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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have told a kid off for playing knock door run?

76 replies

FuryFowler · 21/08/2015 16:30

I know it's the holidays, and that the kids are bored! But it's the 2nd time they've done it today. I let it slide the 1st time, but the 2nd time, I happened to be in the hall way and I could hear them outside the door fighting over who should knock!

So I waited for him to knock and flung the door open :)..... Safe to say he looked pretty shocked! And nearly slipped over!

So I told him off and that I had two young children and a dog and didn't want to have to drop everything to open the door, and that I didn't want him breaking his leg on my property by running away and slipping. And that if he did it again I'd go tell his parents!

Am I mean?! I think I was a bit too shouty! (It's the teacher in me :/)

OP posts:
Allisgood1 · 21/08/2015 23:47

No. I remember very clearly being a kid and the same exact thing happened to me. I never ever did it again. YANBU.

SideOrderofChips · 21/08/2015 23:51

And I do believe it's a sign of bad parenting to give your child permission to annoy the fuck out of people just because it entertains them.

The bad parenting is the giving permission.

Lurkedforever1 · 21/08/2015 23:57

Difference is ilive I didn't jump on your post and start offering parenting criticism, so my approval of you wasn't the issue, nor did I object to you having a difference in opinion on playing it. You did. Nor have I said you aren't entitled to your opinion however much I disagree or objected to your posting. But I reserve the right to point out I don't need either your info on anxiety or your opinion.

However we aren't gaining anything constructive hijacking the thread arguing, so agree to disagree.

Lurkedforever1 · 22/08/2015 00:03

side again, I don't give a flying one about what you think of my parenting, and can't imagine what sense of self importance would make you think I would. I actually have a child who behaves well, and tells me when she deviates from perfect. I don't need online randomers to agree. Nor do I care about any warnings your local housing may care to give out.

WhirlyTwos · 22/08/2015 07:44

Yanbu op. Being caught and told off is the risk that makes the game worth playing. You played your part in it exactly as you should have done.

kali110 · 22/08/2015 17:36

No clearly you do not, or you would think about the people your dd and her friends were terrorising,
Yes i use that word because for some wirh crippling anxiety that is what it feels like!

WankerDeAsalWipe · 22/08/2015 17:53

My little shite of an ex neighbours son used to try this from time to time. He was about 13 the last time he tried it, I watched him sneak up in the dark and got myself to the door just as he booted it with his foot - i flung it open and booted back, expecting to catch him in the groin but not realising that he had crouched down so therefore I booted him in the face (i was wearing slippers at the time so no major damage) he's never been back though....

SirChenjin · 22/08/2015 18:33

Just in case I gave the impression I think its just a funny thing that kids do - it's bloody annoying, and any of my kids did it they would fully derserve a bollocking from the person whose door it was. If I found out they'd done that to someone they'd get a bollocking from me too.

AmIthatbloodywet · 22/08/2015 19:32

No, not BU at all.

Not surprised at some posters though.

Lurkedforever1 · 22/08/2015 19:37

kali I address you to my previous posts to ilive.

And for anyone else planning to go down the route of their anxiety, sorry to disappoint you but I'm really the last person to accept that as a reason to agree with you, unfortunately its not going to work as a trump card in this context with me.

kiggenpaws · 22/08/2015 20:36

Nothing like excusing a child being a pita to set a good example....Hmm
When we moved in to our house, it happened quite a few times, think the little (& teenage) brats used to do it to the 92 yr old who used to live here. Third time it happened I stood at the end of my path and declared to DH in quite a loud voice that if I happened to catch whoever was doing it they wouldn't be able to run away due to the broken leg they would be receiving..... Never happened again!

I8toys · 22/08/2015 20:45

We live on a street with a few kids from local school. One kid knocked on our door and ran off. He had a distinctive fluorescent top on bless him and my husband caught the tail end of him running around our hedge. He saw him later in the street - beeped his horn, pulled up alongside him and said Yes what did you want when you rang my doorbell? Bless pooped his pants but still comes around to play on the Xbox.

Narp · 22/08/2015 20:55

It happens round here occasionally. I wouldn't shout at a child who did this - but I have gone out and explained why it's not just a bit of fun for the person whose door it is. I've always had an apology. It's not the crime of the century but it is annoying, and could be scary for some more vulnerable people

My DS2 did it once and got a bollocking from the woman. Very embarrassing and I can't really blame her. It did the trick

borisgudanov · 24/08/2015 10:11

@Lurked

I have a very well able-bodied neighbour who is an arse and whom I detest. I do not permit my children to go and annoy him in his own house.

