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

Touche 😂

I would speak to other people around the pool who have been targeted and get a group together to confront the parents en masse. Take Noodles in lieu of pitchforks.

BUT – and this is crucial – tell the management first. Let them know that because of their inaction, an ugly row is brewing poolside and that's on them. Make it very clear you'll also all be making a formal complaint about how they've sat back and allowed your holiday to be ruined by this selfish family.

Bet they'll have it sorted before you've armed yourselves with the swimming aids.

Say you'll give the kids £100 at the end of their hol if they stop squirting. And then dont give it to them.

OP said: we when to reception and reported them but the staff don’t seem bothered

Grab the gun
Little shits
1 star review.

Beat me to it 😂.

Op, this is absolutely horrible. Been on the receiving end of kids like this more times than I can remember, but never on holiday. I remember walking our dogs a year or two ago in some lovely woodland by our house, and a huge group of teenage girls appeared. My heart sank, as this type never leave people alone. Sure enough they started running up to us, screaming the word "pigeon" repeatedly (nope, me neither). I think I've seen a few of the parents and they are as you describe those boys' father. I told them to fuck off, and called them cunts. That shut them up.

However, I'd put my house on the fact that if you showed any sort of temper or light discipline, the father would be challenging your husband to a fight.

I honestly don't know what can be done about families like this, as everyone seems terrified of them. The amount of parents I've had steaming up to me and threatening me because I've nicely asked their kid to stop coming into my garden and ripping up my grass, for example.

Please leave as many bad reviews as you can. Shocking the staff won't deal with it.

We had to report a family on holiday a couple of years ago because they were screaming in their room and on their balcony and I was actually concerned for their safety as well as the fact that it was unpleasant for us and we couldn't sleep. Multiple people complained but hotel reception was initially reluctant to get involved so DH told them that if security didn't come he would be phoning the police there and then. It was a Tui holiday and they seemed to have joint security across their local hotels so some security arrived from elsewhere. The next day a rep came and put the family on a final warning that with any further disturbance they would be removed from the hotel. We had no issues the rest of our stay. I definitely think you just need to escalate this with staff, manager, tour operator etc.

Reading this has made my blood boil. Entitled little fuckers, encouraged by their useless and selfish parents.

I'd just keep complaining to staff and management - theres nothing else you can do, seeing as the parents couldn't care less.

Have you never thought of getting some counselling? They are targeting you because they know they will get a good reaction. They’re kids that’s what they do. We’ve all been kids we all did this.

And I say that as someone who was chucked into a river fully clothed as a teenager by my friends boyfriend’s. Because I didn’t want to jump off the bridge some of the others had. I had to sit in wet clothes in my friend’s brothers car to get home. Then I had to walk home which is about a 40 minute walk.

WOW

No it isn’t what kids do. I would go ape at my kids if they were purposely squirting at someone and the water guns would be removed. And no I never did this.

what the hell.

only complete twats would do this or let their kids do this.

OP. Take it up a notch. Tell the hotel staff that it’s assault and you will be calling the police go to the hotel. Bet they take it seriously then.

No, most children do not do this, and most parents don't allow their children to do this.

I would be sympathetic if they were just jumping in the pool and other hotel guests were getting slightly splashed, but it is very much not normal to target complete strangers with water guns.

We were all kids but we most definitely did not all do this. They sound like a horrible family - even half decent parents would not allow their children to behave like this.

It really isn't the issue that OP had those experiences in the past. I have no water phobia but I would be extremely pissed off if I was intentionally squirted in the face while sunbathing. And no I would never allow my kids to do that.

Um, we really haven't all done this.

My parents would never have allowed me to behave in such a selfish and antisocial manner, and I would never have allowed dd to behave like this either. Having said that, she would never have thought to behave in this manner anyway, because she was brought up to have a basic level of respect and consideration for other people.

This really isn't normal behaviour but attitudes like yours do help to explain why some kids are allowed to behave so badly.

Kids like this already know them...

Escalate. Ask to speak to the hotel manager and explain very factually what happened, and that you were physically harmed as a result. That you're now being targeted and you're now afraid to use the hotel facilities etc. You have to highlight that the children are being encouraged by the parents to target you, and you are nor able to enjoy the holiday you paid for.

If they seem passive and unlikely to do anything, perhaps you might want to contact your tour operator and request to be moved to a different hotel for the reminder of the holiday.

If you booked the hotel independently but they belong to a group/chain contact them and request to be moved.

You'll probably have to make quite a bit of noise today I'm afraid.

This is good advice.

I'd get one of the water pistols - I just wouldn't put tap water in it. I'd be putting the piss in pistol...

Yanbu at all, regardless of any kind of water phobia.

This is such antisocial behaviour, what a bunch of classless, uncouth people.

another vote for break it.. warn him once that you will break it if he does it again and when he does, make sure you do it around the pool so you get a round of applause :-) it will happen I can guarantee it

And to the poster saying that kids do this and that we all have done it...
No.
My parents, who weren't strict, would have never allowed me to behave that way.
I would never allow my children to behave like that either.

It's not a kid's thing. It's targetting, bullying and antisocial behaviour at its finest. This is not your fault, OP.

I would have grabbed the toy and broken it every time.

“We’ve all been kids we all did this”

Speak for yourself- maybe you were brought up badly.
As a child I never deliberately squirted strangers round a pool or anywhere else, only consenting fellow participants in a water fight. But then I was taught basic respect for others.

ww I know that she a load of kids knock on my door and run off to ignore them. The more reaction they get for doing it the more they do it. Obviously the parents shouldn’t be encouraging it they sound like they have never grown out of it either.

I would tell the manager they either sort the family out and get the water guns removed or you will be calling the local police as it’s assault

i would also point out to them you will also have no choice but to leave a bad review about the hotel allowing this to take place