Good for you. Some people are beyond comprehension.
The fact that the parents glared at you instead of correcting their twelve-year-old explains exactly why he thought he could steal food.
This happened a couple of years ago but I’m still baffled by it. Every year my local zoo puts on an amazing Christmas display. It has a drive-thru portion and then you park and can walk the zoo which is beautifully decorated and has different activities and whatnot. One of the things my children look forward to is getting s’mores at the end of the evening. You buy the s’more packs and then go roast your marshmallow at the fire pit then enjoy.
My husband had gone to the restroom so I was sitting at the table alone with our two kids after roasting our marshmallows. We were assembling our s’mores when a family, mom/dad/son, walks over and was standing way too close to us, behind my own son and daughter. They were weirdly focused on our snack and I started getting uncomfortable. Suddenly their son, who was about 11-12 years old, wedges himself between my two kids and reaches for my daughter’s graham crackers. I loudly and very firmly stated (in my best teacher voice) “NO SIR! Those are NOT for you!” He jumped back and I looked at the parents like “Ya going to come get your kid?” Instead of offering an apology or even acknowledging his rudeness, they glared at me as if I was in the wrong. So, I glared at them right back. My husband came back from the restroom and saw my dagger stare so he asked me what was going on. I loudly recounted the story as the couple finally shuffled off with their son.
The whole thing was odd and the kid was definitely old enough to know better. And before someone says something about sharing. We always get just enough so everyone gets a s’more. There’s never extras. Not that that should matter. Nobody is entitled to our food. 😊
Good for you. Some people are beyond comprehension.
The fact that the parents glared at you instead of correcting their twelve-year-old explains exactly why he thought he could steal food.
letting someone take your things is not called sharing. you were right to tell him no!
I know some people think that it was just a kid and to share or whatever but I’m a firm believer that kids have to learn that they aren’t entitled to everything just because they want it. I hate the idea that you have to share because it’s simply the right thing to do. I think there’s a time and a place and this wasn’t it.
They are sharing by “getting just enough so everyone gets a s’more”, leaving all the rest for others. Unlike others who grab as much as they can, not caring if anyone else gets any.
Nothing happened here.
And if he had assaulted one of the children to grab THEIR food?
Title of your sex tape?
K.
This happened a couple of years ago and it’s still on your mind?
I mean, it crosses my mind from time to time. You don’t have memories that pop up? People post old memories on here all the time. It’s not a big deal, just sharing stories.
That would drive me up the fucking wall honestly.
I agree with you; he should have at least asked you first. We grew up poor and my grandmother taught us to never steal.
From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.
S'mores are suddenly *needs*? Wut. Wth are you even saying, dude? Your comment makes no sense in the context of the OP.
WTF did I just read?
B.S.
It's entitled to want to eat the food you just prepared for yourself? The food that has sufficient servings for the exact number of people in your party and no more? Wow.
Who let the Marxist bot in here?
I’m entitled because I don’t want some strange kid stealing my daughter’s food? That’s wild.
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One look at what you publish tells me you’re disconnected from reality. Not surprised to see this from you. My advice: stick to AI pets.
We tell our kids to share with their friends, but sometimes all those friends hear is "I can have whatever I want because everybody else should be sharing."
Wow! The nerve huh?
NTA. Kids probably steals food off people's plates at restaurants.
\*Gets forked on the hand lol
It's crazy what people will get offended by. I was at a movie theater once, trying to watch a movie. A woman sitting a couple of seats away from me repeatedly pulled out her cell phone. She appeared to be looking at a map - nothing that couldn't wait until after the show. I kept turning my head in her direction, giving her a "look." After the show her husband made a point of glaring at me. Um, sir, you wife was the one with the rude behavior.
I would have gotten an usher and have them removed. Movies are too damn expensive to let someone ruin it.
Oh my gosh, that reminds me of the time some old guy answered his phone in the middle of a movie. Like, what the actual fuck dude??
