To think that children are getting worse?

[Amy214]

Younger ones that is. Me and dd (2years old) were on a walk earlier and there was a group of young boys (between 7&9) playing football in a no ball game area. I asked nicely if they could stop just whilst dd was walking past as the ball was flying everywhere and they were kicking it really hard. Fair enough the leader was telling his friends to 'watch' but i wasnt talking to him i was talking to his friends. And this boy got very angry and asked me if i was deaf or stupid, i asked could he please not talk to me like that and he said well dont look at me like that, ripped his glasses off as if to try and start a fight and jumped forward to try and scare us off. I repeated please dont talk to me like that in front of dd its not very nice, he then told me to f* off and i asked him where he lived so i could talk to his mum, he pointed to his house and i said thanks ill be around later. I then walked away and he kept shouting 'just you walk away' i was nearly home when i seen him run into his house to probably tell his mum about me. His mum is very intimidating so im expecting her to show up at my house and rip my head off. i would be mortified if i knew/heard dd talking to people like that, when did children get so cheeky? I know i was wrong to ask them to stop but i thought they would be understanding! How wrong was i?

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

When I was a kid the naughty kids were quite violently fighting setting fire to stuff and pretty much being criminals not just a bit of rudeness.

Most kids these days are just gobby but don't have a clue about real bad behavior

[Amy214]

Why should i have to pick her up? They should have the respect to stop for 2 seconds and then continue. Its how i was brought up so i expected it to be roughly the same with kids these days. I asked nicely because i didnt want to frighten them plus i didnt want to get my head ripped off by their parents (she still hasnt came around)

[Boolovessulley]

I think the boy was rude.

as to whether kids are worse now I don't know.
The thing I'm sure of is kids are less afraid to challenge authority than they used to be.

[JustLostTheGame]

Because theyre less likely to get beaten up by those in authority for challenging them.

[NannawifeofBaldr]

I'm not sure what respect has to do with it TBH. I'm just not sure why a whole group of people has to stop what they are doing just because you are walking by?

[Boolovessulley]

Nana- the op has said that they were kicking a ball in an area deemed no ball games.

[NannawifeofBaldr]

Boo yes, I got that, but unless the kids were deliberately targeting the ball at her DD (which she doesn't say in the OP) I can't understand why you wouldn't just walk out the way of the game or pick up your child.

[BrandNewAndImproved]

There's being nice and being a pushover.

I get drunks outside my flat being noisy quite frequently as there's a bus stop outside. I've perfected the oi you're being to noisy and waking my dc they don't my dc sleep through everything tone. It's being nice with a steel I won't be so nice if you fuck with me tone.

If I said oh drunk people please stop being so noisy in an annoying I'm stopping your fun way they'd probably tell me to piss off. Not saying you're wrong here op just that pointing out others are in the wrong and telling them to stop doesn't go down very well with dc or adults.

[saoirse31]

Yeah I'm not seeing why u tried to stop them playing. Is no one allowed kick ball near ur child?? I think asking them to stop playing because you were walking past is such a weird and ridiculous thing to do tbh.

[Amy214]

They were playing football on a tiny patch of grass next to parked cars and next to a public footpath (also right next to a road so if they run across to collect there ball they are going to get run over) and yes they were kicking the ball really hard and it was flying all over the place, there is a massive field nearby for that exact purpose. What was i supposed to say 'stop kicking your fucking ball?' people used to say that to us when we were younger and take the ball off of us and burst it with a knife right in front of our faces! They were playing football in an area with a massive sign in black capital letters NO BALL GAMES so asking them to stop is reasonable. If they end up denting someones car whos responsible?

[BrandNewAndImproved]

It's not your problem if they dent someone's car and it's not your problem that they're playing football where a sign says no games. You are not a pcso or someone with authority to go around telling children off.

I now think you just wanted to tell them off and it backfired on you. My grans like this she tells random people off and then gets upset when people are rude to her. If they aren't your dc, they aren't doing something like throwing sand at other people's kids for example and they weren't damaging your property you need to mind your own business.

[saoirse31]

You're not responsible. Kids play football, everywhere. They were keeping eye out for u and your dd per ur op. But this wasn't good enough for u. Seriously, should everything stop for u and dd to walk by?? If you'd said thanks to the kid who was telling his friends to watch out your post might have been a lot different.

But enjoy what's hopefly a nice sunny day where u are with ur dd, and hopefully there's not too many children around ignoring signs to disturb your peace.

[LittleLionMansMummy]

Sounds like an awful situation op and he sounds like a chip off the block. But no I don't think children generally are getting worse.

Ds (5) lost his lego ninjago at the attached junior school on Thursday and was distraught when I collected him. We went back to look for it and some older children saw he was upset, came over to ask if he was OK and told him they'd help look for it. When it didn't turn up they tried to reassure him that they'd keep their eyes open for it. Similarly we go to parks and soft play areas and most of the children we come across, particularly those who are a few years older than ds, are very much the same.

Don't let one bad experience cloud your judgement. I always get so annoyed when I hear people say "tut, teenagers today - we had more respect in my day!" Most of three teenagers I've met are actually lovely (even if their parents don't agree!)

[Amy214]

I asked them to stop kicking the ball for 2 seconds, i didnt tell them off i asked them nicely. The sign clearly states no ball games xxxxx council. I dont think shouting watch is really looking out for anyone, we were with my mother who is deaf how is she meant to hear this? I have came across plenty of rude children who have no respect for other peoples stuff. Sorry i have to avoid every footpath around here because people are playing football. There is a field literally 2 seconds away from where they were with no paths, car or roads.

[TheFuckersBitingMe]

I think that's where you went wrong; asking nicely sounds like they're the ones with a choice, and in control. Tell them very straight what you expect. Don't swear or get cross, just quietly state what you want. We live a few hundred metres from a park and have two DCs (10 and 5) who go there often, most kids are lovely but there's always the odd one who'll behave like a bellend; you just have to pull rank and give them your don't-mess-with-me voice.

[JustLostTheGame]

Sounds like youre going to have fun times living there if youre going to insist on this approach OP. Good luck.