Would you have done the same as I did-confronting gross parent at amusement park

[Anonymous]

We are on vacation right now, and yesterday went to a large theme park. It had one of those giant play areas for kids--you know where there are a lot of nets to climb and long slides and such. There was a long wall and many of the parents were sitting on the wall, watching the kids play. So I was sitting there and my Dh comes up and talks to me for a minute while the kids were playing, and then he says "Ew, is that a used diaper?" I look to my left and about 3 feet from me, on the wall is a used folded up diaper. No one is really near it but a stroller is parked in front of it.

So maybe 5 minutes later a man comes up and is with the stroller parked in front of the diaper. He just stands there a couple minutes so finally I asked him if it was his.

He told me yes, then said "Do you have a problem with that?"

Me: Yes, that is really gross

Him: Well, do you see a trash can around here?

Me: If you can't find a trash can, you can put in a plastic bag and put in back in your diaper bag or stroller until you find one.

Him: Why don't you just worry about things that actually relate to you?



So I found the nearest employee and told them about the problem. As I am doing this, he starts calling over to his wife and kids to try and get them out of there (still leaving the diaper on the wall). The employee came over and told the many to throw away the diaper (there was a trash can about 15 fee from where the diaper had been sitting on the wall. I have no doubt that he was planning on just leaving the diaper there, if the employee hadn't said something.

Anyway, Am I unreasonable for thinking it's gross to just leave a dirty diaper sitting out like that while you go off to play with your kids (remember, when we first saw the diaper, he wasn't there, he had just left it sitting there for at least several minutes while he was somewhere else)? Would you have said something to the guy?

[Anonymous]

What do you expect when you visit a "large theme park?"

If you want classy folks, then avoid them.

Anonymous wrote:We are on vacation right now, and yesterday went to a large theme park. It had one of those giant play areas for kids--you know where there are a lot of nets to climb and long slides and such. There was a long wall and many of the parents were sitting on the wall, watching the kids play. So I was sitting there and my Dh comes up and talks to me for a minute while the kids were playing, and then he says "Ew, is that a used diaper?" I look to my left and about 3 feet from me, on the wall is a used folded up diaper. No one is really near it but a stroller is parked in front of it.

So maybe 5 minutes later a man comes up and is with the stroller parked in front of the diaper. He just stands there a couple minutes so finally I asked him if it was his.

He told me yes, then said "Do you have a problem with that?"

Me: Yes, that is really gross

Him: Well, do you see a trash can around here?

Me: If you can't find a trash can, you can put in a plastic bag and put in back in your diaper bag or stroller until you find one.

Him: Why don't you just worry about things that actually relate to you?



So I found the nearest employee and told them about the problem. As I am doing this, he starts calling over to his wife and kids to try and get them out of there (still leaving the diaper on the wall). The employee came over and told the many to throw away the diaper (there was a trash can about 15 fee from where the diaper had been sitting on the wall. I have no doubt that he was planning on just leaving the diaper there, if the employee hadn't said something.

Anyway, Am I unreasonable for thinking it's gross to just leave a dirty diaper sitting out like that while you go off to play with your kids (remember, when we first saw the diaper, he wasn't there, he had just left it sitting there for at least several minutes while he was somewhere else)? Would you have said something to the guy?

[Anonymous]

Good for you OP! I would have done the same thing. In fact, I would have said something if it was just a soda can or gum wrapper. As I get older I am increasingly cranky about littering. Leaving a dirty diaper is so gross. I just don't understand that mindset.

[Anonymous]

OP, yes it is gross to leave a diaper out there. But what do you get from the confrontation? How did it help? Are you planning to stay and police the play area for further incidents?

[Anonymous]

You did the right thing OP. Someone needs to help civilize these people.

[Anonymous]

Hijack: You see someone let their dog crap on a lawn. Do you yell at them to scoop?

[Anonymous]

On the wall?

[Anonymous]

Having thought about it, you sound like an insufferable busybody, OP. You also make a lot of assumptions. You ASSUMED he was going to walk away and leave it on the wall, but you don't know this. Instead, you got all in his face even though it sounds like he was engaging a small child (small enough to use a diaper) while his wife was engaging another child.

Imagine this thread beginning another way: "There was a small crying child at the amusement park. A couple of minutes later this idiot dad came up and I demanded to know why he left his child. He said he went to find a trash can for a used diaper. I got an employee because he abandoned his child. Hell, I'm gonna call CPS on his ass."

You were wrong, OP. Next time, save your righteousness for when the man actually walks away and leaves the diaper behind. No wonder he reacted to you with such hostility. How DARE you second-guess him?

[Anonymous]

When I go to large theme parks, I don't leave soiled diapers sitting around. I throw them into the play area, so they don't bother uptight moms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having thought about it, you sound like an insufferable busybody, OP. You also make a lot of assumptions. You ASSUMED he was going to walk away and leave it on the wall, but you don't know this. Instead, you got all in his face even though it sounds like he was engaging a small child (small enough to use a diaper) while his wife was engaging another child.

Imagine this thread beginning another way: "There was a small crying child at the amusement park. A couple of minutes later this idiot dad came up and I demanded to know why he left his child. He said he went to find a trash can for a used diaper. I got an employee because he abandoned his child. Hell, I'm gonna call CPS on his ass."

You were wrong, OP. Next time, save your righteousness for when the man actually walks away and leaves the diaper behind. No wonder he reacted to you with such hostility. How DARE you second-guess him?

No, you are wrong. As I said in the first post, when I saw the diaper, he was nowhere around. So I didn't ASSUME he would walk away and leave it, he already had. It was when he returned that I said something, and I believe he would have walked away again (this time, from the entire play area and to another part of the amusement park, perhaps).

And no, he was not engaging a small child when I said something to him. His wife had their children somewhere else in the playground area. He was standing there completely alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the wall?

Yes, kind of a retaining wall for landscaping, I guess? It was about thigh high and was around the whole area...most of the sections of wall were occupied by parents sitting and watching their kids play...I don't recall seeing any actual benches in the area (it was Busch Gardens Tampa, in the sesame street area)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the wall?

Yes, kind of a retaining wall for landscaping, I guess? It was about thigh high and was around the whole area...most of the sections of wall were occupied by parents sitting and watching their kids play...I don't recall seeing any actual benches in the area (it was Busch Gardens Tampa, in the sesame street area)

[Anonymous]

Thank you, OP! Good for you.

[Anonymous]

Of course you did the right thing. You are not insufferable. (Please!) Or a busybody. It is human waste! It is toxic! Ask anyone who cleans port-o-pottys or septic tanks if they wear protective gear to the job. It is disgusting and cheers to you for having the balls to say something!

[Anonymous]

OP,

You absolutely did the right thing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The world is a kinder, cleaner, more civilized place when people speak up and confront the thoughtless, narcissistic minority who feel entitled to (in this case literally) shit on it.

Good for you.