21-year-old college student scolds kids for throwing a water balloon at her, mom defends her kids behavior: 'I kept arguing with her until she closed the door in my face'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 10, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

It isn't easy to know what to do when other people's kids are behaving badly in public. I've had the instinct to tell a kid directly to stop acting the fool, but something always holds me back. Whether it's knowing their parents are probably embarrassed about their behavior or have told them to get their act together about 10 times already, sometimes you want to leave the parenting to the parents. On the rare occasion that I have intervened on a child's bad behavior, it has consisted of telling their mom or dad, just so they know what's going on. It's really not my job to discipline a kid, even if they are a part of my larger community. I wouldn't want to slight a parent by implying they can't discipline or control their kids. However, there are those times when a kid really needs a talking-to by someone who isn't their parent.

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  • This is one of those instances where outside intervention could do no good. A 21-year-old college student was bombarded with water balloons by some rowdy children. When she told the kids to knock it off and informed their mother, she didn't see anything wrong with their behavior. 

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    via Kelly Sikkema

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for confronting a mother who was encouraging her kid to throw a water balloon at me?

    Hi, so this basically happened yesterday when I (21F) was coming home from college. I was with my friend, and we were discussing something when I felt a splash beside me, and some water splashed on my pants. I looked up and saw a woman and a kid trying to hide from our view.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 03
    I was furious because it's not even Holi yet, so why are they throwing water balloons at random strangers, especially those coming home from work or college? I knocked on their door. They didn't answer at first, but I kept on knocking. Then the mother appeared and asked me why I was knocking nonstop. I
    via u/anneisangy
  • 04
    asked her why she was encouraging her kid to throw water balloons at strangers. She just said, "So what? It's Holi." | replied, "It's not Holi yet, and what if we had important documents in our bags?" I kept arguing with her until she closed the door in my face.
    via u/anneisangy
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    Cheezburger Image 10478429696
    via John Thomas

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    My friend told me that I overreacted, but I don't think I did. So, AITA?
    via u/anneisangy
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    Cheezburger Image 10478430208
    via Kunal Goswami

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08
    Fuzzy-Wedding-5701 Need a little more info first. So, did you know the mum/ child at all? I gather by "Holi" you're not American, so, is whatever occasion you're talking about a time when water balloons are normally thrown at people?
    via u/anneisangy
  • 09
    anneisangy OP no i don't know them . basically in holi we play with water and colors but holi is on 14th, its not even here yet
    via u/anneisangy
  • 10
    NaughtyyNugz You had every right to confront them. It's not about being against Holi, it's about respecting boundaries. Not everyone wants to get wet, and people have things like phones, laptops, and important documents that could be ruined. The mother's response was dismissive and r de.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 11
    crilawnc32 Exactly! Celebrating Holi is great, but it should be done with consent. Randomly throwing water at people, especially when they're just going about their day, is inconsiderate and could cause real damage.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 12
    SasssySmut Just because Holi is coming up doesn't mean people get a free pass to throw water balloons at strangers. You weren't participating in the celebration, and they had no right to involve you without your consent. The mother should be teaching her child respect, not encouraging bad behavior.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 13
    may00z NTA are you kidding me i know as the saying goes the mother of dumba es is ever pregnant but best course of action here wouldve been to \... shout at the b as loud and aggressively as possible while getting your sensible, and quite easy to grasp for the sane of mind, point across just in the hope of creating enough emotional trauma in her to hopefully deter her stupid a from engaging in such behaviour for the foreseeable future, since somebody stupid enough to not see whats wrong with thi
    via u/anneisangy
  • 14
    Nightingale- NTA. She seems far, far too old for this childish nonsense. Has she not been through college before? Throwing any objects at random strangers on the street could possibly be considered assault and battery. I understand wanting to encourage your child having fun, but never so at the expense of others. The second-hand embarrassment here is insane.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 15
    Besides, I find it completely BS that she completely ignored your point - "what if there were important documents?" Your college grades are far, far more important than her child's moment of (extremely inconsiderate and thoughtless) fun. You are absolutely not overreacting here.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 16
    Necessary_Try5121 as an african, i already know asians have the same "show respect to elders no matter what" bulls you're NTA. forget what your friend says—she's probably non-confrontational. you stood your ground. the mom sks. because why the h_ I are you pouring water on someone, especially someone you don't even know? i can be petty too. i'd retaliate and say, "so what? it's holi."
    via u/anneisangy
  • 17
    SunRemiRoman Definitely NTA It's not Holi, which would have made it ok because everyone would be expecting it and prepare accordingly. But that woman was stupid to do it now!
    via u/anneisangy
  • 18
    Sodium_Junkie624 As an Indian, Holi is not some free pass to throw stuff at strangers. That's what designated events are for
    via u/anneisangy
  • 19
    Foggyswamp74 It's like the people who go trick or treating on days that are not Halloween and then get mad that we don't have any candy.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 20
    Regular_Boot_3540 NTA. Nobody wants to be wet (or have paint on them- -doesn't Holi involve colored powder?).
    via u/anneisangy
  • 21
    GreedyEmployment5377 NTA. Similar thing happened to me when a little boy deliberately poured his juice on my pants (mind you my earpods were in my pocket. I tried confronting the mother to correct her child, but she kept downplaying it saying that it wasn't that big of a deal and laughed in my face and quickly pulled her son to the back. I just smiled and said 'okay, I guess this won't be that big of a deal as well' so I got my ice coffee and splashed it on both her faces and
    via u/anneisangy
  • 22
    walked off. The mother was furious and started calling me names and tried to follow me, but the little brat threw a whole a tantrum so she couldn't move. I just walked away with my middle finger up in the air. I honestly didn't gaf if it was an accident or felt any remorse whatsoever. Teach your child that their actions do have consequences.
    via u/anneisangy
  • 23
    _mother_of_moths_ NTA- idk what I'd do in this situation but I'd be P I wear hearing aids -and for those of you that don't know, hearing aids are super expensive. Like my pair was $4k and insurance was like "lol good luck fam"- and getting hearing aids wet is a big no-no. of mother encourages such behavior?? kind ED.
    via u/anneisangy

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entitled parents students kids crazy things parents say water Balloons Holi parenting little kids balloon Parenting Fail water balloons college student Parenting FAILS
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