that neighbours should not verbally reprimand another neighbours child for emptying birdfeeder

[MamaMaiasaura]

What do you think? If a 9ish year old child deliberately emptied bird seed out of a feeder (not theirs) for a laugh do you think the owner of the feeder should have had words with the kid?

[Jimmychasesducks]

yes

[Thunderduck]

Yes.

[LightningBolt]

yes,it is not their property.

[duchesse]

Yes, definitely they should. Wtf is wrong with this country that children are allowed to run feral and nobody feels they can say anything to them?

[MamaMaiasaura]

Good. I think I am seen as the local witch here. I had words with a girl after she did this to our birdfeeder. Wasnt really horrid and she did own up to it. Did the whole 'why would you do this?' 'how does it make you feel?' 'Are you able to afford to replace it?' (she doesnt know bridseed is cheap) etc. SHe looked very sheepish and was sorry, didnt help i did infront of a large group of her mates. Her mum called her in and I expected a knock on the door.

Have had 'words' with other kids in teh neighbourhood only to have their parents banging on my door having a real go at me for upsetting their precious child.

Phew, thought world had gone mad, hence my cagey start to the thread.

[brandonsflower]

Yes. I reprimand other peoples children if they misbehave in my garden, or in my view when there is no-one else to do it. Never unfairly though and never agressively, and I'm more than happy for people to do the same to mine!

[AnyFucker]

oh, yes

[Heated]

Relish your rep as scary neighbour not to be crossed.

Parents are complete normans and deserve everything that's coming to them in her teenage years.

[screamingabdab]

I do and would reprimand other people's children, as I would expect others to reprimand mine, if they were out of order.

However, I think you have to tone it down a bit for other peoples' children (general point, not directed at the OP)

[screamingabdab]

< waits for pedants to challenge my use of apostrophes >

[hambler]

well done op!

[MamaMaiasaura]

Heated - but not nice for ds1 who has to deal with the fallout.. though his words were 'that was so cool mum, i had to hold my laugh in'.

[raffyandted]

Yes. And if my son did that I would expect the same treatment for him.

[MamaMaiasaura]

ONe neighbour came around after i refused to buy some weird concuction (sp) her grandson had made and then rang bell (sign on door saying 'dont ring bell, baby sleeping).. hence ds2 wakes up screaming as at the time bell terrified him. Me at front door, screaming baby in arms thinking its an emergency. Boy of 8 asking me for a quid for a glass of what looks like piss. I say no I dont want to buy it thanks, and i have a very upset baby and did you not read sign on the door. ALl this with ds2 crying. Boy goes to his gran, she comes to my door, screaming at the top of her voice 'what have you done to him?', he is hysterical (seriously) sobbing. I feel bad he is so upset but have my hands full. Say look i didnt mean to upset him and try to tell her what happened. She isnt hearing any of it, screaming at me that i am a witch and I terrorise the local kids... and that her grandson can bever come over to play again (he is actaully a sweet kid). THat was 6 months aago, still he wont talk to my ds1. She also did all this screaming infront of her grandson and another couple of kids.. Another one of whom i'd had a word with months before. He'd been swearing at ds1 and then asked if wanted to come and play. I said that he didnt as he didnt like to be called names and that isnt how you treat people.

I am obviously really mean and witchy

[hambler]

Awen, your neighbours are nutters

[screamingabdab]

Awen. Were you wearing a Scream mask at the time ?

[Heated]

...and possibly all interbred

[MamaMaiasaura]

just my normal face... perhaps i should have donned a mask.. far less scary.

[lepirate]

cars, birdseed, piss

you are a saint!!

[mumeeee]

Yes

[MamaMaiasaura]

Lepirate I thought i was completely intolerant.. did i mention incessant DIY.

The cars, their kids are lovely.

The birdseed - wanting to find the whole feeder gone now.. but no parent hammered at door (phew)

The piss.. well, that is a mystery.

Could also put in parking issues, dogs running loose and into our neighbours house, barking at the kids and nicking one of thier toys and legging it..

We moved here for the quiet life too..

[simplesusan]

Blimey Awen you seem like a saint to me.

Tell the lot of them to sod off whilst you secretly practice the art of making voodoo dolls with the sole intention of sticking several pins in the eyes of each doll.

[KiwiKat]

When two friends told me a year ago that they thought I was sometimes a little too strict with ds, I was really upset to think that this was true, and how people saw me. However, when I was talking about it later that night to dh, he was surprised and said, "X and Y said this? Their daughters run rings around them, and they do nothing about it!" We'd often talked about how soft their treatment of their daughters was - and still is today - and I was fine again. Some folk are protective of their kids when it comes to other adults, and some folk just discipline their children differently - if at all in some cases!

Good for you for dealing with it firmly and politely - the child will no doubt respect you for it.

[junglist1]

I wouldn't like someone screaming at my child but if they were disrespecting property as far as I'm concerned a telling off would do them a bit of good. As an example, on the tube recently my 6 year old was all arms and legs and kept accidently kicking a womans leg (her property). He wouldn't listen to me so she snapped at him to be careful.Then he became Sirmeekandmild and I could relax.

[oldraver]

Think I would of said to screaming Granny on the threat of her child not being allowed to play with mine "thank f**K for that"