To ignore the neighbours kids at the door and not throw their ball back over

I had this. It stopped when I started throwing it over the back fence and when they knocked on I would say "I saw it come over but it went right over there! That's impressive!" or "oops, I thought it came from that garden over there so I chucked it that way". After a few times of this happening and them having to walk round the block for it they were more careful. Never came over again. Actions have consequences I guess.

My kids kick balls over all the time- I don't allow them to knock for them... They wait until the neighbour happens to find them and throw them over. They also have to apologise for it by posting a little note (which usually means they kindly return the ball anyway...).
It's certainly helped their ball control develop quickly 😬

You need to speak to the parents about the type of ball they are playing with . We used to have neighbours who had boys who played with proper heavy footballs and I asked the mum to stop it as I had a free range ( during the day ) rabbit that was in danger of being knocked out or worse .

@Charlotteap I had a couple of summers of constant footballs and cricket balls flying into the garden and nearly being hit a couple of times, I threw the balls back straight away if I happened to be in the garden and asked nicely for them to be careful as people are in there gardens and it could hit them.... It continued and they were constantly knocking on my door while I was in the middle of something where they wanted me to go get the ball back pretty immediately. I got fed up in the end and when they knocked I just told them I was busy, I'll throw them back when I'm next in the garden. Next day, throw it back, within an hour or 2 it was back in the garden, sometimes within a couple minutes, so I started extending the time it sat in my garden to days, then sometimes weeks. They got the message because I very rarely get a ball in the garden now.

My garden has locked gates .
Have you got a ring doorbell as you could just tell them you will get it later when you are not busy .

@Charlotteap

Could you not just tell them to come get it? That's what I tell the kids by us. If it comes into the garden, just come get it, no need to knock.

Let the ball down. Every time. When their dm has to keep pumping it up she will share your bad mood about her dc's fucking ball...
Entitled fuckers.

I had this exact same problem. I told the kids that they had damaged my plants, and any further balls that landed in my garden would go directly into the recycling. They didn't believe me at first, and kicked another couple of balls over, when they shouted for me to throw them back I ignored them completely. They sent the dad round to ask for the balls back.

I told him I didn't have any balls, because the bin men had collected them that morning. Then I let him know that his boys had damaged several rare and expensive plants, and when I told them about the damage and asked them to be more careful not to kick the ball into my garden they started doing it even more. So I had warned them that I would not be returning any further balls, and had kept my word. I said I thought that was a better solution than billing him for the damage. He agreed.

Then the little sods wrenched their sister's doll out of her hands and threw it over the fence, jeering at her that she'd never see it again. So I called her over, and carefully dropped the doll into her hands.

I wouldn't send it back....not until they learn some manners

Nah the parent response is totally wrong. I wouldn't be returning the balls.

I get it, I have 2 football mad boys but they play it on the green down the road from us. When they play in the garden (after school, before dinner) and the ball goes over its tough luck, be more careful next time.

You are entitled to enjoy your evenings in peace. I wouldn't even be answering the door in what you've described in your posts. I also wouldn't return them.

I really feel for you, I'm sorry ❤️

Do this. Or tell parents sternly any more balls are confiscated. They’re a nuisance stop encouraging their behaviour. I’d have told them to fuck off the second time, they’re the ones causing trouble

I know it can be very annoying when you are in the middle of getting kids to sleep and so on. I think now and then is ok for sure, but constantly is not ok.

As for me, well my garden backs onto playing fields so you can imagine when the young ones are kicking around right outside the back gate! In fact I was nearly knocked senseless one day when a golf ball, yes a golf ball came in over the back wall and hit me in the back of the head. Stars all round. The teenagers were practising their swing on the empty football pitch!

I now have a bucket of about twenty golf balls. What do I do with them please?

If you've told them and they're not paying attention then you need to lose your shit at them and keep any balls that come over your fence.

I would make it clear that after 7pm you are not returning any balls until the following afternoon. They will soon stop. I suppose you couldn't plant a blackthorn in your gardden? Inch-long prickles to skewer a plastic football with.

Sorry to read that your mum accepts unreasonable behaviour. Keeping the ball will probably be effective.

I wouldn’t answer and I’d go and speak to the parents and ask that they do not play with cricket balls when you’ve got a baby outside. They clearly can’t play without the ball going over constantly. I know it’s common and my son used to end up with his over the fence but I was on good terms with neighbour and we lifted the fence for the kids to come between gardens so he just went and got it. But if it went the other side the German shepherd would pop it, so he knew that no point knocking there.

YANBU. Our 9 yo is not allowed to play football in the (narrow) garden because he can’t hold back and it constantly went over the fence. Fine here and there and ask the neighbour to chuck back over if they’re in the garden, but otherwise we’ve said no and have just got alternative games and if anything goes over the fence I wouldn’t expect to see it until the next day!

It’s annoying for him but it is what it is, I can’t expect people to constantly be sending balls back over for someone else’s child. There are plenty of parks for football!

Why can't you say that sometimes you cannot stop what you are doing (caring for baby) but they will get their ball back as soon as you can do it?

My lovely next door neighbour moved in with three boys (7 to 11) and their football was forever coming into our patio. No problem. They couldn't get into our patio from their garden, so the boys would knock on our door. They were always lovely and polite, and it was hardly a hardship to walk into our patio, retrieve their ball and give it back to them.

Now those boys are grown, we have a lovely relationship with our neighbour. For example, we are having our drive and paths round the house 're done. Neighbour is just fine with the builder storing the bricks on her drive. Neighbour on the other side invited us to park our car on her drive (she has room for two). Live and let live. It can pay dividends.

In my last house, we had football mad young boys next door who knocked for their ball. I work from home so it was disruptive.

I put a little stepladder on our side, so they could hop over into the garden and get their ball if it went over, and be able to get back to their side. Problem solved.

I had massive issues with balls and horrible kids damaging my plants on purpose with their balls. The parents never cared. As long as the kids were not annoying them. I ended up binning all balls that came onto my property. They didn't care about my belongings. Why should I care their balls they put into my garden on purpose!

Stop throwing the balls back and engaging with them. It's a game to them. Don't play it.

Keep the ball, when your baby wakes for a feed in the middle of the night go knock to return it..😉

Thats very annoying! I would tell them they aren't allowed to knock anymore. Whenever you're next in the garden you will throw it back because they're disturbing your little ones. If that doesn't work, I'd go and tell their mam the same. Doesn't have to be confrontational. If it still doesn't work, fuck them just pop the balls 🤣