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AIBU?

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To be concerned about neighbours 20 month old baby playing in the street?

78 replies

rainwatwe · 10/06/2026 11:11

So basically I have 2 kids, both under 4.
They play in the garden but not in the street.

The other day I was driving back when I saw one of my neighbours kids - a 20 month old baby girl playing on a foot to floor bike with her siblings and the other neighbourhood kids who are all under the age of 8.

The child was on the pavement playing near a road.
There was no adult supervision.
This is the 2nd time I have seen this happen now.
I was a bit shocked at this and also concerned.

But this neighbour is one of those people that is very confrontational as previously she has had the police called on her for verbally abusing a senior pensioner.

Around here most of the kids play unsupervised under the age of 9 though, the parents just leave them too it.

OP posts:
Sunnydaysarehereagain2026 · 10/06/2026 11:47

I reported a family who's tiny toddler played outside in just a nappy. A few other issues like a naked under 5 at the window on a main street.. Ss did visit. Yabu not to report.

SpaceRaccoon · 10/06/2026 11:29

Twenty months old is far, far too young, and horribly unfair on the older children - if something were to happen they'd be scarred for life.

JustBlock · 10/06/2026 11:25

rainwatwe · 10/06/2026 11:11

So basically I have 2 kids, both under 4.
They play in the garden but not in the street.

The other day I was driving back when I saw one of my neighbours kids - a 20 month old baby girl playing on a foot to floor bike with her siblings and the other neighbourhood kids who are all under the age of 8.

The child was on the pavement playing near a road.
There was no adult supervision.
This is the 2nd time I have seen this happen now.
I was a bit shocked at this and also concerned.

But this neighbour is one of those people that is very confrontational as previously she has had the police called on her for verbally abusing a senior pensioner.

Around here most of the kids play unsupervised under the age of 9 though, the parents just leave them too it.

This is how it always was when we were young - all kids playing unsupervised out front - but never at 20 months old. I’m assuming the little one just wants to be involved and the mum doesn’t have the heart to stop them and no umph to make the effort to be out there too. Lazy parenting.

I rarely see this situation now, usually just on council estates or in cul-de-sacs. If she’s confrontational though, even if you mention it and have an argument with her the situation won’t change, so you would be wasting your breath and gaining an enemy at the same time. All you can do is drive carefully around your area.