A post on an online advice forum has shamed parents for reserving tables at their local park for their toddler’s birthday recently.
Not only did they mark their territory by decorating three tables with tablecloths, but they also left a threatening note warning potential table-stealers that they would ‘ruin’ their child’s birthday.
“Don’t be the one to mess it up”
The note read: “Reserved for a birthday party. Please respect the space we’ve set aside and do not use our tables. This is for a four-year-old’s party, don’t be the one to mess it up, thank you.”
A fellow park-goer reposted a photo of the note, which was left on one of the benches next to the empty tables, to the forum.
“Busy public park on a hot Saturday/public-holiday weekend. Seems super entitled. The note has been there for four hours, and there is no sign of them. All the other tables are full.”
They added later in the comments that they were also there with 10 kids for another birthday party, and they thought getting there early would ensure there was space for all guests.
“Silly me,” they wrote.
“I found it annoying that the note was written aggressively while also depending on other people’s decency to allow them to bend common courtesy. It’s rude and mannerless,” the OP added.
They also provided an update a few days later, saying that the tables were left empty for six hours before the “very rowdy” party eventually rocked up, playing loud music on a speaker.
“First-come, first-served basis”
Everyone in the comments agreed it was poor form, with one user writing, “As a parent who has gotten up at 5 am and sat at one of these to keep it reserved, please just use the tables! How rude of them!”
“It’s just like people reserving pool chairs at 7 am and not showing up to the pool until 3 pm!” another chimed in.
Someone else claimed, “All public benches are on a first-come, first-served basis.”
They added, “I would have thrown the sign away.”
Some were a little more sympathetic to the parents, with one saying, “I understand them wanting to make sure they have seats for a party they want to throw in a public park, but preventing everyone from using them all day when they’re not even there yet wasn’t a great choice.”
Then this user suggested that adding a time on the note would have been helpful.
They said: “Yeah, I really want to be on their side, but without a time on the note, the note is just useless. ‘We’re having a birthday party for our four-year-old at noon. Feel free to use this table until then, but please leave it by noon so we can celebrate this special day with our family.’ Something like that.”
