They're back

[Sirrahsim]

The teenagers that were playing football in my side yard this spring are back... They are loud, they are rough, and they are driving me crazy. Unfortunately that side yard is also my neighbors side yard and their son is one of the ones playing so I'm sure that he feels entitled to play there. Just like I was this spring, I am now living in fear for my very expensive pole-mounted satellite dish that they are playing around and in irritation from the frequent BANGS of people/footballs/heaven knows what banging into the side of my house...
I don't know if I have the energy to kick them out of my yard again. Why can't they just play somewhere else??? There is a HUGE field and park ONE block away.

[sasvermont]

Hmmmmm. I don't recall the post from this spring.

Boy, this is a tough call. I think there is room for compromise. I think the fact that the area is common, you can't say they cannot be there. You can however, ask them to be more considerate and keep the noise to a minimum as well as NOT throw the football near your house or dish. I would talk to their parents, yes? Every parent, I hope, can identifiy with quiet and the need for protecting your hard-earned money paying for your house and dish. I would also keep a log of the times, number of times etc. they drive you nuts, and use that to plea your case. You are entitled to peace and quiet, just don't know what level!

The kid next door to me was dealing drugs and playing basketball at the same time......in the drive right next door to my bedroom window. I tolerated it for a couple of years. Darkness was my friend, as they didn't have flood lights to play beyond light hours. The kid finally ended up in rehab and has since dropped his friends (he grew up and got a &^^&** job)....so it is no longer an issue.

You could go sit and watch them and make them feel uncomfortable.....take you children outside too....maybe they will learn to share the space in a civilized fashion! Your children may be a good influence on the varmits!

Kids can be such a royal pain in the butt. You know what though? Your kiddies will grow up and want to play ball in the yard.......and then what will you say? Hopefully, you will know to ask them to be considerate of the neighbors etc. etc.

I would go to their parents.

Good luck.

I feel your pain.....

[Hellow]

Kids can be such a royal pain in the butt.

Gee, thanks for the complement lol!

[caseysmom]

I love to see the neighbor kids playing ....however...my neighbor kids were throwing rocks over my fence so I just told then to knock it off, they were much younger though...no fear of retaliation.

I think gently reminding them to please be careful not to damage your property would be appropriate.

[jackie]

Ugh! I feel your pain!

My house is in a complex of 16, and I am right next to the pool.

My neighbors basically lock their children out of the house and they are constantly around the pool, screaming, not playing, SCREAMING.

For the first couple of months I quietly seethed over it, then I started asking them nicely to play quietly... Didn't work, now I just tell them to go scream in front of their own house, where their mother can stick her head out the window to tell them to shut up.

[Trinityagain]

Bagpipe music works wonders...

the house 2 down from us has a pool and they were out there every night during the nice weather. I love the sound of children laughing..giggling...but this was screaming and screeching constantly. The father would come out and yell at them but the words he would use were turning the air blue as my mother would say...so one day, after coming home from my 2nd job with a bit of a headache, my husband and I propped one of our stereo speakers in the window and played a bagpipe tape...very loudly. It worked, they went in the house about 5 minutes later...

[Twisterdog]

I know kids can sometimes be loud and irritating. I have a whole house full of them sometimes.

I have to say, though ... at least they are playing football, and not smoking crack, breaking into houses and cars, vandalizing, etc.

As the very sad, heartbroken mother of a teenage boy in trouble, it would be the answer to all my prayers if he would just play a game of football with his friends again. I'd give anything I owned, I'd cut off my own arms just to see my son being loud and happy and boisterous with his buddies and a football again.

Here is what I would do ... bake them a big plate of cookies and buy a twelve pack of soda pop. Go outside when they are playing and say, "Hey, guys! It looked like you were working up an appetite and a thirst out here playing so hard, so I made you some cookies. Great game! Who's winning? Blah, blah, blah. Hey, and by the way guys, can I ask you one little favor? Could you just watch out for the satelite dish while you're playing? Thanks!"

I PROMISE you, you will win them over, and they will be forever careful of your windows and satelite dish.

Every sweet little baby boy, God willing, grows up to be a loud, rowdy teenager. If loud and rowdy during a game of football is they worst it gets, then God has truly blessed those boys and their parents. Pray for that for every little boy.

[sirrahbed]

Here is what I would do ... bake them a big plate of cookies ... Go outside when they are playing and say, "Hey, guys! It looked like you were working up an appetite and a thirst out here playing so hard, so I made you some cookies. Great game! Who's winning? Blah, blah, blah. Hey, and by the way guys, can I ask you one little favor? Could you just watch out for the satelite dish while you're playing? Thanks!"

Pray for that for every little boy.

[sirrahved]

What twisterdog said!

Or... walk around with your curtains open in curlers and a goopy face mask. Have Paul constantly scratch inappropriate places. Oh, and pick your nose, too. Don't forget to change poopy diapers in front of the window! They should stay FAR AWAY then!

[Sirrahsim]

lol Devon!!
You know twisterdog, that isn't a bag idea... but in this day and age I'd probably end up serving a cookie to someone with a latent wheat allergy and getting sued for all I'm worth..
I don't think I'm being mean for not wanting them to play there simply because there is a huge field that is perfect for football playing just one block over..

[Twisterdog]

lol Devon!!
You know twisterdog, that isn't a bag idea... but in this day and age I'd probably end up serving a cookie to someone with a latent wheat allergy and getting sued for all I'm worth..
I don't think I'm being mean for not wanting them to play there simply because there is a huge field that is perfect for football playing just one block over..

I doubt you would get sued. What you would get is admired.

Let me tell you a story. There was a boy who lived down the street from me. He was a big, rough kid, to say the least. Rumor had it that he was in a gang, everyone feared this kid. One day he is skateboarding with his friends in front of my house. Noisy, profane, etc. My first thought was to go yell at them. But something stopped me. Instead, I made a pitcher of Kool-Aid.

I went outside and said, "Lee! Come here!" He instantly goes on the defensive, puffing up and swaggering over. "What!?!?" he snarls, obviously expecting me to yell at him, like everyone else always had. I say, "It's got to be ninety degrees out here, if you guys don't drink something you are going to get dehydrated. Here's some Kool-Aid." He stares at me, completely baffled, for a full minute. Then he say, "Yes, maam. Thanks!"

Next, I noticed a little less profanity and garbage on the sidewalk. Then I noticed he started to hang around when I was outside working in the yard, initiating conversations. Then he started to take my garbage cans to the street. Then I noticed his brilliant intelligence, and learned his mom was a drug addict, his dad an alcoholic and he was raising his two little brothers. After a while he started calling me "Mom", raking my leaves, working on my cars.

Now, he is a twenty-one year old, married, with a good job, and adorable baby boy of his own, and two little brothers who are doing great in life, still under his care. He still calls me "Mom". I'm certainly not claiming all the credit for his sucess in life despite terrible odds. But might the fact that one person saw through the tough shell outside to the scared boy inside have helped? He says so.

Will it matter in five years, Missy, if your house got bonked with a football? Will it matter in a year, or a month? What might matter, however, is that a kid was treated with a little respect and dignity, instead of condemnation and distain. You never know the tiny act or word of kindness that might be the turning point in a life.

[sasvermont]

Very good point to try to negotiate in a civilzed fashion! My ideas were um, creepy, at best. I like the idea of winning them over with food and drinks. Kids are kids. We were all there. Hopefully someone will steer them in the right direction. I guess what is being said is that it is better and easier to be part of the solution rather than being part of the problem?

Good luck with the cool-aid and cookies!