Frustrating parents on Halloween.

[Mr. P]

I had about 300 trick or treaters last night which was great but parents need to get control of the children. Way too many parents let their children do whatever they want. I had an incident last night where a child was running through the lights in the yard and one of the parents and I had words.

Here is how it went when one of the children ran through the yard:

me: hey buddy you can't go through there, come on back.

mother: don't yell at my kid.

me: ma'am he can't go through the yard because of the lights and cables. He may get hurt or damage the equipment.

mother: well that's my kid.

me: I understand ma'am but I can't allow him to run through the yard.

mother: well I thought this was suppose to be a fun place for kids.

me: it is ma'am but the kids can't run through the yard for their safety.

mother: well we won't be coming back.

me: that's fine, I don't need people like you coming to the show. Happy Halloween.

The bottom line; if you are going to someone else's property please be respectful and control your children. Don't get upset when someone says something to them when you won't. 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by Mr. P

[james morris]

It shows her upbringing no respect

[Kapkirk]

Mr P

 

WOW, 300 kids, that's fantastic, we had 1 the whole night, a little girl with her mom.

My neighbors and us sat out front waiting with our candy and just talked about xmas setup starting the next morning. Too bad about the parent, they are usually the problem compared to the kids, we have had to adjust decorations because parents use no common sense in controlling their children.

 

Well have to get out and start xmas setup, have a great season, Keith

[TheDucks]

It shows the (unfortunate) general sense of entitlement the current Generations have.

I grew  up when parents went thru the US Depression era. Many of those served during WW2 with rationing.

I grew up during the post Korea and early days of the cold war where we prepared for Air raids, had well stocked bomb shelters to ride out unpleasantness. When I started driving, it was the oldest family car (we had 2, while many still had just 1 basic FORD OR CHEVY ).

Today, with all the power cutoff's and fires here in California, there are loud cries about no power... These folk didn't even bother to get candles and matches when warned that it might happen. They expect, no, DEMAND, the best. The Kids drive a NEW BMW or Porche and still whine.

[Mr. P]

Every year I get at least one parent. Last year is was a mother who cursed me out because she said my show was too scary for her four year old and it made her cry. For crying out loud lady it's only lights. If the lights are too scary then don't bring here down this street. Such a good example, cursing me out in front of a four year old.

[Box on Rails]

1 hour ago, Mr. P said:

I had about 300 trick or treaters last night which was great but parents need to get control of the children. Way too many parents let their children do whatever they want. I had an incident last night where a child was running through the lights in the yard and one of the parents and I had words.

Here is how it went when one of the children ran through the yard:

me: hey buddy you can't go through there, come on back.

mother: don't yell at my kid.

me: ma'am he can't go through the yard because of the lights and cables. He may get hurt or damage the equipment.

mother: well that's my kid.

me: I understand ma'am but I can't allow him to run through the yard.

mother: well I thought this was suppose to be a fun place for kids.

me: it is ma'am but the kids can't run through the yard for their safety.

mother: well we won't be coming back.

me: that's fine, I don't need people like you coming to the show. Happy Halloween.

The bottom line; if you are going to someone else's property please be respectful and control your children. Don't get upset when someone says something to them when you won't. 

 

 

I have a little different angle here. It might not be popular but here it is........ Let the Kid go. I'm going to have to side with the kids here. If we expect to have what appears to kids to be a large carnival going on in our yards then we better be prepare to have kids (and some times parents) wanting to investigate the caravel. I think for kids it is like a Moth to a candle. At some point we have to remember that Halloween is for the Kids. Not for us. Of course if the kids are using Thor's hammer on the display I would hope the parents would restrain the kid. My suggestion is to Thor Proof the display by securing the props and cables. If a kid wonders off into my yard I don't worry because my props and lights are secure and not going to get damaged. I make sure all fragile props are not out on Halloween night. This lady was a little rude and That's unfortunate but at some point we have to remember This Is Halloween... it's for the Kids. If we're afraid someone will destroy all or part of our Halloween display then maybe we need to down size the props just on Halloween night. I have never had a single issue in my 10 years of doing a Halloween display including fire pits and fog machines. And have Kids cut through the prop filled yard all the time.  Kids will be kids and they love a carn-evil. and Parents will be Buttheads sometimes. God bless all. 

Now lets get to setting up for Christmas and Remember this is for fun. 

[Box on Rails]

29 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

Every year I get at least one parent. Last year is was a mother who cursed me out because she said my show was too scary for her four year old and it made her cry. For crying out loud lady it's only lights. If the lights are too scary then don't bring here down this street. Such a good example, cursing me out in front of a four year old.

