1 year old exploring front gardens and Xmas decs decd

[FamilyofTrees]

When we've been out walking recently in our fairly small village, my 22 month old has been wandering into front gardens and having a look around. Especially if they have Christmas decorations up, like reindeer or a Santa.

I say to him not to touch and that it's not our stuff, but beyond carrying him away or putting him in his trike (I'm 8 months pregnant so can't carry him if he refuses to walk so we always bring his trike with us, but I give him the option to walk) there's not much I can do to stop him and I'm not particularly inclined to cause a screaming meltdown over a quick little detour that I personally wouldn't be bothered by. He isn't causing any damage.

YABU - You shouldn't let him go into front gardens at all

YANBU - As long as he doesn't break anything or stay too long it's fine

Tell me you're a shit parent without telling me you're a shit parent comes to mind.

YABU to let him wander into other peoples gardens. Especially if they have Christmas decs up which could be breakable and expensive

YABU. I wouldn’t mind if a toddler came into my front garden - we decorate quite a bit for Christmas and Halloween etc. and the house gets a bit of attention but I absolutely expect parents to be telling their children not to come onto our land or touch our stuff. I understand a toddler may escape for a minute or two, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be parented! Children need to be taught they need to start on pavement s not on roads or private land.

Yabu, keep your child off of people’s property.

we had a person in our street ised to do the same. Seems innocent enough but we wfh and have dogs, every time they walked across our gravel drive the dogs barked and disturbed our calls. I also have a spinal injury so it would also cause me pain jumping up to see what the dogs were barking at. You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors and no right to be on private land.

I wouldn’t be bothered if a 2 year old came into my garden to look at decorations, I’d find it quite sweet.
However I do understand people’s points about keeping him safe from dogs etc

In the long run, your parenting life will be much easier if you set boundaries now.

Although it doesn't feel like it when they're tantruming, children get a sense of security knowing that sensible boundaries exist.

YABU
I presume you would be inclined to stop him if he ran into traffic?

If you can’t stop him wandering from pavement to someone’s garden you can’t stop him wandering from pavement into the road. Therefore the current arrangement isn’t safe!

keep hold of his hand or use reins.

The idea that there is not much you can do to stop him seems strange - suppose he wandered into the road not a garden?

Is this a reverse? Of course you need to teach him not to go in other people's gardens. I'm sure you could manage stopping him running into a road so you can stop him going in gardens.

Reins are a godsend and far more comfortable than hand-holding when they're tiny

But if he won't stay on his bike, use a buggy

Is this for real ? How are you going to manage when you've got 2 of them

Bit weird... electrical cables and general electric items on show. Plus - manners?

If you wont say no just to avoid a meltdown for a quiet life, you'll have more of a rod for your own back in future.

That is barely a toddler. You move them away. They could get electrocuted.

I would be so charmed if a toddler came into my front garden to look at the lights OP, what a nice activity with a little one.
But I take the point people make that others may feel differently and that there may be unsafe things in their gardens so I agree you should follow the good advice those posters have given re reins etc.

there's not much I can do to stop him
You need to have him strapped in his buggy when outside if this is actually true and you literally can’t stop your child going where ever he pleases in public places.
I suspect it isn’t, though. You’d just rather not parent.

Honestly, this is the easiest age to parent and set boundaries, it will get ridiculously harder if you don't do it now.

Personally it wouldnt bother me if a toddler wandered into my front garden but you dont know its safe or if everyone would be ok with it!

I can sort of see both sides here. We have some decorations outside and I wouldn’t be bothered at all if a toddler wandered over to have a look at them, but equally I also have a toddler and I wouldn’t let her wander into other people’s gardens to look at their decorations

YABU

putting lights up isn’t a personal invite for you to wander about on their private property.

Most people in England are insane... Why would a young toddler running in and then out of your garden bother you?

Above all else I think this could be dangerous. Someone driving or with their pet may not be on the look out for a toddler on their property.

eugh I hate this. At least once a week there is some child wondering up my drive while a gormless parent looks on.

Then we wonder why as they get older and wonder the streets alone they cannot behave either. Private property is private property.

It would make smile to see a little tacker having a nosey around my front garden but it appears I'm in the minority.

Reins? I highly recommend parenting.

There’s a difference between gentle parenting and failing to parent, and in my opinion you’re failing to parent here. Whether you think it’s an issue or not, it isn’t your property so doesn’t really come down to whether you do or don’t want to teach your son not to wander off. If I were you I’d spend the next month trying to instil this as it will be 10 times harder with a newborn in tow!