If I found out that your kids were doing this sitt of thing at my property with your permission I would tell the police, and if you were a tenant I would tell your landlord too. I can't believe you're still trying to justify your position. You're at best enabling and encouraging anti-social behaviour. You know it's against the law, yes?

You should be fucking ashamed of yourself. Now DFOD.

Lurkedforever1 · 24/08/2015 11:10

boris jump to whatever silly conclusions you like about which houses I okayed in your attempt to sound clever. Together with your self righteous tone I find them highly amusing, given I've not mentioned any specifics of which houses her and friends have knocked on or how often. So banging on about it just makes you look silly given I'm the only person on the thread aware of who/when/where they've played it.

Even if the police had an interest in preteens playing it a handful of times, the houses I okayed would piss themselves laughing if some ridiculous person saw fit to report it on their behalf. Far more likely if the police did take it seriously they'd be interested in the kids who'll do it unthinking on anyone door at any time. Personally I'd be ashamed if my 11yr old was doing anything I was unaware of.
Apart from the amusement value I'm getting from your incorrect conclusions, and the fact them old judgy pants must be causing armpit blisters, I don't actually give a shit what you think. No idea what DFOD means either.

borisgudanov · 24/08/2015 11:49

ROTFL, Lurked. Wondered how long it would take you.

Now try that attitude on the judge.

WankerDeAsalWipe · 24/08/2015 12:51

I had a similar argument with someone on a local FB group about the same thing - she thought it was an oh so amusing lark, whereas everyone else was telling her how intimidated/angry/annoyed they were. Anyway crux of it was that everyone who thought it wasn't right all knew exactly where their children were and what they were doing, the only one who didn't? Yeah, you guessed.....

Lurkedforever1 · 24/08/2015 13:22

The judge Boris? Think even if you ignore the practicalities of getting the police interested, they wouldn't get any householder dds knocked on to press charges, unless of course they want charging with the same thing, i.e their kids have played the same thing.

BitOutOfPractice · 24/08/2015 13:27

When did we all get so old eh?

It wouldn't bother me once or twice to be honest. It's not that big deal and we've all done it!

Lurkedforever1 · 24/08/2015 13:30

Irrelevant in my situation wanker. You don't know either me, the kids round here or the area. Nor have I said I find it highly amusing, just that as a kid I did, so I can get why kids do it. And with kids being thoughtless I get to impose some sense through knowing. Round here the parent most likely to get up in arms about it has a dc who the others have fell out with over generally behaving in an anti social way, the least of which is wanting to play it on the sheltered accommodation because there's no chance of getting caught.

PineappleParty · 24/08/2015 14:10

Yanbu, I wor shifts and it drives me insane, I wish I could do the same and give them a bollocking, but the mother of the two that does it, has form for hammering on the door at about 3am and screaming at people who have told her kids not to do something Hmm and I just can't be arsed dealing with that!
So I've recently changed my doorbell to a one that can be turned off and like previous posters I ignore all their door chaps now even if it's to get their ball back.

WankerDeAsalWipe · 24/08/2015 15:11

Actually I wasn't addressing my post directly to you Lurked. If the cat fits though.... As for kids being thoughtless, educating them otherwise is generally the accepted behaviour from a responsible adult. I just don't get why you think it's okay to allow your child to do something you know is wrong, just because you used to do it and you know about it and that you feel you have set some boundaries on the behaviour.

There are things that both DH and I did when we were children that in retrospect were not very clever but would I knowingly allow my own children to do them? Of course I wouldn't, I've instead spent the time ensuring that my children are usefully engaged and occupied and know right from wrong and are respectful citizens - maybe that's a bit boring though. I can honestly say that neither my children or their friends would even think of doing something so idiotic and moronic, I'd like to think that they are not the exception. It strikes me as the type of thing people do when they are not very bright or haven't been brought up well.

CatMilkMan · 24/08/2015 15:14

I got some kids playing this with my hose, it encouraged them to do it again.
I didn't have a problem with it and it was like a fun little game, they knock on my door and try to run away before I get them with the hose.
Then I brought out the power washer and suddenly they didn't want to play anymore.

gembird1 · 07/12/2018 09:12

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FishCanFly · 07/12/2018 10:38

just a while ago there was an incident somewhere in America, where kids were doing just that, and upset some psycho man, who caught one of the boys and beat him black and blue. Play stupid games - win shitty prizes.