To have threatened to pop his balls

[SupercalifragilisticexpialAtro]

The little boy next door (he's about 10) keeps lobbing balls into our garden.

Our garden is about 4m by 5m so when we are out there a heavy leather football lobbing in unexpectedly is quite intrusive. I've got a toddler and will have a new baby next month too. I don't want them getting hit. The fence is about 8/9 ft so they're coming from a fair height. To be honest he must be lobbing them pretty hard to get a, say, 10 foot trajectory in such a small garden.

Last year we were quite tolerant and just threw them back with a smile, his garden is a similar size so I get that it's a bit crap for him too. I tried to be patient. But it just went on and on, he never seems to learn to be careful, and it's always our garden, despite there being two others bordering his garden, suggesting he aims them over here because we are often home and have generally been quite agreeable. I started gently last year and this year asking him to be careful and try not to do it.

So anyway I've got fed up, so I just decided to ignore them this time. In two days we've collected six balls. He just came round to knock for them back and I told him to be more careful because of the toddler and soon to be new baby and said the odd one was understandable and we'd chuck it back, but if we collected six in two days again I'd put them in the bin. As an afterthought I said I'd pop them too.

DH says that was a bit harsh. I'm in a massive pregnancy grump today so I'm finding it hard to look at it objectively.

AIBU?

[Sparklingbrook]

Go round and have a word then, it's the only way to sort it out. Explain ti them how you feel.

[Jollyphonics]

OP I sympathise, it's very annoying. I remember when I had a toddler and a baby, and the kid next door kicked his ball over the fence constantly. I just gritted my teeth and threw it back. Over and over again. I was new to the area and didn't want to make a fuss.

Fast forward 7 years and now the kid next door is a teenager who doesn't play in the garden any more. My kids, however, are out there all the time, regularly kicking their ball over the fence despite me telling them repeatedly to be careful. My neighbours return in with no complaints. I'm so glad I never made a fuss all those years ago!