To dislike children playing on the streets

[massiemal]

It is rather dangerous, noisy and vulgar. AIBU to dislike it?

I love to see children playing out. Our children had a great time playing in the street and on the green space at the end of the cup de sac.

Cul de Sac

Get a grip

Report them to the childcatcher.

I live in a block of flats, there's a block flats either side of me making a sort of square with no 4th wall, in the middle there's a green. All the kids who live in flats play out there, I assume that their parents like it because they can all keep an eye on them and older kids and sometimes grown ups will take towels put to sunbathe. I like it, it's a nice sense of community. And yes sometimes the kids are loud and annoying, but they're not intentionally upsetting anyone.

You're not wrong. There's a kid round here, William and his gang - always loitering and up to no good. Mind, it's usually not too bad unless that Bott girl joins in.

Not like where I used to live, there were these four kids and their dog who were always out - at least semi feral, spent more time outside than inside - but they kept the crime rate right down...

If it's a green it's not really the street, is it? :)

There are still cars driving up and down though, to get to their homes beyond the green. If that's your issue?

Mine started playing out around 7/8 years old, directly outside the house, with me watching them (quiet unmade up no through road, only cars for access, going v slow due to unmade up nature of road). They typically played football, skipped, rode bikes up and down road etc. The advantage of being in the road rather than in the garden is that other children joined in - football in a group is far more fun than kicking a ball around by yourself - as is skipping etc.

As they've got older, they now walk to the shops unsupervised, go to the park for a picnic/to play football/walk (approx 1 mile) to the leisure centre to go swimming.

They're now early teens, and no vandalism or anti-social behaviour etc. On the contrary, they're well adjusted mature children, with good social skills and a huge support network of local friends in addition to their school friends. They seem less social media reliant than those who didn't play out, and more outdoorsy and more aware of others around them, helping out younger children etc.

Obviously, we didn't just open the door aged 7 and boot them out with no supervision. We gradually built up to more and more unsupervised play. I honestly think it's been really good for them, and helped them mature and develop social skills.

Some have tiny gardens, just enough room to sit around not really to play or kick a ball. Some have no gardens, even on streets, because some houses are split into flats.

I love seeing kids playing though, obviously not on busy roads, but quiet residential streets. I like the sound, just them so happy and having fun, I like seeing them run around freely before they become sullen teenagers and then adulthood.

Most kids that are playing out are capable enough and their parents keep one eye out the window. Most of the time they'll also know a few neighbours and are quite safe.

LordEmsworth

Thank you Redrose - I did wonder if anyone else would get it. One of my favourite episodes!

Haha ace, I have bred vulgar ruffians. So happy . sometimes I let them ride their bikes all the way round the corner where I can't see them! Occasionally they even speak to adults and don't adhere to the seen and not heard rule! And guess what? We have 2 gardens and a country park round the corner! I'd ring the social if I we're you, just say it's about Oliver and Fagan, I'm sure they have a rap sheet long as your arm already 😂😂

I live in a flat with a communal garden at the back and last weekend a load of people with young children (some on bikes and scooters) had a communal picnic in the car park at the front - I meant blankets on the ground, could not get cars in....I honestly could not believe they thought this was ok!!

Testicles, I'm never sure whether to feel sorry for little Freddie! I dare say he was quite happy watching play patterns rather than joining in.

My DC play out, yes there are children who are out till 9pm. That imo is wrong at 5 years old!

But my boys play out, they are respectful and they come in around 5:30 usually. I make sure they don't irritate the neighbours and they know any sign of disrespectful behaviour they are in. I don't live near any roads as my house is on a big green aswell. My DC are not vulgar! Quite the opposite.

Don't judge children for innocently playing. Most of us did so back in the 80s/90s and turned out to be decent human beings.

The only time this ever bothers me is when kids whizz out into the road on their bikes and scooters without looking for cars. Happens a lot on my road but I purposely go extra slow in my car when I spot children playing out just to be on the safe side. Other than that, children with common sense and awareness of road safety can crack on and do whatever they like! Surely if the noise is what's bothering you, you'd still hear all the noise if they were in a garden 20 metres away from "the street" no?

Kids who are causing a nuisance or not keeping themselves safe should not play in the street I agree. But plenty of children are considerate and sensible. My dd plays in the street. She chats to her friends, they draw and write under the shade of the trees on the green or climb them. She is very sensible near roads and knows not to go anywhere without checking with me first. There have been occasions when other children have been unkind and she has come home but she is more than capable of dealing with it - a ot of them are children from her school.
My ds plays football so I insist he stays in the garden. Some kids do play football in the road but I don't think it's safe.
So yanbu to say children should't play outside if they are a nuisance or danger to themselves but yabu to say no chidren should play on the street.

And we live on a street with a few little grassy areas to clarify.

Playing on the street is extremely common and vulgar. They should be either playing in the gardens - so they disturb only neighbours looking for a quiet evening in their gardens - or at their iPads and consoles.
I'd be probably asking their parents if they are so poor so they can't afford computer games to keep their brats busy inside if they aren't capable of making them sit quietly in their rooms after they came for school. Don't forget to petition their schools to give them proper homework - they're obviously not learning enough and will end up on social welfare or on zero contracts anyway.

... where should they play and have fun ???
What AGE are you talking about. Definitely supervise toddlers, preschoolers but they should be able to a safely around their own estate once they low where they are allowed to go and not go. Rules should be set and followed . But kids need to play outdoors with friends.

Go and live in a field !! Can't afford it? Suck it up then !

And I don't think my dd is causing a nuisance. Most of the families on our street have children who play outside as well. And our NDN who is elderly always talks about how nice it is to see the little ones playing when it's sunny and will often sit out in the front rather than the back garden when the children are playing out.

Totally agree, I have to creep down my road at like 1mph because of all the kids playing out in the street. And while I understand that kids may want to play outside with their friends I believe my garden (and my neighbours gardens) are plenty big enough for my DD to play with her friends, and have equipment to keep them entertained. She has a sand pit, pool, swings, scooters, bikes, trampoline and 2 slides and still ample room for them to run/scoot/ride bikes. Personally find children playing in the street irritating, especially when stood near my house screaming to each other! I get that some people don't have space for their kids to play outside in their garden but roads are for cars, PARKS are for playing children to run around.