About the neighbors footballs?

[AnguaUberwaldIronfoundersson]

I'll preface this by saying I am not the perfect neighbor, I don't mow my garden enough (it's always raining, honest!) and my drive needs the occasional sweeping from the debris that the wind blows in... But I am normal and approachable and I try to keep my head below the parapet for the sake of a cordial relationship with my neighbors.

So my husband and I have lived in our home for just over 2 years and this is the beginning of our third sprint/summer. We live in a detached house at the end of the street and only really have a neighbor to our immediate right (as you look at the house). The neighbors are nice enough, always say hello and may take in parcels, send Christmas Cards, etc. You know, the normal neighborly things you do when you're normal people.

I just need to know if I am being unreasonable about the balls... the constant fecking balls!

They have children between the ages of 5 and 10 who love to play out (we're childless) and make a noise and play games and shout and trampoline. That's OK, we accept that, when we actually do get a day that isn't miserable, the kids are gonna want to play out and its the price you pay for living close to others.

But the balls have already started. We spend endless days from April through to late September listening to balls being kicked at the fence repeatedly. Mainly on a weekend but, if we're lucky enough to get home from work at a reasonable hour, then we hear it in the week too.

And then the balls come flying over... It isn't uncommon for us to have at least two in our garden at any one time (there are currently three). They only stop when we stop throwing them back. But because we're trying to be nice, that could be several times a day...

Until late last summer the kids used to lift the fence panels to come into our garden and retrieve the balls. Mum and Dad used to shout at them for this but Dad would sometimes lift the panels himself and send the kids in to get the balls. This became less frequent when the fence panels began to break from the excessive lifting.

It is really getting on our nerves, we are desperately trying to be good neighbors but AWBU to not be expected to throw the balls back more than once a day and AWBU to get annoyed at the kids coming into our garden to get the pissing things!!!

Hopefully in the past four years since @AnguaUberwaldIronfoundersson posted the children have become better at not hitting the fence. Guess lockdown might have been frustrating.

I know this is a zombie thread but wanted to reply to @Sandra2167 recent post - really, you're a truly horrible person, it's hard ti believe you'd act so spitefully to children.

They replied yes, and then I would pop it, and squeeze it flat under my arm. I told them that would happen to every ball in my yard, regardless of size and worth. After I got through six balls, we haven't had any trouble since.

Yeah...right...you ruined the story by saying you got through six balls, because after the first time one of three things would have happened...

1. kid so traumatized they didnt mention to the parents about the insane neighbour but never tried to get the ball back.

2. they told their parents who told them to keep away from crazy neighbour but thought you were too much of a liability to tackle themselves and that you'd escalate it.

3. they went around themselves and told you were a psychopath you were smiling while you destroyed a child's property.

Have a quiet chat and ask them not to kick the balls against the panels. Say you will return balls when you are able, but not to come round. I am always appalled when I read these threads and I suggestions of destroying balls or keeping them. These are a child's playthings and to do so is wholly disproportionate for an adult. My children are now that but older. Next doors range from 5-8. There is noise (kids make this- they do not come with a volume knob), and the occasional ball comes over. I have just asked them to come round and get it (making sure they close the gate) and DH is clear if one of them gets to Wembley he needs a ticket. Life is too short to get this stressy and think how you will be remembered when these kids are adults- they would certainly remember you destroying a football.