I am just guessing that the S'mores packs they sell are not inexpensive. I mean if you brought a backpack full of supplies to make s'mores and wanted to share that would be one thing. I mean are you expected to share your nachos at a stadium? The only other thing that occurs to me is the intruder may have been autistic or something but even so, the parents are whack
The packs are ridiculously expensive so it’s definitely a once a year treat at the zoo. We could buy a box of graham crackers, a bag of marshmallows, and chocolate bars for the price of like two s’mores. We make them at home too but according to my kids the s’mores at the zoo are better.🙄
Yeah, heaven forbid your children learned that there are those less fortunate then their selfish and entitled parents in this world. While stealing is never acceptable - we have been anesthetized to poverty and the misfortune of others by the buffoon and its cabal currently occupying the White House. Not all is lost however, I was in a neighborhood group chat recently and a woman was distraught because her children would not allow her unsupervised visits with her grandchildren because of her "racism and xenophobia" and the woman did not understand and certainly did not like that her children were not Trump supporters like her. When I told her that as much as she may not like it, she obviously did something right in bringing those children up - she didn't see it that way (naturally - they never do) and immediately left the chat after I suggested that she reach out to her children. There is poverty in America not because we cannot care for the poor but because we cannot sate the bloodsucking rich.
The decent thing to do is ASK, not reach for something a stranger has
One s'more and no more.
YIKES. Not a fan of YOUR behavior here. This sounds like you were rude to a child instead of compassionate and understanding! It’s a child. You should have acted with kindness and education, you should have informed them not shamed them. You should have informed them that you were taking part in a paid activity and directed them to how they could participate. That would be how a civilized person would respond to a CHILD who wants a s’more.
I don't agree here. It is not her responsibility to parent someone else's child. Especially if the parents were standing right there.
Yes & No. A gentler tone would be warranted. Maybe sorry bud these aren’t for sharing & then point to where the parents can get a package, before yelling. BUT the parents were ridiculous for not stepping in or apologizing or correcting their kid. Things happen and kids are kids, but so many grown ups refuse to take accountability for or even teach their kids properly.
This “child” was not a three year old. Old enough to know better
This is a delusional take. Wow.
Everything you said describes what their parents should have done
At 12yrs old they should know not to just take something from a stranger, it doesn't matter what it is. Teaching your child not to be rude is a parent's job, and if they don't do so, they shouldn't be surprised if someone shouts at their kid.
You act like a berated them. I was firm and placed a boundary while also standing up for my daughter during an interaction that happened very quickly. The kid was a pre-teen and the parents were watching the whole thing while doing nothing. It was also outside with Christmas music and people around so it was noisy. All that being said, not everything situation needs to be handled with delicate gloves. It is ok to put boundaries in place with children and doing so doesn’t mean one is uncivilized.
I wonder whether the kid knew this was something that had to be bought. If he's used to the standard campfire where everyone is passing around the graham crackers and marshmallows, he may not have known those items had a specific owner. A gentler "no, sorry, these ones are ours, but you can buy some right over there!" would have been kinder.
Kids know that food isn’t free. Free food is called shoplifting.
Even when camping, though, kids (should) know you don't just walk into someone else's campsite occupied by people you don't know and start making a s'more.
Potentially true, but it still means the parents are a huge problem
It happened fast and I acted accordingly. It’s ok to hold firm boundaries with kids. I didn’t berate him, I stopped him from stealing my daughter’s food as they were moving quick to grab it. It’s pretty easy to judge from a screen though.
Right, that's why he chose to take food from an 8-year-old girl with only a mom present rather than anyone else around who had s'mores fixings.
If she’d been gentle and kind, her 8 yo daughter would have had her graham crackers eaten by a mannerless boy 3-4 years older than her. She would have learned boys get what they want from younger girls, and they have no agency. What she learned is that it’s okay to stick up for yourself, to say no to greedy boys. Gentle parenting be damned. The kid needed the lesson. It was much more effective than what you propose.
Polite but commanding! You have mastered the teacher voice 😏
My mom drove a school bus for a few yrs & could instantly get your attention with the firm & enormous tone/voice. 😅 Apparently I picked it up when a kid darted towards the road & I just couldn't move fast enough to stop him. He stopped like he hit a wall. 😯 I was shocked, had no idea I could do that! 😂🤷🏻♀️
I've *totally* embraced my BIG voice (I've always called it my 'Mom voice'). Good for you, and you're husband knowing the dagger stare. 😅
The kid is only doing what his parents told him, or he is misreading the whole s'more situation as a free for all. Either way, it means a lot to assume good intentions in a child. "Hey friend, these belong to Suzy, but you can get your own pack right over there."
