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 😕

I dont understand the thankfully small minority, who reckons 8 is too young to understand, that it’s just flowers, and that you should be ok with it. If I have planted something, tended it to grow, and then don’t get the enjoyment I’d be disappointed- why should we accept a kid taking that and be ok with it? I would definitely talk to the larents, and would also maybe for next year put up a plaque, asking people to look but not pick?

The fact so many people think it’s ok is quite shocking.

By 8 years old, I knew that plucking daisies was one thing, but actual flowers such as daffodils, particularly in someone’s garden, was not acceptable.

I would be fuming too OP.

I completely disagree with those saying OP should try to be OK with it because the kid was doing something nice for their mum.

Firstly, we don't know that. She might have just thought they were nice and wanted them.

Secondly, by the age of 8, all children should have been taught that it's not OK to pick flowers from other people's gardens, for any reason.

I would be angry with the parents for allowing this to happen and would go round and tell them so.

To lose the lot is really frustrating. They will come back next year. There are pots of daffodils in the shops. If you split these before putting them in the ground so they aren’t too crowded you will have daffodils this spring and many more next year.

Have a quick google to see which ones are tough and multiply.

It is not at all sweet. It is vandalism and deprives others the "spark of joy" over a sustained period, not least the person who has bought the bulbs and planted them.
I would be absolutely horrified if my child picked all the flowers from someone's garden.

Oh no! I would be very sad too as I get so much joy from my spring flowers. I do remember picking the neighbours flowers as a kid and making tiny bunches with pretty ribbons then I would sell them back to the neighbours 🤣

Could you pick up some pretty bedding plants to make up for your lack of daffodils? You can buy quite cheap daffodils in pots right now too.

It’s stealing.
I’d be speaking to the parents.

Exactly! And people are just guessing about the treat for her mum thing. I told a child off yesterday for picking daffodils (not in my garden). I can assure you he wasn’t picking them as a treat for his mum 🙄 He seemed to enjoy the act of picking them and had taken them and laid them out in a row on the ground, then started pulling them to bits.

It’s most definitely not sweet to steal, and an 8yr old knows that. Apart from the stealing, it’s a mean thing to do as most people wait for their bulbs to poke through and enjoy seeing them flower. Every day I get home from work and look at the daffodils in my own front garden. A simple pleasure.

Speak to the child’s parents, OP. I’d be expecting an apology. Picking one would be more excusable, but stripping your garden of them is not.

So if she doesn't take the OP tulips when they come up.

baby havoc is going to need to be taught these things, hopefully from much younger than 8!!

It’s never too young to learn that taking things that don’t belong to you is wrong.
Stealing in fact.

It’s stealing.
Children need to be taught that taking things that don’t belong to them is wrong.
Would it be OK to take a £1 bunch of daffs from a supermarket without paying?

🙄

Super sweet? Not from Op's point of view.

Ah yes, that super sweet gift of something stolen from someone else. My DD is 3 and knows we don't go into other people's gardens because it's not ours.

Not the point. By 8 you should know that you don’t steal flowers from someone’s garden.

YANBU, I'd be gutted. I love the spring flowers in my gardens and love wandering about just looking at them. I'd be extra gutted as I do spend quite a bit of money on a variety of bulbs.

I'd definitely have a word with the parents before the tulips come up! And anything else you may have in the summer.

Also, if daffodils are cut too early, before the foliage has gone yellow, it's unlikely that they will grow again next year and will just come up blind.

But they need to learn it's not acceptable and they won't unless someone tells them.

I like how people assume that the child was being 'sweet' and taking them home for her mum. She might have just picked them as she liked them, then got closer to her house and then maybe even realised she shouldn't have picked them so ditched them. Mum would be none the wiser.
If you know the parent then maybe have a word (though I feel that some parents would think this is being ridiculous, you can see that from the comments on here, so not sure what response you would get).
While this is just flowers, what's to stop her seeing a garden ornament she likes in someone's garden and taking that? Don't know if anything like that has happened in your area but maybe that could be used as a warning to the child.

That’s terrible. I know it’s a small thing but I like seeing daffodils each year.

Dc learnt early on it’s not nice to pick flowers from people’s gardens.

I bet you never picked flowers that weren't yours again though.

The child knew enough not to pick her mother's flowers or she'd get into trouble. But she thought she'd get away with stealing from a stranger's garden. Sneaky. I wouldn't be impressed with the mother doing nothing if the child arrived home with them.

This ^

My four year old knows that picking flowers is wrong. I’m surprised at everyone here making excuses for the 8 year old. She knew exactly what she was doing and needs to be caught out.

That would really piss me off! Children shouldn't be touching things that don't belong to them, on someone else's garden! I'd be very annoyed too OP!