“Three Females Clinging To Me”: Entitled Parents And Neighbor Ruin Halloween Hayride

Sometimes the circumstances require that we step up and take responsibility, even when it’s not technically ours to take. But there’s a difference between doing the right thing and being forced to accommodate others.

Reddit user u/MiraculousFoxyLady shared a story on r/IDontWorkHereLady that perfectly illustrates this distinction. It’s about a Halloween hayride the woman joined for a bit of lighthearted fun, but which unexpectedly turned into a daycare she was pretty much made to run — all because some parents were too ignorant to care for their children.

Not every scary ride is suitable for children

Young girl covering her face in fear during a haunted hayride, reflecting scared kids and entitled parents themes.

Image credits: freepik (not the actual image)

But if parents do bring their kids, they should at least be ready to comfort them

Entitled parents on a haunted hayride ignore scared children, leaving their frightened kids to strangers' care.

Text describing a Halloween hayride event where entitled parents leave their scared kids with strangers.

Text excerpt describing someone attending a haunted hayride with others despite not being close to them.

Parents on a haunted hayride leaving their scared kids to be handled by strangers during the spooky event.

Text excerpt showing a scared girl clutching an arm, related to entitled parents on a haunted hayride with scared kids.

Text excerpt describing comforting a scared child during a haunted hayride, highlighting scared kids and hayride experience.

Crowd waiting under a glowing haunted hayride sign with spooky lighting and fog at a nighttime event.

Image credits: Jeremy Thompson (not the actual image)

Text excerpt from a haunted hayride story describing a scared girl learning about hayrides for the first time.

Entitled parents go on haunted hayride leaving scared kids with strangers while they enjoy the ride without concern.

Family sitting near the front of a haunted hayride using a tactic to avoid scares and protect scared kids.

Text excerpt from a haunted hayride where parents ignore scared kids and leave them to a stranger’s care.

Entitled parents on a haunted hayride ignoring scared kids, leaving them as a stranger's problem during the spooky event.

Two scared kids on a haunted hayride left unattended by entitled parents, facing strangers for comfort.

Child in skeleton costume eating candy, looking scared while on a haunted hayride with parents.

Image credits: Charles Parker (not the actual image)

Text excerpt about haunted hayride fears, kids clinging to parents, and calming scared children during the ride.

Text excerpt describing a scared child on a haunted hayride with small hands clinging for comfort during a spooky experience.

Entitled parents on haunted hayride leaving scared kids as a stranger’s problem with flames and screams around them.

Carved pumpkins glowing at night on a haunted hayride setting with spooky and playful faces.

Image credits: Joshua Taylor (not the actual image)

Parents at a haunted hayride leaving their scared kids with strangers to handle the fear and chaos.

Child clings to stranger on haunted hayride as entitled parents avoid their scared kids during the spooky event.

Alt text: Parents act entitled on haunted hayride, leaving their scared kids to be comforted by a stranger during scary moments.

Entitled parents on a haunted hayride ignore scared kids, leaving their frightened children with a stranger's care.

Entitled parents on a haunted hayride leaving their scared kids to strangers while actors try to calm them down.

Text excerpt from a haunted hayride story where entitled parents make their scared kids a stranger's problem.

Text excerpt from haunted hayride story showing parents finally noticing scared kids after an hour and ending the hayride.

Alt text: Parents acting entitled at a haunted hayride abandoning their scared kids to a stranger’s care.

Woman looking stressed outdoors at night with blurred city lights in the background, related to entitled parents haunted hayride topic

Image credits: Lemnaouer (not the actual image)

Entitled parents at a haunted hayride leaving scared kids to be handled by strangers during spooky attraction experience.

Entitled parents on a haunted hayride leaving their scared kids to be handled by strangers in a spooky setting.

Text excerpt from an online story about entitled parents going on a haunted hayride and leaving their scared kids with strangers.

Alt text: Parents on a haunted hayride ignoring scared kids, leaving them to be a stranger's problem.

Text on a plain white background reads a personal reflection about a haunted hayride experience with entitled parents and scared kids.

Text excerpt discussing parents with three kids during a haunted hayride, mentioning scared kids and parental behavior.

