Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Note for footballs

42 replies

daisypatches · 16/04/2020 06:28

Sounds really trivial right now but wondering how my boys could go about getting their footballs back. It’s been a few days now and there’s 3 of them. Obviously don’t want them to go knocking as they can’t socially distance. What would be the etiquette with a note? Should the boys apologise for the inconvenience and should we even be putting notes through at all because of the virus? Not sure how we’d get them back otherwise. I know the wife is heavily pregnant so a bit worried about the virus transfer risk but the boys are making me lose my mind as it’s all 3 of their footballs

OP posts:
Hollywhiskey · 16/04/2020 06:42

I think a note would be fine or you could knock and stand well back from the door.
Personally I would text or shout over the fence probably.

OliviaBenson · 16/04/2020 07:01

Are all 3 footballs with with same neighbour?

To be honest, if that's the case I'd be extremely annoyed as your neighbour. Your boys can play other games and exercise.

bulletjournalbilly · 16/04/2020 07:18

Get a grip @OliviaBenson they are kids playing for Christ sake, they can't go anywhere and this could be until September.

A few bloody footballs is hardly a massive hardship.

I can't wait to hear the sound of children playing again and footballs over fences.

I'd happily hand them back OP.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
QualityDog · 16/04/2020 07:42

Perhaps they are aware of them but are leaving them for 72 hours if they are being extremely cautious. It's a tricky one. I'm imagining some sort of enormous net like they have to scoop leaves out of swimming pools might be useful in this situation.

I think I'd go and knock myself and stand really well back and be apologetic and ask for them back. And go from there. They might prefer your boys get any balls themselves during lockdown. Or they might be pissed off about the balls and you might have to order a million spares.

PennyGold · 16/04/2020 07:58

Usually I wouldn't have an issue with footballs going over someone else's garden.
However, the neighbour may be isolating and/or very vulnerable meaning the risk would be massive for them opening the door to kids, or picking up three balls to throw back over.
If they're vulnerable the garden may be (probably is) the only place they can go to be outside safely, but now there's three footballs that have been kicked over that have been touched by children. Then the worry of more coming over, or the kids coming to get them?
I'd highly recommend you taking the footballs off them, and get them something else to play with.
I'd personally leave the footballs, and let the neighbour decide how they want to handle it.

heartsonacake · 16/04/2020 08:02

You need to leave it. If your children can’t play responsibly with a ball in their own garden—and they’ve proved they can’t 3 times now—they shouldn’t be playing at all.

So the balls are a lost cause and you explain to your kids it’s a natural consequence of their actions. You should have warned them after the second that if they did it again with a third they wouldn’t be able to play anymore as they wouldn’t be getting it back.

The neighbour should not be put at risk and further inconvenienced because of this.

Makeitgoaway · 16/04/2020 08:05

Actually in this strange new world this is quite tricky. If it were my neighbour I'd just chuck them back, I wouldn't need asking. But people are odd atm and don't want to touch anything.

Who are the neighbours? Do you know them, would they normally throw them back, are the in their garden much (so know they are there)?.

I think I'd knock, stand well back and have a chat about what the neighbour wants to happen going forward? Should the children go and retrieve them themselves or will neughbour send them back once a week etc? If neighbour is genuinely scared of the contamination, they probably need to pay something else. Sad

JigsawsAreInPieces · 16/04/2020 08:27

3 footballs? One would be bad enough over the fence but 3?

You'd have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting any of them back from me. Find your children something else to play which doesn't encroach on the neighbours.

Swingball maybe. At least that ball is tethered and won't stray into your neighbours’ garden! Hmm

Makeitgoaway · 16/04/2020 08:31

3 footballs in three weeks, in (I imagine) small town gardens, is excessive?

What is your objection Jigsaws? Is it particularly because of the virus or would you normally refuse to send them back?

MrsWhites · 16/04/2020 08:39

Can’t believe that people would seriously be pissed off about children’s footballs coming over a fence!

Op, my sons has gone over our neighbours a few times, he knocks at the door, stands right back and asks her to throw it back when she gets a chance. We then give it a wipe over with a bleach solution like we have been wiping around the house and wash our hands.