Now that's funny. Lights to scary.  I have one word for this lady. BUTTHEAD. 

[dibblejr]

My only frustrating even and I was lucky I was sitting outside in my golf cart.

Mini van pulls up normally where people are watching the show.

All doors open and I hear an adult say “Jin through the yard and to the front door”.

My front yard is 325’ wide and 300’ deep. My props align the entire front yard about 1/2 way through.

I hit the pedal on the buggy to stop them. It worked.

I then imagine even sitting in 33-36 deg unusual weather what would have happened had I not been outside.

BTW- my golf cart had an amber flashing warning light and a sign - “ Treats Here” and I sit in my driveway at the top to keep cars from driving down it. 

Earlier 2 cars drove down the driveway and my ccr tree is where the driveway opens up in to the garage. Watching those cars turn around was enough for me.

JR

[dibblejr]

2 hours ago, Mr. P said:

I had about 300 trick or treaters last night which was great but parents need to get control of the children. Way too many parents let their children do whatever they want. I had an incident last night where a child was running through the lights in the yard and one of the parents and I had words.

Here is how it went when one of the children ran through the yard:

me: hey buddy you can't go through there, come on back.

mother: don't yell at my kid.

me: ma'am he can't go through the yard because of the lights and cables. He may get hurt or damage the equipment.

mother: well that's my kid.

me: I understand ma'am but I can't allow him to run through the yard.

mother: well I thought this was suppose to be a fun place for kids.

me: it is ma'am but the kids can't run through the yard for their safety.

mother: well we won't be coming back.

me: that's fine, I don't need people like you coming to the show. Happy Halloween.

The bottom line; if you are going to someone else's property please be respectful and control your children. Don't get upset when someone says something to them when you won't. 

 

 

You should have went tactical in her!

Gotta love those types “privileged”.

JR

[dibblejr]

50 minutes ago, Box on Rails said:

I have a little different angle here. It might not be popular but here it is........ Let the Kid go. I'm going to have to side with the kids here. If we expect to have what appears to kids to be a large carnival going on in our yards then we better be prepare to have kids (and some times parents) wanting to investigate the caravel. I think for kids it is like a Moth to a candle. At some point we have to remember that Halloween is for the Kids. Not for us. Of course if the kids are using Thor's hammer on the display I would hope the parents would restrain the kid. My suggestion is to Thor Proof the display by securing the props and cables. If a kid wonders off into my yard I don't worry because my props and lights are secure and not going to get damaged. I make sure all fragile props are not out on Halloween night. This lady was a little rude and That's unfortunate but at some point we have to remember This Is Halloween... it's for the Kids. If we're afraid someone will destroy all or part of our Halloween display then maybe we need to down size the props just on Halloween night. I have never had a single issue in my 10 years of doing a Halloween display including fire pits and fog machines. And have Kids cut through the prop filled yard all the time.  Kids will be kids and they love a carn-evil. and Parents will be Buttheads sometimes. God bless all. 

Now lets get to setting up for Christmas and Remember this is for fun. 

That’s a Homeowners Insurance Policy payment preparation.

You just never know what may happen and then you will feel the wrath.

I have spikes and all sorts of fun stuff to be driven into a skull that should fall on it.

At Christmas most don’t get out so no worries. But in Halloween night , not gonna happen. I will be there to stop any child from getting hurt or worse.

When you normally get and expect 300-400 and they come in trucks, cars , vans, busses and trailers and normally get out in 10's you just cant have that many at once running through a display, no matter how prepared it is. Heck I run cables through pvc conduit over my sidewalk  that is secured by spikes in the ground and yet UPS, FEDEX, USPS and the latest even Amazon Prime drivers still trip over it. It is 3" diameter. And that is in the daylight.

I love children that much that I will not allow them to risk injury or death in my yard. Not even my 2 boys go through the yard when I have a display.

JR

Edited November 1, 2019 by dibblejr

[MichRX7]

I don't do Halloween (yet) because we have never had more than 10 kids show up in one night over the years. I have had kids try and dance in my Christmas lights. I understand it, but yes there are cords, strings (to tie down props) stakes and all sorts of items in the yard. I understand the need to dance, just don't dance in the middle. I thought about putting up caution tape, but haven't done it yet since the only real offender is my own granddaughter so far, lol. Maybe a big sign that says "don't proceed past this point" Ugh, it just would take away from the show. Luckily my front door is never used except for the afore mentioned delivery drivers and so I block off the walkway and they usually just go to the back door.

