Seriously?

[pitc9]

I guess my satellite dish being damaged and my boys being regularly woken up from their naps by balls banging on my roof has taken away my sense of humor where these kids are concerned

Oh yeah... I could see how you wouldn't think it was funny at all.

[moosmom]

Missy,

I know exactly how you feel!! I lived in a complex on the third floor. Every morning, school kids, bored waiting for the bus, would come into the lobby and randomly ring door bells. Mine was ALWAYS being rung at 7 a.m. (I worked nights at the time). Me first thing in the morning is NOT pretty!! I reached my breaking point. One day I ran down in my pj's, grabbed the kid by the scruff of his shirt (I know it's a no-no) and told him I know where he lives and WILL be contacting his parents if I see him in our building again (I also had my "psycho" face on ). That was the last ding-dong I got so early.

[Freedom]

One day I ran down in my pj's, grabbed the kid by the scruff of his shirt (I know it's a no-no) and told him I know where he lives and WILL be contacting his parents if I see him in our building again (I also had my "psycho" face on ). That was the last ding-dong I got so early.

That would stop just about anyone, I imagine. By any chance did Moo take a photo of this?

I never did it, but knew kids who did. I never saw the point of it myself. I've had it done here at my house a few times, usually around Halloween. Who would do it? The same kids who phone to ask if your refrigerator is running!

[carole]

Hmm never had it done to me, never did it ,and my kids never did either to my knowledge, i have had the refrigerator call though.

[K9karen]

Guilty in the 60's. Not funny when it happens to you, though.

[Twisterdog]

When I was young the back door of our house was opposite the back door of our neighbours so the kids used to tie string round the handle, stretch it across the alley and do the same to our neighbour - then ring the bells!

Result?

Both sides pulling at the same time and neither being able to open the door!

*snort* ... Not that I'm condoning mischief, understand ... but those were pretty clever kids. LOL

[Karen]

Missy, call their mother(s) explain two small boys at home, and hopefully she'll remember how vital naptime is and scold the kids.

[Sirrahsim]

Missy, call their mother(s) explain two small boys at home, and hopefully she'll remember how vital naptime is and scold the kids.

I thought about doing this but decided to just let it go most of the time. If I ask them to leave but tell them they can come back after whatever time they will usually respectfully leave and come back. They don't get out of school until close to the end of naptime anyway so it isn't a huge deal. I try to be a little cool about it

[joycenalex]

...or you could send donna (moosmom) after them...just a joke, really

[Karen]

I thought about doing this but decided to just let it go most of the time. If I ask them to leave but tell them they can come back after whatever time they will usually respectfully leave and come back. They don't get out of school until close to the end of naptime anyway so it isn't a huge deal. I try to be a little cool about it

Hmm, maybe start keeping a tally - and for every time they ring and run, they need to repay you with doing a chore for you! Something innocuous but tedious, like washing windows or something ... That'll take the fun out of it.

[Medusa]

It's been my experience that if you say something to the kids about it, they'll graduate to something worse. They'll eventually stop if they see that it doesn't bother you (even though it clearly does). I've had far worse things happen to the point where I, like Donna, freaked out one day, charged right into the kid's house where his mother was sitting in the kitchen drinking a coke, I grabbed him by his shirt, pinned him up against the wall and said some things that I shouldn't have. (No, no foul language, but I spelled out exactly what would happen to him if he came on my property again for any reason.) I don't know who was more shocked, the kid, his mother, my son or me. Try to let it go.

[DJFyrewolf36]

I'm sadly guilty of dorbell ditching too...we did it to my neghbors grandmother as she was babysitting us while our parents were at work. Sigh, in retrospect it was mean to have her get up and answer the door while we hid in the bushes and laughed...but as a kid it was oh so funny.
I wasn't exactly a nice little kid though, I pulled quite a few pranks. Nothing overtly destructive though

[Sevaede]

...or you could send donna (moosmom) after them...just a joke, really

*snort* Good idea!

[Barbara]

Guilty in the 60s- seems to be an international thing
And while being at it: anonymous phone calls to neighbors pretending something weird, stealing fruit from their gardens, playing soccer on the street and hitting a window with the ball...............
Consequences: some really big scars on my knees because when you ahve to run away quickly you can easily fall

[moosmom]

I remember years back (in the 60's) my cousin and I used to spend Saturday nights at my grandparent's house. We used to call this phone number where an elderly African American gentleman would answer, "Praise the Lord and glory to God, how may I help you??" We'd give him all sorts of pathetic stories about how we were orphans and had no food (we were about 9 at the time), any sorry story we could come up with. He'd say a prayer with us, talk to us for a while and then the call would end. So I guess I'm guilty too.