AITA for telling a parent to keep an eye on their kids?

r/

I live at a big apartment complex that has several pools, unfortunately, we had a community member of our apartment complex die from drowning last week.

Very often I see parents drinking at the bar next to the pool, or carrying on conversation while their little ones, from 3 to 6 years old Are jumping in and out of the pool, and are even doing cannonballs into the hot tub.

So while I’m relaxing in the hot tub, two kids jump in doing a cannonball which I couldn’t even imagine doing, so I walk up to the parent, and I asked if they could keep an eye on their kids? Especially since somebody died last week, it’s probably smart to keep an eye on your kids because there’s nobody else’s responsibility.

She started saying how it’s wrong when I said something that I am criticizing her parenting and I was like, I don’t know how you are as a parent, but I would keep an eye on your kid, especially if someone died here last week, that’s all I’m saying

I told her it’s nobody else’s responsibility to watch her kids. That’s what being a parent is.

Comments

  1. AutoModerator Avatar

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    I live at a big apartment complex that has several pools, unfortunately, we had a community member of our apartment complex die from drowning last week.

    Very often I see parents drinking at the bar next to the pool, or carrying on conversation while their little ones, from 3 to 6 years old Are jumping in and out of the pool, and are even doing cannonballs into the hot tub.

    So while I’m relaxing in the hot tub, two kids jump in doing a cannonball which I couldn’t even imagine doing, so I walk up to the parent, and I asked if they could keep an eye on their kids? Especially since somebody died last week, it’s probably smart to keep an eye on your kids because there’s nobody else’s responsibility.

    She started saying how it’s wrong when I said something that I am criticizing her parenting and I was like, I don’t know how you are as a parent, but I would keep an eye on your kid, especially if someone died here last week, that’s all I’m saying

    I told her it’s nobody else’s responsibility to watch her kids. That’s what being a parent is.

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  2. Judgement_Bot_AITA Avatar

    Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.

    OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:

    > 1. Telling the parent that they’re not watching their kid and, they’re wrong for it.

    1. Telling them what they are doing is wrong.

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  3. ButItSaysOnline Avatar

    NTA. Sometimes people need to be told the obvious.

  4. Mistress_Anissa Avatar

    NTA. I’m surprised that nobody said anything about it before

  5. LegoBear135654 Avatar

    NTA. Jumping into a hot tub? I’m surprised they haven’t landed on someone or broken their ankles by hitting the bottom yet.

  6. sirenroses Avatar

    Nta. Society as a whole should call parents out when they’re not making sure their kid is safe.

  7. 4giveMyNrthrnAtti2de Avatar

    NTA
    I’m the parent of a small army of children. I made them. They are my responsibility. They are not the responsibility of the imagined, assumed & supposed “village.”

    You’re not alone in this experience. All of my kids have had swim lessons & are strong swimmers, but I still don’t play with water safety (or respect for those around us, for that matter). If they’re in a body of water, my co-parent &/or I are in there with them. Drownings happen so 👏quickly 👏We constantly see guardians leaving their children in the water alone, regardless of age or ability to swim. Apparently the pool itself is a babysitter? Boggles the mind.

  8. anditurnedaround Avatar

    NTA

    No parent of a going to take to that kindly. So if you expected a thank you, you never will.

    A parent should always be watching the group if parents are being social. Taking turns etc. especially near a pool. 

    Kids do need someone watching over them at all times when little in life and even a bit older when near water. 

  9. RealLuxTempo Avatar

    NTA I recently watched a dad scrolling on his phone on a chaise lounge while his 2 year old stood on the jacuzzi steps and the older child maybe 4 was out of the jacuzzi trying to turn the jet dial and trying to reach up and pound on the red emergency button. Meanwhile good ol’ weekend dad is just scrolling away.

  10. HorseygirlWH Avatar

    Cannonball into the hot tub? Heck, no, of course you were right to say something! I would have said “please ask your kids to not do cannonballs in the hot tub”, but you were right to say “watch your kids”. You’re NTA.

  11. Individual_Metal_983 Avatar

    NTA on holiday I never took my eyes off my daughter in the pool and she was a good swimmer.