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

No wonder the kid is a little shot, if his parents aren’t bothered. Break his gun or report, and keep reporting. They sound awful.

This is why we only go every few years to be able to afford a private villa…hell truly is other people and their awful kids!

Well I never did this as a kid. My parents knew how to parent and would have stopped this awful behaviour if I had. Not all kids behave like little shits.

Regardless of what happened to you as a child this is appalling. Ask to speak to the manager again or I’d probably fight fire with fire and resort to a bucket of water over their parents heads. That’s really sad about them happily upsetting the child with autism.

I’m not scared of water at all but that would even make me incredibly angry. I’d have taken the guns off them. And no o was never allowed to do this as a child (nor wanted to) and neither have either of my children.

Take photos of the brats and post them on-line, maybe even of the idiot parent too.

I would have lost my tempter and probably snatched the super soaker off the little rat. I don’t mind kids being kids and I don’t normally care if they’re a little unruly on holiday, but this is beyond that. Report to the highest level, maybe even team up with some of the other families? If someone was doing this to my autistic DS I would be particularly pissed so I’m sure they’ll be happy to complain with you. The hotel should respond anyway, but if you’ve got a child with disabilities being harassed it might give them an extra kick up the arse.

This really isn't 'what kids do' and it's attitudes like this that excuse really shitty, antisocial and rude behaviour. I don't actually blame the kids. What kind of useless fucker of a parent wouldn't immediately remove the water guns and remove the children from the pool?! Even the least cognitively able child understands 'These people are on holiday too and deserve to feel safe and relaxed. I am removing the watergun and if you carry on tormenting people we will have to leave the pool' It's waterguns now but this is not normal kids behaviour and it will lead to much worse if the parents don't actually parent. This really isn't OP's problem. Stop gaslighting her

This is really poor parenting not kids being kids. I would never have done such a thing and neither would my three children. Today i would speak to staff and i would say very loudly in front of parents that you consider it assault and will be reporting it accordingly

That's assault. Contact management and police.

Does the hotel have a Twitter/X or Bluesky account? If so, post now a scathing report of what’s going on, copying them in, about how they’re refusing to deal with anti-social behaviour. Big up the damage to your shoulder. Talk about police involvement. Also put all this on paper, making clear it’s a formal complaint, and hand it to the manager asap.

Tell the manager you intend to leave the most stinking review of their feral hotel where staff and management are absolutely useless.
Mention your injury as a result of the actions of other guests.

Is their a rep?
Did you book through someone?

Name the resort and hotel.

Excellent suggestion to use social media and to contact local police because of your injury.

Definitely take photographs of the parents and children.

Hi OP, have you considered therapy for your fear of water? I’m not excusing kids being little shits, but being afraid of pools etc is a bit extreme.

I swear i’d have grabbed the water gun and smashed it, I’m so angry for you and the others! What little shits and terrible parents. Wish you could retaliate but as others said you could get into trouble. Would be satisfying to pour a cup of water over the parents!
Absolutely get the manager as soon as it happens next time.

Little shits. I'd dream about snapping that gun in half. But based on their behaviour, probably not wise.

Buy your son a water gun and get him to spend all day shooting it at the little shit's parents.

They are bullies.
Parents are bullies and the children are following the example they have been set.
Unless someone stands up to them and puts an end to it, they will continue this vile behaviour throughout their lives.
I pitty their NDNs as I bet they're equally scummy at home too.
People like this get a kick out of making everyone else's lives a misery.

Well they have obviously noticed they get an over reaction and keep doing it repeatedly. You don’t react they get bored.

Nobody should have thrown you off a bridge into a river. I think your reference points might be a little off.

I'd be doing this and soak the kid. Bet he won't find it as funny then.

YANBU. Interesting there are 5% who have voted that you are

Report. I always say to my child if A doesn't like it and B knows they don't like it, but B keeps doing it, it's bullying! It doesn't matter if B and almost every one else would LOVE it.

Well that backfired on you didn't it 😄🤣😄

I hope you feel like a bellend 😄🤣

The first time they did that I'd jump up and absolutely yell at the child who did it to pack it in. And I don't care what fucking size the parents are, I'd be going over and having strong words with them, the absolute chavvy shits. And if they kept doing it I'd keep complaining until the whole lot of them were chucked out of the hotel. Totally unacceptable behaviour. Anywhere I've stayed there would be absolute uproar from the guests from a child running round and doing that.

Intentionally spraying water on someone who isn’t in on the ‘game’ is assault. A young, excitable child, or an immature person playing a prank…may not fully understand that, so be exempt from culpability.

The parents of this child have been made aware that their child is causing distress to others, it’s not ‘fun’ when it’s involving others against their will. Of course, if they don’t mind it, they can allow their child to spray water on themselves, but it’s not their place to permit their child to do it to strangers. If it were people already in the swimming pool, I’d say it’s more of a grey area, but to spray people who aren’t already wet, who may be taken by surprise, who may have their phone or book damaged by the water is unacceptable. People may also be just about to go out somewhere and not want their hair messed up etc. The water may also create a slip hazard if it’s being done in places away from the edge of the swimming pool.

The most concerning thing here is that OP has actually been injured, it sounds not by the water itself, but by being startled and falling out of a chair…she wasn’t even sat next to the pool at the time, so it’s not a place anyone would expect a shot of water in their face.

I would round up anyone who is being negatively affected and insist to the hotel staff that they confiscate the water gun, plus anything else the child has that can be used to throw water such as buckets. The child doesn’t need these items in order to enjoy the swimming pool, and there is no reason the parents can claim the child needs to have the means to throw water at strangers. The items can be returned when the family are checking out of the hotel. That would limit the child’s ability to behave in this way, even if the parents won’t do any parenting themselves. Note as well, that if he is getting the water from the pool, his is spraying chlorine in people’s faces which could damage people’s eyes.

Make it clear to the hotel that the parents have already been asked to tell their child to stop and have refused/laughed at the request and so that will not be effective from hotel staff either. There needs to be a handing in of
any toys and to be told strictly that they are to parent their child properly and instruct them not to throw water at people other than their own family for the safety and comfort of other guests who haven’t consented. Suggest that if they refuse to hand in the water gun, that the hotel staff should withhold either sale of drinks or all-inclusive drinks until the safety request is complied with (and just provide drinking water only). The hotel should make it clear to them that they have been formally warned that their child is causing a safety risk and that their child continues to assault other guests that the hotel will stand by those guests if they chose to take legal action due to injuries caused by their child.