It happened fast so I acted accordingly. It’s ok to be firm and hold boundaries. More parents should actually try it with their kids.
The only excuse I can think of here is that the son is on the spectrum, but the parents were just too embarrassed to intervene in the situation and apologize. But that’s a stretch, I know. They were probably just entitled.
My bonus son is autistic. I didn’t get that sense that this child was but I could obviously be wrong as it was a quick interaction.
Next time just yell “Joey doesn’t share food!” That should startle them enough to walk away. Might even make that disrespectful kid cry!
That's my purse! I don't know you!
My favorite show!
Sounds about right. Last week I took my kids to the lake to swim, a ton of families were there no big deal it's public to the campground. Anyways a kid about 11-12 was filling his super soaker and spraying people (I assumed his family) he then sprayed one daughter of mine and as he aimed to spray my other daughter I said in my loud teacher voice "Excuse me, spraying us is not available you need to stop right now." He got upset and went and told his family. His mom tried to say he was just being a kid. My response, "Then your kid needs better parenting if that is what you call just being a kid by splashing strangers with a super soaker." She was so offended I spoke back she gathered her kid and left.
I see that as an absolute win
That's the miracle of Christmas!
Ain’t that the truth. 🙄🤣
For those who think I was too harsh: I was at a zoo with Christmas music playing and sitting outside where tons of people are walking around looking at all the sights. The kid locked in on my daughter’s stuff and when he made his move, it was fast so I acted accordingly. I did not berate him, but I was loud enough and firm to make the boundaries known. I’m a school counselor, I know how to work with all age groups of kids and not every situation needs to be handled with soft gloves. Actually, if more parents used firmer tones and placed boundaries, maybe there wouldn’t be so many behavioral issues in the first place. I never said I screamed at the kid but I had to be loud enough to be heard an to get my point across to not only him, but his parents. I was also standing up for my 8 year old daughter who was suddenly thrown into a very awkward position and had a preteen boy in her space trying to take her food. Lastly, some have suggested this person may have been on the spectrum. My bonus son is autistic and I work and have worked with many children on the spectrum. I didn’t get that sense here but I could be wrong. Even if they were, it’s still ok to use firm boundaries. I fully believe the parents knew what their child was about to do as they watched the whole thing and then got visibly upset when I stopped it from happening.
Even if that child did have a disability, it's on the parents to help their child by supervising them.
Teacher voices are wonderful for these kinds of situations! I've even used it on 80+ year olds!
The parents were lurking over your kids, standing way too close and allowed their kid to sit between your kids. No, they knew and they intended for him to do that. They are all to blame for the kid’s behavior.
That is bizarre and I would have been far less charitable when staring down the parents. Weirdos.
Strangers food is not a sharing opportunity, even if you have extra. They were for sure entitled and thought you wouldn't say anything.
I swear some parents put their kids up to doing thieving and rude shit everywhere they go
I’m flight crew. There’s been a few times where passengers think they are entitled to our PERSONAL food that we bring from home. One guy came out of the lavatory (without flushing, washing his hands or closing the door behind him) he looked over into the galley and saw my coworkers food. He quickly stuck his grimy hands into my coworkers bag of chips, grabbed a handful and started shoving them in his mouth. When I said, “Excuse me! Those are not yours to eat, thats her personal food!” He took what was left of the handful he had shoved against his mouth and stuffed it back in the bag. She ended up throwing the bag out. Some people suck.
When my daughter was a toddler, she snatched a grape off another wedding guest’s plate. I was watching her but she was so dang fast. I was mortified that she got her grubby paws on someone else’s plate. I apologized and offered to get a fresh plate of fruit from the buffet but it was laughed off and everyone from the other table kept trying to offer her food the rest of the meal. She thought it was a fun game but I didn’t want her learning it was ok to take from other people’s plates.
the audacity to let their kid act like that is wild, they should've stepped in instead of staring at you
the audacity to demand a refund because a monkey wouldn’t wave back is next level entitlement
Say what? There wasn’t anything about monkeys in here. It’s about s’mores.
Ew some people shouldn't even be parents if they cannot redirect their children.