Image credits: MiraculousFoxyLady

This story shows why so many parents today are judged by outsiders

A few years ago, Ipsos found that a majority of parents in each of the 28 surveyed countries said they feel judged by others at least sometimes, with the United States showing the largest proportion—92%—in a tie with Singapore.

At the same time, 89% of Americans who are not parents of a child under 18 admit to judging parents at least sometimes (including 11% very often and 19% fairly often).

Being raised by an entitled parent means seeing your caregivers feel as if the world owes them. According to experts, kids with this experience may emulate their parents and develop a bad attitude themselves.

“Children often learn by what they see. In this case, a child could lean toward entitlement,” says Craig Knippenberg, a therapist and author of Wired and Connected: Brain-Based Solutions to Ensure Your Child’s Social and Emotional Success.

Also, if children realize what’s happening, they might choose to distance themselves from their parents. “Some more empathic children may be embarrassed or ashamed of their parents’ entitlement,” Knippenberg adds. “As they reach adulthood, they make a conscientious effort to avoid entitlement.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean we need to vilify moms and dads who are not on their A game. Last year, the former U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on the well-being of parents, saying, “Addressing parental mental health conditions, and importantly the underlying stressors and causes, is critical for the well-being of children and society.”

In his piece for The New York Times, Murthy cited a recent study by the American Psychological Association, which said that 48% of parents reported that “most days their stress is completely overwhelming.”

The study also noted that 62% of parents say “no one understands how stressed out they are.”

But I think we can agree that leaving your kids with a stranger isn’t the answer to parental burnout, either.

Image credits: freepik (not the actual image)

People were appalled by the parents’ indifference

Reddit user discusses haunted hayride actors scaring guests, frustrated with entitled parents ruining the experience.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing an entitled parents’ haunted hayride and kids left scared by strangers.

Comment discussing a stranger comforting scared kids during an entitled parents’ haunted hayride experience.

Parents on a haunted hayride ignoring scared kids, leaving their children to strangers’ care during the spooky event.

Parents on haunted hayride make scared kids a stranger's problem by tossing toddler to brother during scare moments.

Text explaining what a haunted hayride is, describing trailers pulled by tractors for spooky rides or farm tours.

Comments on a haunted hayride story where entitled parents leave scared kids with strangers to handle fear.

Comments from an online discussion about entitled parents ignoring scared kids during a haunted hayride experience.

Screenshot of a forum discussion about entitled parents at a haunted hayride leaving scared kids to strangers.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing entitled parents and poor customer service at a haunted hayride event.

Screenshot of an online discussion about haunted hayride experiences and how parents handle scared kids during the event.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation discussing entitled parents at a haunted hayride and handling scared kids.

Screenshot of a discussion about haunted hayrides and kids’ reactions to spooky costumes and acting.

Screenshot of a forum discussion about parents on a haunted hayride abandoning their scared kids to strangers.

Reddit comments about calming scared kids during a haunted hayride, highlighting entitled parents' behavior.

Entitled parents on haunted hayride leave scared kids to strangers while others react with humor in online discussion.

Actor in haunted house shares experience of entitled parents bringing scared kids despite age restrictions and warnings.

Comment about entitled parents on a haunted hayride ignoring scared kids and making strangers handle them.

Comment discussing entitled parents at a haunted hayride leaving scared kids as a stranger's problem.

Comment about entitled parents at haunted houses and mazes refusing to let actors scare their kids, creating chaos.

Comment on entitled parents ignoring scared kids during a haunted hayride, making strangers handle the children's fears.

Screenshot of an online comment criticizing entitled parents for leaving scared kids to strangers on a haunted hayride.

Screenshot of a user comment discussing strangers and children in a public setting related to haunted hayride experience.

Comment describing entitled parents at a haunted hayride abandoning their scared kids to strangers.

Comment criticizing entitled parents taking scared kids on a haunted hayride, suggesting they find a sitter instead.

Comment on entitled parents ignoring scared kids on a haunted hayride, causing strangers to deal with the situation.

Text comment on a white background discussing a little sister watching Nightmare on Elm Street before using the toilet.

Text post discussing entitled parents on haunted hayrides, ignoring their scared kids and passing responsibility to strangers.

Text describing a humorous haunted hayride experience highlighting scared kids and entitled parents ignoring their fears.

Commenter discussing entitled parents on a haunted hayride making scared kids a stranger’s problem.

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