who was particularly sensitive to the scent of daffodils, they would always trigger a violent headache. She reminded us every year that toxic flowers as gifts might not be appreciated!

Bluebells are toxic too, I'm sure they'll be blooming soon too.

At 8 she should know not to pick flowers from someone's garden (and indeed at all!)
I would definitely have a (friendly) word with the mother and explain that you are looking forward to your tulips coming out!

I nicked a car for my Mum on Mother's Day. I'm basically child of the year.

"cheap as chips". The OP has grown them and also the kid has daffodils in her own garden!

People plant flowers in their gardens because THEY like to look at them. It's not a "pick your own" field!

Not a generational thing whatsoever; it was a common thing to do when I was little. DM is a boomer, and was annoyed a woman had absolutely shouted and ranted at me as a very little girl. I had tried to pick some flowers from her garden which were growing over a wall for my Mum, so no trespassing or anything. I was a good kid, just little, and as a child I didn't think I was doing any harm because they were growing over the wall, and I hadn't taken many. Obviously it is still wrong.
I ran home crying my eyes out. Dm thought the woman was OTT, and was really annoyed she had upset me, and told me that she used to do it in the late 1950s/60, so this is not a new thing. Honestly, this memory still sticks in my mind to this day; I just didn't understand; it wasn't malicious! It was a time when DCs played out more and usually unsupervised; it was a very different world back then. I also picked flowers from my own garden for dm, which I was allowed to do, while I was searching for "flower fairies." I think in my child mind I didn't think I was doing anything wrong, with them growing over the wall. I was really shy, and a full-grown woman ranting and raving at me is a memory I will never forget.

I think it's fine to speak to the parents and request they have a word with their daughter about respecting your privacy and property. Eight is too old to reasonably be wandering into someone else's garden without invitation, let alone picking flowers. I'd not go in all guns blazing though. The child maybe developmentally young for years or the parents may just be a PITA!

Well hopefully it was a lasting memory that taught you not to steal!

Oh for goodness sake, she has to wait a whole year?

Predictably on here people excusing the child’s actions as ‘cute’ and ‘sweet’. I love this time of year when my daffodils are blooming and something to get joy from when I look out of my window to see a bit of colour after a long grey winter. I would not think it cute that a child came onto my property to steal them. An 8 year old is capable of being taught by a parent that they shouldn’t pick flowers or anything else from someone else’s property.

@MounjaroOnMyMind Seriously, would you absolutely not mind if people just came into your garden and took every single flower?

Some of these responses are making me laugh. The girl is eight years old, not a toddler. Aww her mum will love them... well, the OP would have loved them, too, and they belonged to her! And the girl's mum has her own flowers to love as well as the OP's.

It taught me not to rant and rave at a tiny child as a full grown adult. I was about 4/5. Much nicer ways for that situation.

I would send pop a polite letter op through the letter box, or a little knock. 8 years old and actually coming into your garden is a bit much, what if she does it again when you've replanted.

Where did you get that from? I'd be livid! Of course I'd mind. I was being sarcastic.

I'd be so very mad. I would definitely talk to the mother. It's not cute and it's not sweet, it's vandalism.

My 3yo picked all my hyacinths at the weekend; she won't be doing that again.

Sorry that was meant for @LoremIpsumCici

I typed too hastily and saw your name on top!!

I wouldn’t just be sad if a little brat came into my garden and stole my flowers - I would be bloody furious.

She'll probably come back next year and pick them again if nothing is mentioned.

Sorry, but they should know not to pick flowers from people's gardens, I've always told mine not to pick flowers. If we all picked what we felt like there'd be none left to enjoy!

Ok I’ll send my kid round and pick the flowers In your garden for their mum. Love to see the little spark of joy in their eyes at ruining your plants

Just go dig up all their bulbs and replant them in your garden. Don’t fill in the holes.

There’s never a good reason for taking something that doesn’t belong to you.
An 8-yr-old is old enough to know that.
And trying to justify it to @Lucylooloo2 is mean, who now has an empty garden.