OliviaBenson · 16/04/2020 08:46

I'd be very pissed off and no I won't get a grip. Hmm

The loss of 3 footballs is excessive and there are plenty other activities that can be done in the garden.

Notwiththeseknees · 16/04/2020 08:49

Your boys must be slow learners. Why do you think it is acceptable for them to kick footballs into your neighbours garden? She is heavily pregnant yet should be hoisting herself about to collect & return your footballs? If I were that neighbour, I would deny ever having seen them.

Pipandmum · 16/04/2020 08:53

Gosh do these posters have kids? I have a pretty big garden but my son has lost his ball over the fence countless times (and yep broken four windows of my house) in the past. If it was balls over mist days yes that's annoying but really.
If a person is worried about touching the ball use a paper towel. It takes a second to chuck one back.
The other possibility is the people don't know which house it's from? As my garden is bigger than the houses behind there's three with kids that back on to mine.

lastqueenofscotland · 16/04/2020 08:55

I literally couldn’t be less arsed about this. Whack a glove on and throw it back over the fence...

anguauberwaldironfoundersson · 16/04/2020 08:59

Jesus... I'm throwing balls back every day. It's been four years and the kids next door still haven't learned not to kick them over and I'm not holding my breath. The rule in my house is they get them back once a day, if they kick them over again then that's it till tomorrow. Yes, it's annoying but it takes 20 seconds and I just wash my hands afterwards.

bettybattenburg · 16/04/2020 09:00

A few bloody footballs is hardly a massive hardship

Surely that depends what damage they have caused? In my garden I have plants which started as cuttings from my long deceased grandparents which I value, I have glass ornaments from my late father which are special. If your boys broke those with their footballs coming over then they'd not be getting them back any time soon. Stop being so self centred, you have no idea whether it's a big deal.

A few bloody footballs is hardly a massive hardship if they have to go without, you can buy more.

BasilDiffuser · 16/04/2020 09:07

People on this website are so vile.
It’s a ball. Put on some gloves and throw it back.

MrsWhites · 16/04/2020 09:09

I’m glad my neighbours are far more chilled out than the people on here!

Original poster
daisypatches · 16/04/2020 10:27

It was all 3 footballs in one dayBlush I’m embarrassed now. It’s mainly down to our garden not being very ‘kid friendly’ and spacious. It’s full of DH’s BBQs, his shed and various other hobby items. I’ll get them to write a nice note and leave it up to NDN when she throws them back. They’re really nice and have children of their own (girls) so probably quite understanding. At least I hope anyway!

OP posts:
Original poster
daisypatches · 16/04/2020 10:27

Usually they’d play in the street or the local park but don’t think it’s appropriate right now

OP posts:
OliviaBenson · 16/04/2020 10:30

Sorry OP but 3 in one day? You are right about the street and park but I don't think it's appropriate for them to be playing football in your garden either.

Lala241280 · 16/04/2020 10:37

Jeezo it’s 3 footballs . Would hate to have some of you guys as neighbours .
Can you pop a note through the door or contact via social media asking them to fling them back over ?

bigTillyMint · 16/04/2020 10:38

God, clearly none of the refusers have children who love playing football. My DS would have been unbearable without his footballs (well he would have used any ball!) when he was small. Luckily our ndns had a younger DS who also loved footy and kicked his over way more than ours. Infact they sometimes played over the 5ft fence Grin

I do realise that some people are ultra anxious about catching CV (not meant critically) OP, I think a nice note through the door, then try to find an open space they could play in?

HopeYouStepOnALego · 16/04/2020 10:59

Three in one day would be a bit annoying for me, and yes I do have kids. Maybe the NDN is now afraid of letting her own children in the garden in case they touch the balls or get hit by them coming over. I'm sure she won't want them raining down on her new baby when it arrives if she has it in her garden in the pram.

My DM lives next to a primary school playground. She has a 12ft high wire fence (in addition to 6ft wooden fence for privacy) and the kids still kick over several balls a week. What's endearing to one person is a PITA for another.

SavoyCabbage · 16/04/2020 11:08

Of course it's 'appropriate' for children to play in their own gardens.