Child using my front garden as a shortcut

[hairyheadphones]

Every single day two children (brother and sister 4 and 2) use my front garden as a shortcut.

I live on a corner house and they walk through to get to there road, their mum walks round the normal way.
I don’t like it as they walk right past my windows which feels like an invasion of privacy, they wind up the dog and it’s dangerous. One entrance is a driveway and there are high hedges all around the front garden, if the children are in the front garden I won’t see them when reversing my car.

I asked the mum to tell them to stop as it’s dangerous but they haven’t. AIBU to expect someone not to allow their children to do this?

And some people are unfunny mean girls.

Ridiculous that you are having to buy anything to stop these children walking through your garden, especially as you have already spoken to the mum. Agree with the idea of dog poo. Pretty sure the mum will stop them using your garden when she has to clean it off them. WI’ll serve her right for being so twatish.
Mind you, given her sense of entitlement, wouldn’t be surprised if she knocked on your door to complain and expect you to clean it up!

*Will serve her right

Dress up as Pennywise and then peer out the window, make your living room dark so you look scary.

Otherwise, save up dog poo, get from other dog owners, plant enough that they can't dodge it 😁

Dress up as Pennywise and then peer out the window, make your living room dark so you look scary.

Follow them home, and walk round their garden?

Follow them home, and walk round their garden?

Love this ....

Do you need to have that entrance to your front door? Can you just block that off. And use the driveway entrance?

Taking them back to the way in is the best idea. Inconvenience her by making her retract her steps.

I agree the mother has been very rude not stopping them off her own back, but even more so when you have asked!

But honestly, they’re 2&4 is it really a big deal if they walk across your grass? So what if they can see in, it’s hardly like they’re casing the joint.

I know most people are joking about sprinklers & buckets of water etc, but I bet some would actually do it.

Re you backing out, you shouldn’t be! You should back onto your driveway and drive forward out if it if your visibility is poor backing out

"But honestly, they’re 2&4 is it really a big deal if they walk across your grass?"

At what age does it stop being OK?

Forgot to say, if they hurt themselves, the mother will probably cause a stink & try to blame Op.

I had this exact thing about 25 years ago.
I blocked the driveway entrance off because I didnt have a car.
Out in the garden one day when I heard the lady I knew and her kids coming down the road. I went and stood infront of my front gate. The kids went to push it open.
I said do not come in my garden.The mum just stood there trying to have a chat with me while her kids shoved at the gate.
The kids then went into next doors garden and behind their house and stepped over the low fence and came running over my lawn. Most of it had grass seeds down. I shouted get off there and the mum stood laughing saying what are they like.
I actually lost my temper with her and said if I see them running round my garden again I will sort you out....or words to that effect.

OP totally get how frustrating it is

Would just block off the front door end. then wait for them to come in the open end. Hopefully would give the mum something to think about whilst waiting for the kids to come out.

Not sure if it’s been suggested yet but one of those high pitched cat scarers might put the kids off. Or a motion sensor speaker with a recording of barking/growling

I can't believe a 2 year old is being left to walk around near roads without an adult

Rude rude rude! Definitely put that fence up!

Wow, throw a bucket of water over toddlers? Its a bit radical.

A single red helium balloon and a pennywise outfit might do the trick.

The trellis sounds like a wonderful way to display the dead rats

My fantasy trap is the classic upturned rake.

I doubt OP would be so bothered if it was occasional and the children told off for doing it (mine have drifted onto open plan gardens occasionally ), but the entitled attitude from the mother failing to respect others' property is a problem. 2 & 4 is young and not necessarily going to do much like trampling lawn to mud... but where does it end? Is is healthy for the children to do as they wish without consequence? Is that what the mother really wants in 10+ years when they are in the teenage years? OP is not responsible for the children, the mother is not supervising them properly and is probably the type who wouldn't take any sort of incident well.

My old road was a cul-de-sac with a hedge at the bottom with a park the other side. Many surrounding roads had paths that linked them, but ours didn't and it was amazing the number of random people who would push themselves through a fence and over a nicely cultivated lawn. In the end the neighbours had to put a fence panel in as the gap in the hedge struggled to recover.

I LOVE THE PENNYWISE IDEA

I had this at my old house, I had to put a fence up as the parents gave zero fucks that their children were stomping through my flowers. . After that I put cctv up when they allowed them to climb over the fence then I moved

@Notodontidae not sure i understand your comment:
Hope we dont follow suit with Scotland, and rear a generation of selfish rude, and aggressive adults.
Care to explain as i find that rather offensive!!

That is a bit of a sweeping generalisation @Notodontidae

@mbosnz has it! Just tell the kids directly that they are NOT WELCOME on YOUR property and that it’s dangerous. Don’t wait for a response. Oh and shout it out of a top window - you don’t want to be accused of being threatening.
If I had done this as a kid, I’d be expecting the owner to do this.