Neighbours kids playing in the street

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

OK I know it's the school hols and kids need fresh air and all that. But they have a back garden that they could play in. But oh no, every afternoon without fail they are kicking a football round in the BLOODY STREET in front of my house. It's all I can hear for hours every afternoon and am I right in thinking they shouldn't be out in the street, they should be in their gardens? It's giving me the rage. Oh and the kid has had CV apparently but was out before his isolation period was up.

@Smileyaxolotl1 I live in a cul-de-sac so no random walkers and all kids are respecting postal/delivery

cricketballs ok that’s the second part of my question covered but not the first.

I'm of the same frame of mind as you, OP but I don't think it's going to stop even if you report them. I think, like me, you're noise sensitive and nerves frazzled. Have you got any noise cancelling headphones you can put on while you're working, or can you download a white noise app to your phone and play it? Can you move your WFH set up to a room where you can't hear/see them as much? I find if you can get a total break from it for a couple of hours, you can then handle it better. It's when it's non-stop that it's annoying and then you start thinking why, and remembering the thoughtless bonfires and so on.

good luck!

Are you one of those arseholes who goes round putting up 'NO BALL GAMES' signs on estates, to squeeze the little fun kids can actually get to have outside anymore?

Don't be daft, there are parks and actual places designed for ball games. The streets and pavements are not suitable, lockdown or no lockdown.

If idiot parents didn't allow their kids to run riot, there wouldn't be any need for such signs. Blame the irresponsible and lazy parents.

but I don't think it's going to stop even if you report them.

I think parents will end up being bored of getting fined and will get the message!

Ok the next time their ball lands in my garden (which it does sometimes) I will be picking it up (with gloves on) and putting it in my bin. Unless the law has changed since my day that is theft. If they come onto your drive to get it that is trespass so you either give it back or leave it exactly where it is.

What about all the "inspirational" films on tv of people dancing or exercising on the road? No one seems to be bothering them.

They should be in their garden. Parents are being incredibly selfish.

Just to update on my point from yesterday, the kids I was talking about have been in the street all day. Still out there now. I fear it's only going to get worse as the weather is nicer. I don't know whether to say something to the mother but I don't think she'll take it very well. Don't know what to do.

The childminder at the end of my street had the 3 kids she's looking after playing on the avenue chalk drawing on the road. She then spent half an hour talking to their dad on the street when he came to pick them up. Think she used to take them to park for the day before the restrictions

chocolatesaltybslls22 I’m with you I’m worried it’s going to get worse

I wonder if you live near me lol. Young brothers out all the time without any supervision, last week it was just for a bit, now it is almost all day but they are also sliding up and down railings, not moving out of the way of delivery people and approaching children/people in their gardens.
I have actually thought about contacting their school which is open over the holidays as I am concerned that the lack of any supervision is part of a bigger picture.

These kids are not very young, probably 10 and 12. But I get the impression that the mother's sick of them in the house so she chucks them out into the street to play. Annoying enough without lockdown, but 'stay in your house' for me does not mean let your kids play in the street all day.

I wonder the same thing about my neighbors' kids, with the difference that me and my girlfriend live in one of the 10 flats of a converted house. There are 2 flats with kids, but only one flat has children big enough to play outside.
The house has green space at the back towards the garages which is basically common space, but since this lockdown the parents from that apartment put an inflatable pool outside, a swing in the trees and build them a wooden house on the ground for the kids to play, which I am not sure they are allowed being an agency managed property. Our flat is situated on the side with the green space and on the ground level and the annoying part is the kids are out from 8am till 6pm every day, most of the time unsupervised, while the parents comfortably live on the other side and hear no yelling, ball bouncing forever or hitting the walls or windows, while I have to keep the windows closed all day just so that the noise from them doesn't interfere as much with my work calls and concentration while WFH. I am not sure the kids are allowed to be outside all day, but the most annoying part is their parents are also outside for quite a long time of the day, while adults from other 4 apartments join them in the same time and sit on the same blanket at less than 2m for hours, chatting or play together ball games during the day, themselves making loads of noise. It seems us and another apartment are the only ones on this side of the building not mingling with them, so it feels like we are alone in this and calling them out for the selfish pricks they are ignoring the gatherings ban of the government would only make us look bad. I am wondering are people loosing their common sense lately or is it cool to ignore what the government says?

I agree with you. They've got a garden they should be in it, that way their parents would know they're safe and not coming into contact with anyone. They obviously don't care about their kids.................

@vasi11 that's even harder for you as they are taking over your shared space and inflicting their noise upon you. Not fair at all 😡

YANBU, I dislike children playing unsupervised in the street at the best of times but now they should be only on their own property.