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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to strangle the kids on the street

18 replies

olibeansmummy · 21/04/2011 11:08

The whole (literally) streets worth of kids have decided to play their ball games directly outside our house, where my car is parked. There's no reason for this, there's 2 big wide turning circle areas either side of the house and a nice grassy area at the bottom of the (short) street. One of the girls decided to play tennis againt the wall of the house opposite, directly infront of my car (that she hit). Yesterday one of them kicked a football which bounced on the roof of my car 3 times and they didn't even seem bothered about this. They've been playing all over what would be our front garder, but it's paved (although not part of the pavement) and one kicked a football down the side of our house and just went to get it! I am right to be annoyed at this, or shoul i just lightenen up as they're only enjoying their holidays?

OP posts:
shinyshoes · 21/04/2011 11:10

not if they are hitting cars. Tell them to play elsewhere. You have every right to be annoyed

SouthGoingZax · 21/04/2011 11:10

Move your car?

Speak nicely to them saying you are worried that your car may be damaged, could they please play down the road a bit?

Lighten up a bit! Take out a tray of squash and biccies and make peace with them!

GypsyMoth · 21/04/2011 11:12

go out looking all horrified that they have hit your car.....they will move away as they will quickly realise its going to happen more and more and then the game gets to be hard work.....they will want to avoid you coming out again,so move away

BristolJim · 21/04/2011 11:19

As SGZ says, tray of biccies and squash and a polite request that they move to a carless place.

I wouldn't go down Tiffany's route. We had tremendous sport when I was a kid seeing how many times we could get the old giffer at no.32 to shout at us for riding our bikes round the roundabout outside his house. Summers of fun. Believe me, you don't want to be 'that' grown-up.

Original poster
olibeansmummy · 21/04/2011 11:22

lol if i move my car i'll annoy SOMEONE else (we have very set places for parking lol and the whole street gets up in arms if you park somewhere else lol). Dh went out the other day and asked them to watch the car but they just looked at him like he'd gone mad. Anyway I shot them a look out the window and they've moved down a bit and are now running in and out of the house opposite's garden (it's the back garden but open for some reason) but then I guess that's not my problem!

OP posts:
Original poster
olibeansmummy · 21/04/2011 11:24

oh i know what you mean BristolJim, I remember hating one woman for ever and ever for threatening to pop our ball once (and she had a nickname from then on but i cant remember it) and I don't want to spoil their fun, just don't want my car all dented!

OP posts:
GypsyMoth · 21/04/2011 11:39

bristoljim....it works for me here. kids are humans and dont realise sometimes that they are causing a nuisance. they are obviouslt unaware as the op says!

DontGoCurly · 21/04/2011 12:00

Tray of biccies and squash!? Isn't that just rewarding them for bad behaviour. They should know it's wrong to damage other peoples property.

I would tell them to move on but I certainly wouldn't bribe them with treats!

southeastastra · 21/04/2011 12:01

try going out and just ask them to be careful, kids usually deal best with being told straight

SouthGoingZax · 21/04/2011 12:03

Don'tgoCurly - they haven't damaged anyone's property - they are just playing out! As children do.

nomoreheels · 21/04/2011 12:41

Playing is important but they shouldn't be anywhere near your car or in your front garden. I'd ask them nicely to move on to the green that you mentioned.

DontGoCurly · 21/04/2011 19:25

I know they didn't damage anything this time but but the ball did bounce on the car 3 times which is fairly careless....I wouldn't shout. Definitely pleasantly ask them to move away in a chatty manner. But no treats!

Am I a mean old scrooge!? BlushGrin

mrswarthog · 21/04/2011 19:37

Am at my wits end with pukey 19 mo, grumpy 6yo & the vile vile teenagers who are crashing into the gates at the end of the mews outside my house. I have tried the calm appeal and am now going to open my compost bin for the smell to poison them. I may be in the papers tomorrow. (bugrin)

mrswarthog · 21/04/2011 19:38

Aaaa no bunnygrin

myhouseWILLbecleanthisyear · 21/04/2011 21:00

IloveTIFFANY - You dont live on a council estate then?

I do and we have exactly the same thing as the OP. Kids all the time playing out in the roads with their scooters or balls or bikes or their trampolines etc. Im not bothered about them being there, but I do worry about my car sometimes. If they smashed a window (which would be an accident) I dont know how Id pay for it (I certainly wouldnt claim on insurance as it would only go up). If I asked them not to play outside my house, they would annoy me deliberately. As thats what kids do. I remember when i was a kid, the next door neighbour of a friend of mine was one of those who NEVER let you have your ball back and I vowed then and there I would not be one of those adults.

I dont get why they have to play in the street (but then again I suppose I did when I was their age) as everyone down here has a back and front garden. The nearest park is at the end of our street. A couple of years ago at the start of the summer holidays a couple of community support people (are they rangers, helpers?) came down our street and put a leaflet through everyone's doors saying its the start of the school holidays and there will be more children on the street so please drive carefully. My view is, its a road. Im pretty sure roads were built for transport not somewhere for kids to play. isnt that what gardens and parks are for? Obviously I do drive carefully BTW Im just annoyed that its seen as a place for the kids to play and cars, bikes etc are second to the children. Surely it should be the other way round and that the children should be considerate of the cars/bikes etc place that they are invading? [buconfused] Hope Ive come accross OK there. Im not trying to say we (as drivers) shouldnt consider the children out there, just that it seems to be seen as the kids space before it is the space for transport. IYSWIM

GypsyMoth · 22/04/2011 08:45

yes,i DO actually live on a council estateWink

aliceliddell · 22/04/2011 17:15

myhouse you are the voice of calm reason in a mad world.

usualsuspect · 22/04/2011 17:20

Kids have always played out ..

Tell them to play up their own end,like the miserable neighbours did when we were kids

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