To be annoyed at this child and family (on holiday)

[Blueeyedstork]

We are in Spain at the moment with another couple and their kids. DH and I have one DS (13)

a bit of backstory relevant to this is when I was 11 I was pushed out of a boat on the lake in the Lake District on a school residential trip and was not allowed to get changed until the rest of the activities that afternoon were finished. So I was wet and freezing cold. It also took someone ages to respond to the fact I had been pushed out the boat, so ever since then I have had a phobia of cold water and being out my depth. It’s got to the point where a single spash can freak me out so I stay out of the pool as I know it’s unreasonable on a family resort to ask kids not to splash. it’s my problem and I deal with it.

anyway fast forward the last 2 days we have been sat on sunbeds and there is a family of 3 kids with water guns just squirting them at everyone on the sunbeds. The first time I jumped out of my skin. My husband asked them to stop and other people have asked them to stop including a family with a child with autism who was getting really upset. The parents just shrug and said we are by a pool so we should expect it. Eventually the mothers of the child with autism when to get one of the staff members and they were told to pack it in.

today they were back doing the same thing. They got me twice and once in the face which really panicked me. The staff at the pool today were not bothered and would not tell them to stop so I spend the afternoon sitting away from the pool. I had been there about 10 minutes with my eyes shut before I feel this cold water on my face and one of the little buggers and stood there spraying right in my face. Well I feel off the chair and have injured my shoulder. My husband marched up to the staff and demanded the manager of the hotel. The lifeguard then actually asked the family to stop.

Then coming back from evening meal tonight and we were suddenly all covered with water and one of the little buggers was stood outside his chalet squirting people going past but this time he has obviously been bought the biggest super soaker in the shop. The boy laughed and shouted “dad it’s the lady who screams when she is squirted” (I didn’t really scream just let out a yelp a few times). The dad burst out laughing. I had to hold DH back from confronting him. (The dad is built like a brick shit house and looks the type that would punch someone just for fun)

anyway we when to reception and reported them but the staff don’t seem bothered. I kind of feel these boys will be out to get me tomorrow as they obviously find my reaction funny. the parents don’t give a toss

we have 3 days left and I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder all the time. What can I do or am I being unreasonable about all this

Confront them… ‘built like a brick shit house’ or not they are relying on you not confronting them so see what happens when you defy their expectations.

Take the toy and break it!
just because your by the pool doesn't mean it's free rein to soak everyone! To wet yous at night is even more unacceptable!
some people just drag their kids up unfortunately

Your phobia is not the issue! They are behaving anti-socially and the management need to deal with it all much more firmly.

I honestly think the best thing you could do is go round to other families and get the room numbers (no names, so people don't worry they'll be targeted by the hooligan family) of people who will be leaving a really REALLY bad review if this family is not come down much harder upon.

How annoying! I'd buy something really loud & accidently make a helluva noise outside their chalet in the middle of the night... It wouldn't surprise me if the family had bunged the staff a big tip to turn a blind eye! Horrible family...name and shame as OP said. Try & enjoy the rest of your holiday! 💐

I am near mortified that this is parenting at a very low level. At what point do you not as parents say it is not suitable and take them elsewhere with water guns. I am so sorry you have found the arse end of humanity, and dang they sound British to boot.

They are bullies. I’d probably scream too if i got soaked by water when i wasn’t expecting it. Sorry it’s spoiled your holiday.

I’ve done that in our favourite hotel in Austria. Saw a couple of British kids being politely asked not to run in the restaurant by the hotel owner and then heard one of them swear under his breath about her. I stood up and said ‘ I beg your pardon?’ and he stared at me in shock, presumably not realising there were other Brits there. I then asked him where his parents were, by which time his Dad had turned up and was asking me what had gone on. But that was a very different type of family as he thanked me for telling me and basically dragged the pair of them back to their table.

if you can’t beat them join then , get the biggest and most powerful one you can find, and make sure you get the parents too. Find out what room they are staying, wait until the beach towels get thrown over the balcony to dry and saturate them . Wait until they go out for the night and if there's a letter box or open window , you know what to do 😈😈😈……there’s more than one way to skin a cat and it would be a good way to make your last 3 days fun

These are the type of people that are "on holiday don't you know."

I've seen this behaviour while on a holiday before plus the kids jumping in the clearly signed adult only pools and the above was all the parents came out with.

Although they're a PITA take comfort in the fact that their neighbours are probably having a break from these so called parents and their spawn and once home you'll, hopefully, never see them again.

Personally, I'd let the hotel know that you will be putting feedback on every site on-line that you can find, and certainly won't be coming there again due to their allowing this until you insisted. Then I'd see if I could find another hotel nearby.

I hope you get some peace for the rest of your holiday.

take comfort in the fact that their neighbours are probably having a break from these so called parents and their spawn

Neighbours and teachers.

Demand to diesel with the manager , make sure you tell them your review will be based on this being solved and if it carries on demand your money back and walk away .

Inform the manager you will be taking written statements from guests and your lawyer will be in touch regarding your ‘accident’ caused by other guests, and tell him you will be suing them for damages plus distress and the full cost of the holiday. I am sure he will start to take it seriously.

Personally, I’d buy the biggest F Off water gun you can find and return the favour, only use iced water from the bar. Seriously, they won’t bother you after that. Just say “If you can’t beat them, join them!” 😉 P.S. Similar happened to me when I was a kid. Terrified of water and being out of my depth as a result. Then one day I was so fed up of missing out I just got in. I visually marked a line of the pool where I wouldn’t go further and haven’t looked back since. It’s not completely gone but I’ve learned how to swim properly and about water safety x

Read the OP!

I’m surprised they made it that far without someone chucking the bloody water guns away.

get a massive supersoaker and get your children to soak the parents as they are all dressed up and going out eg to dinner. And then when they are away from the villa, soak everything you can by squirting in their window etc

You are not being unreasonable, they are being sh*ts and the whole family sound awful, it's such a shame one family can ruin your enjoyment of a holiday. Definitely demand to speak to the highest management possible, their water gun use should be limited to only spraying each other.

Wandering around in formal attire making notes asking to see policies will just make the staff think "what odd behaviour " and not rattle them. I mean the squirring with water guns has to stop but Wandering about inbtgr party outfit with a clip board is no going to help 😀

OP isn’t complaining about being by the pool or even expecting kids playing nearby not to splash. She is expecting not to have to put up with the antisocial behaviour

You all need to go buy your son a water gun and let him squirt their parents 😂😂 you need to get petty not angry

I agree it's not just kids having fun it's antisocial of the parents to let them just squirt all the holiday makers around the pool and not just friends and each other, it dosnt sound like it was accidental, as a parent you would tell your kids to behave but maybe just leave them to it... Sounds like they will have the most delightful up bringing

It wouldn't bother me if they squirted adults but when she said about an autistic child it got my back up that's bullying. If you have told them to stop and they haven't then just find some where else to hang out for the holiday.

The fact that the parents are letting the children shoot the water guns at people passing by the apartment on an evening fully clothed, tells us all we need to know about the parenting style