A recent incident involving parents reserving tables at a local park for their child’s birthday party has sparked controversy online. The parents not only claimed three tables by covering them with tablecloths but also left a note warning others not to use the tables, stating it would ‘ruin’ their four-year-old’s birthday. 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.”
The note was discovered by another park visitor who took a photo and shared it on an online advice forum. The park was described as busy on a hot Saturday during a public holiday weekend. The note had been left for four hours with no sign of the party, while all other tables were occupied. The person who posted the photo online was also at the park for a different birthday party and had assumed arriving early would secure enough space for their guests.
The forum poster expressed frustration at the aggressive tone of the note, which relied on the decency of others to respect the reservation. They described the act as a breach of common courtesy and labeled it as rude and mannerless. A few days later, they updated the forum, stating that the tables remained unoccupied for six hours before the party arrived, bringing with them loud music.
The incident sparked a heated discussion among forum users. Many agreed that the parents’ actions were inappropriate. One user shared their experience of waking up early to reserve a table, encouraging others to use the tables regardless. Another user compared the situation to people reserving pool chairs early in the morning and not using them until the afternoon. One user emphasized that public benches should be on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis and suggested they would have discarded the sign.
However, some users showed sympathy towards the parents. One user understood the parents’ desire to secure seats for their party but criticized their decision to prevent others from using the tables all day when they hadn’t arrived yet. Another user suggested that the note should have included a specific time for the party, making it clear when the table would be needed.