Neighbour giving my kids sweets

[sweetneighbour]

Every time my kids are playing in the garden my neighbour gives them sweets/food over the fence. She’s a sweet elderly neighbour who lives alone in her late 70s/early 80s. I know her name, her daughter visits her and we say hello but that’s it. She’s just started giving them sweets or food for the past 2-3 months. I never see her give them this, I’m always inside and they’ll come in saying x neighbour gave them this, can they eat it? I just check for use by date/ gelatine, and just let them eat it.

She’ll give them crisps, sweets, cakes, juices. So far they’ve been in the garden since 2pm and they’ve come in with werthers original sweets and juice. I don’t know why I’m writing this tbh, what would you do?

How old are the kids?

They do sound sensible for checking with you first. Just make sure they're not actually asking her for things.

She sounds lovely.

She's not "a stranger ".; she's the nice old lady next door and the children have been perfectly trained to handle the situation safely.

Just like Ian Huntley was the nice caretaker and partner of nice Maxine Carr. And April Jones was killed by her nice neighbour.

Just like Ian Huntley was the nice caretaker and partner of nice Maxine Carr. And April Jones was killed by her nice neighbour.

Oh ffs seriously, you can't get through life worrying yourself sick about things that are thankfully very rare.

If you put that upon your kids they'll be a bundle of nerves and if they ever got lost then God help them.

@ilovepixie Do we have to treat everybody we don't know really well as murderers now? What a sad way to live a life

I’m surprised it took this long before child murderers were mentioned.

But FFS!

Ilovepixie - drama llama alert.

Brilliant. She's obviously fattening them up before getting going with the murdering malarkey.

OP when I was little I was very fond of all our elderly NDN. I think it makes children tolerant and inclusive to talk to them, and elderly people have such brilliant stories and can do interesting craft projects like crochet and stuff.

Your kids obviously know to check with you and she's only giving them the odd wrapped treat. It's sweet.

Iv got a lovely neighbour who is a feeder. My kids thank her and put the items in the sweet box. They are allow one small thing a day after dinner

What would I do? Give her an apple pie and thank her for her kindness. What a sweet lady.

My neighbour used to do this when we were kids. Not that often, but it was lovely. She didn’t have any children of her own. She also did loads of other things, she was brilliant. I miss her.

This lady is getting great pleasure out of doing this. If it’s too much The I would take the Sweets away and ration them if that’s possible?

How lovely.

Sounds like lovely children who are very sensible (checking with you first etc) and a possibly lonely neighbour who is getting some joy from hearing happy children.

All I would do is make a nice thank you card for her now and then encourage them to get her a little present at Christmas.

Is her house made of gingerbread and is It equipped with a large oven?

If not, YABU.

Just like Ian Huntley was the nice caretaker and partner of nice Maxine Carr. And April Jones was killed by her nice neighbour.

Fucking hell there are some batshit crazy posters on here!! WTAF!!

@ilovepixie I just put you on the most OTT response you've seen on MN thread, I reckon you could win!!

It’s lovely. And when this is over why not get the kids to draw her pictures, take her flowers from your garden, ask her for a distanced tea party in the garden-whatever you are comfortable with. Even a little chat over the fence. Good neighbours are like gold. (And you could be gold too)

Sorry so distracted by @ilovepixie , didn't answer OP!

I'd far rather this than the fucking misery neighbours complaining about children playing in the garden and making "noise"! Totally embrace your neighbour, she sounds lovely,

Just like Ian Huntley was the nice caretaker and partner of nice Maxine Carr. And April Jones was killed by her nice neighbour.

Yes I know it's extreme but it does happen. And no I don't think everyone is a murderer, just making a point. I know it's sad but it's the way of the world these days. Just get to know people a bit first especially when your children are involved.

Yes I know it's extreme but it does happen. And no I don't think everyone is a murderer, just making a point. I know it's sad but it's the way of the world these days. Just get to know people a bit first especially when your children are involved.

I fucking hate the "these days" shit as opposed to when?

And you are being totally ridiculous!

What is your point though? That twenty years ago sadly two kids were murdered by someone they knew?

It’s a elderly neighbour FFS and I am one of the most suspicious people I know when it comes to my kids.

One of my elderly neighbours, a lovely Italian man, taught me how to make pasta from scratch whenever DB and I were home alone. Gran would insist on sending him homemade Indian fudge as thanks - maybe you could do something similar?

@ilovepixie

Just like Ian Huntley was the nice caretaker and partner of nice Maxine Carr. And April Jones was killed by her nice neighbour.

Yes I know it's extreme but it does happen. And no I don't think everyone is a murderer, just making a point. I know it's sad but it's the way of the world these days. Just get to know people a bit first especially when your children are involved.

its the way if the world these days.

No it's not, it's really not -which is why everyone knows these names, because they're incredibly rare.

And at roughly 80, she's NOTHING like those people anyway!!

@sweetneighbour

Just try to enjoy this time in your lives and get to know her a bit. Maybe you could pick the odd thing up for her when you're shopping etc. Lovely neighbours really make the world a much nicer place!

@GrumpyHoonMain I need to move in between pasta man and Indian fudge mum! Let me know when a house is for sale!

*indian fudge gran!

Your kids are already coming to you to check which id continue to encourage.

You could always set up a little jar for them to pop the sweets into - then it’s up to you when/if they eat them (they will forget about them after a while and you can bin them if you don’t want them eating too many sweets.)

I think it’s lovely. Remind them to always say thank you, come inside and pop them in the jar. Done!

Perhaps they could make her a card or picture by way of reciprocation - bet she’d love that.

My elderly neighbour gave me sweets every time we were all playing out on the street was very sweet we were so sad when he passed away when we were older! It’s such a nice thing to do