Rassenfrassen neighbors!

[Tink]

I've had to chase the neighbors kids home from my place 3 times so far today. They play on my front steps, open the door and call my dog to get him outside to play with them, pick my flowers, sprawl out on my lawn furniture, pull stuff out of my mailbox, and no one but me even notices!

Their dog is here chewing on our cat, stands on it's hind legs with it's front paws on the screen door looking in, and is out in the road a lot making traffic stop to avoid it.
Calling the county humane society does no good, as I tried them with another dog they had and were starving on the end of a chain.

I'm just SO frustrated! I can hardly wait to get our fence up, hoping it will help keep them away. I keep telling the kids not to come over without their mom, but it doesn't seem to sink in. I'm afraid they're going to get hurt and sue us, or some darn thing. My front yard is NOT set up as a playground for preschoolers!

I don't want the job of watching their kids!

[Marilyn]

Oh, my!! Can you call Child Protective Services or something??? Surely this would be unacceptable to them.

Hope things get better very, very soon!!!

[Janet]

Tink, I would absolutely hate having that on my shoulders. People sue over anything anymore.

Couple things you could try is to make sure the parents know you don't want their kids over at your house enticing your dog and destroying your flowers and plants. If that doesn't help, call the local police...not so much as a complaint, but to have them come talk with the kids. I know our police are real good about keeping a good relationship with the kids and will just talk with them about the law, the dangers and being good neighbors.

[DianaB]

I would consider them free help and put them to work!!! Tell them that before they can play in your yard that they have to pick up sticks, hoe weeds, mow the lawn, or some other awful job. Hopefully pretty soon they'll quit coming over to avoid having to work. Make it something that's kinda' hard to do.

[Tink]

Diana, at 3 and 5 there's not much of use they can do. ;(
They were here at 8:30 this morning already.
I had left a leash hanging on the railing outside last night because Moses peed on it, so I didn't want to bring it in. The kids decided to bring it in "for me" so I made a big deal out of the fact that it had been covered in dog pee hoping to gross them out and sent them home. It didn't seem to bother them at all.

It's not like our houses are terribly close... if this were a city block, there'd likely be 3 other houses between ours! They just don't know enough to stay away.
I'm probably the only adult they see on a regular basis who doesn't yell and swear at them, but if they keep this up that too might change. The yelling part anyway...

[judy]

They're 3 and 5? I really hope that fence keeps them out. We already know that their parents are just awful.

You might want to get something into writing (I watch The People's Court every day!)
to their parents about your not wanting them over there unsupervised by a parent in case of an accident. After she doesn't come with them, I would then send something in writing to Children's Services and the head of your city's police, along with a copy of your letter to the mother. At least, if anything does happen, you might be covered
because you can show your written requests.

I really feel sorry for the kids, as I'm sure you do, but you're not their nanny.

[DianaB]

Maybe, if you have time, you could read them a Bible story and give them a small snack. If they are treated that poorly they would probably soak up a little attention from you. After they're done you could send them home. It's hard to know what to do with bad neighbors. I had some when we lived at our old house and I wish that I had handled some things a lot differently looking back. Good luck.

[Willow]

I apologize for coming late to this, as I have just popped back on the site, but the fact that they have a 3 and 5 year old just wandering while they are where??? floors me! I have 4 kids 8, 6, 3 1/2, and 2 and I know where they are every second!! and if I don't know where they are I am in a full blown panic....I can't imagine paying so little attention to my kids that they could wander to the neighbors!!