you shouldn't let them play out there?
Next door-but-one have 3 under three. The two toddlers have laid waste to my strawberries (open plan patio type garden) over the last couple of months. If they were eating ripe ones, I wouldn't be so bothered but they're simply picking off the leaves and green fruit for the fun of it. Parents have had to resort to physically dragging them off today after DP and I stormed out there (DP works from home, I work shifts). Parents' attitude is that it's only a few strawberries. My attitude the first time was ok, it's an accident. Now, the 7 or 8th time, I want them to control their children. And their stroppy self-justifying mouths!
There is also a steep concrete staircase leading almost directly to the main road - my cat went under the wheels of a car there 4 months ago when a driver didn't see him. What chance does a 1yo have?
The children are regularly outside without an adult. I often here one or other parent shouting from the house, with the children paying no attention. I have ushered (no physical contact) them in on more than one occasion.
There's a perfectly good play park across the road. There is an elderly and possibly mentally ill older lady in the block, who has been known to be verbally abusive to noisy children outside her flat. The parents know this.
In my defence (because this all sounds like I'm a child-hater when I'm really not) next door are expecting the third of a similar age group, they are lovely kids who play nicely and have beautiful manners. Their DC2 broke my teracotta gnome today and Mum approached me to apologise when really there was no real need - kids like to explore and sometimes have accidents.
AIBU to be absolutely fuming at the first set of parents, though?