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

Are you travelling with a holiday company? If so get your rep involved. Explain your full personal back story if you feel able to emphasise why it is so important that they address this for you. Being splashed by the pool is one thing, being deliberately and repeatedly targeted including on the way back from dinner is another. The reps should take it up with the hotel or other family on your behalf. Could they move you or the other family? Do not back down and let the hotel / company get away without dealing with this.

In Spain every establishment has a complaints book , ask the manager for that. Do you have a rep ?

I don't think they'd be welcome in pendants' corner, what with their little mistake 😂

Reporting to police is a bit dramatic. It’s a bit of water, do you get triggered this much by rain?

Could you or your husband get together with some of the other families, collectively speak to the manager and demand action?

Most hotels have something in the T&C about not causing nuisance to others, if you can find that clause then quote it.

Insist that the hotel act against this feral lot. Otherwise they risk guests taking matters into their own hands.

Definitely complain to the manager again, with the other families that are affected if possible, and get them all to put 1 star reviews now.

I’d be raging too and I don’t have a fear or water or autism.

it’s completely obnoxious behaviour.

“The parents just shrug and said we are by a pool so we should expect it.”

Op buy a water gun and squirt the parents with it then say “we are by a pool so you should expect it.” And tell them that every time their fucking kids squirt/ splash you, then you will do the same to the parents!!

Honestly I’m fuming on your behalf 😡

Ask the hotel/family if they will be paying for any damages to phones etc since squiring them eith water is so funny.

I have sympathy but at the same time booking the sort of holiday where you’ll be right by your phobia daily and then to complain about it seems a tad odd.

Complain to the hotel and tell the parents that you’ll be reporting to the police if they don’t control their kids.

You've never made a typo before?

Oh wait...... 🤣

Regardless of whether op has booked an unsuitable place or not, nobody should be subject to being deliberately annoyed by someone else’s kids while the parents just sit by and even laugh

i dont think this is fair. I don't have a water phobia and go on these types of holidays but would never expect or appreciate being deliberately and repeatedly directly targeted in the way the OP clearly has.

^^same here

Also the OP might have picked the holiday to suit the rest of her family too, who might really have wanted this type of holiday, knowing that if she avoided the pool she shouldn't have had any problems (if twatty family weren't there, then she wouldn't)

Chaotic Good. Like it 👏🏻

So probably a dick move but I would buy the biggest super squirter I could and when the kids start I would stand and direct it straight at them. I would also soak the parents on their sun loungers. Maybe a little squirt at breakfast too..

Stand up, look them straight in the face and tell them not to wet you again or they’ll face the consequences of their actions. If they do it again, walk over to them calmly and push them in the pool. They need to learn. And if they don’t like water they shouldn’t be around the pool.

This has nothing to do with the OP having booked the "wrong" sort of holiday. I'm sure she is perfectly capable of managing her phobia appropriately under normal circumstances.

These are not normal circumstances, though, because these shitty little kids and their even shittier parents are behaving in a totally antisocial manner, and the hotel staff are failing miserably to take appropriate action to protect their guests.

I am not autistic and I don't have a phobia of water either, but I would be infuriated by this behaviour which frankly amounts to harassment as they are deliberately targeting the OP.

OP, please ask to see the hotel's general manager, set out how poorly their staff have failed and insist that they address this behaviour with no further delay. Most people only get one holiday a year, and it really isn't fair to have it spoilt by selfish fuckwits who take pleasure in harassing other people.

Personally, I would also tell the parents directly just how fucking awful their parenting is and how ashamed they should be of the selfish little shits that they are raising.

Escalating the water fighting is absolutely not the thing to do in this situation. The kids will just see it as a game them and escalate it further.

I doubt the parents would see it as a game though when they all of a sudden find themselves victims of the water fight

Squirt sun cream in their face, ideally in their eyes and tell them they're in the sun they should expect it.

More seriously you need to make a complete nuisance of yourself to the staff. If you can come off as slightly unhinged all the better. A stream of expletives at the kids might make the parents reconsider if you should be around children.