Would IBU to set a time limit on returning footballs?

[CaviarAndCigarettes]

Our house and garden is directly adjacent to a private road that leads to some flats. The kids from the flats often play football in the road. Of course several times a day the ball comes over the wall and I have no problem tossing it back over during the day but last night they were knocking for it at 10:30pm.

Whilst I'm happy to be neighbourly I run around after my own small children all day and I like my evening to relax. My kids had been in bed for ages by this point and I was about to go to bed myself.

Would it be unreasonable of me to ask the kids not to knock after 8pm?

We have a large clock at the back of the house that they can see from the street. I'd just like to be able to put my pyjamas on and take my bra off without having to answer the door..

Perfectly reasonable. In fact they are highly unreasonable to be playing football much later than that anyway!

Would they just climb over to get it?

@TulipsTwoLips I don't think it would be possible. We have an 8foot wall

And I wouldn't be happy to have random kids climbing into my garden to be honest..

YANBU. I wouldn’t be returning them at all.

They might learn to be more careful if they have to keep buying a new ball again and again.

@heartsonacake I don't want to be that neighbour..
To be honest it's nice to live on a quiet street and have kids out playing rather than be hunched over a computer and I'm sure my kids are equally annoying on their trampoline etc.

But I am currently a stay at home parent of three small people and my tolerance for friendliness expires shortly after they go to bed for the evening!

To be honest it's nice to live on a quiet street and have kids out playing rather than be hunched over a computer

It’s not a case of carelessly playing out in the street or hunched over the computer. It’s not one or the other.

They can enjoy playing out while giving consideration and thought to others, and as they grow up they should be learning to do so.

I@heartsonacake I appreciate that. I think it is time we set ground rules.