[dibblejr]

28 minutes ago, MichRX7 said:

I don't do Halloween (yet) because we have never had more than 10 kids show up in one night over the years. I have had kids try and dance in my Christmas lights. I understand it, but yes there are cords, strings (to tie down props) stakes and all sorts of items in the yard. I understand the need to dance, just don't dance in the middle. I thought about putting up caution tape, but haven't done it yet since the only real offender is my own granddaughter so far, lol. Maybe a big sign that says "don't proceed past this point" Ugh, it just would take away from the show. Luckily my front door is never used except for the afore mentioned delivery drivers and so I block off the walkway and they usually just go to the back door.

All delivery carriers are aware that all deliveries go to the garage entry door. They walk by it every time they deliver to the front door. 

I think decorations to them are like candy to a baby. All summer long no problem but as soon as the props go up they lose their minds and start delivering to the front door, which just as you mentioned never gets answered or used.

Ive got some horror videos as to why deliveries must go to the closer door as well as do their employers.

I guess they think cameras are just part of a prop or something and all of the signs are printed in a foreign language.

JR

[Mr. P]

I agree with jr on this, if the kid falls over the cables and breaks an arm then the parents have a claim against my homeowners insurance. My yard is not kid friendly during my shows so I don't allow them to run through the lights.

[Godney]

Mr P i agree with you parents should be more observant on what their kids do and stop them accordingly . Kids need discipline and Parents who don't should be ashamed of themselves , but as previously stated that's  today' s way of doing things . By the way i had close to 300 to 400 kids here last night and not one problem,  only scaring a few so bad they threw their  candy and cried 2 girls cried so hard their Parent had to come up from the sidewalk to get them. Sorry Kapkirk about your night should have come over and watched the show

Edited November 2, 2019 by Godney

[Kapkirk]

Rodney

 

Thanks, wish we had come over, our neighborhood has become mostly retired older people now and we have been dwindling slowly to the 1 guest, 35 years ago this was the place to see halloween and Cheri and I enjoyed the kids and halloween, and had many a great time. Now we concentrate on Christmas and truthfully that's enough. Ed and I began today and we take a lot more breaks now than we used too, but we still enjoy it. We need a new younger neighbor to chip in. Hoping you volunteer ha ha.

 

Keith

 

 

[Dcroc]

If a kid got hurt, or shocked (a lot of electric cables running through the yard),  that parent would sue the living hell out of you.    If Parents can't be responsible for their kids.....they shouldn't have them.   Disney on Ice is "for kids",  but you don't see them letting the kids run around on the ice.  Fireworks on the 4th is for kids,  but you don't see them running around the launch area.  Went to see The Lion King at the movies,  and didn't see any kids running around the projection room.  Common sense should tell one that it is simply not safe, or smart.

[LOR Staff]

I think you handled it well.  

Lights and decorations are crack to kids (and some adults too).  It is hard to blame them when they come running into a display (Halloween or Xmas or anything else), despite our warnings, announcements, and signs.  We can only be gentle with them, understand they didn't mean to put themselves in danger, and nicely correct them.  99% of them are going to understand, and apologize.  You'll get a friendly wave from the parents.

No one is to blame.  Even the parents don't deserve any - I have personally witnessed well behaved, well parented children in less than 1/10 of a second take off and end up in danger.  The parents don't want their kids in danger, but it happens FAST.

But alas as with everything in life, there is that one percent - the JERK percent.  When they appear, just shake your head and walk away - there is NOTHING you can do with these people.  Rationally and calmly explaining things will not work.  Sarcasm will not work.  Yelling obscenities at them will not work.  Just shake your head, correct the dangerous behavior, don't engage further, walk away.  

And then share the story with the 99%

By my count, you got off easy.  If you had 300 kids, you should have had 3 jerks.  You only had one.  Count your blessings

And please don't blame entire swaths of people simply because of their age, birth year, color, or any other grouping.  From the beginning of life there have been jerks, and there will continue to be jerks.  There are not more jerks today than there were yesterday.  You just notice them more as you get older

And celebrate the 99% that were great

 

[Godney]

Hey Kapkirk sent you a PM

[ItsMeBobO]

This year I put up a cemetery fence up to delineate the area which was safe.    I noticed more kids than ever in the area with cords on the ground which is now inside the fence.     

Either the fence was an invitation to go around it so I might as well not use one.   Or, I need an even bigger fence.

[TheDucks]

6 hours ago, ItsMeBobO said:

This year I put up a cemetery fence up to delineate the area which was safe.    I noticed more kids than ever in the area with cords on the ground which is now inside the fence.     

Either the fence was an invitation to go around it so I might as well not use one.   Or, I need an even bigger fence.

Electrify it: Jurassic Park style  😈