About kids playing in street

[Notonfacebook]

Hi, we live in an area that is lovely and quiet with very little traffic. I have lived here over ten years, since before we had children and it has always been a quiet street where everyone keeps to themselves, I would say the majority of residents in this block are either retirees or middle aged people who don't have kids at home any more. But there a few families around us who have kids close in age to ours (5 &7). The kids are all friends as they mostly go to the same school in the same year levels and spend a fair amount of time playing together after school and on weekends, sometimes in each other's houses and often on bikes and scooters in the street. For context, I am in Australia so no lockdown issues, and it is the end of summer so has just been the long summer holidays, therefore the playing has been regular for the last couple of months.

The parents obviously supervise the outside play but as it is a quiet street and the kids know to watch for cars this can be a bit lax and is often from inside while doing other things. We do crack down on them if it gets noisy and if they are getting too far down the street. None of our neighbours seem to have any issues with this. Realistically when they are in their houses it wouldn't affect them at all, we are all detached houses with decent size blocks so not on top of each other really and the kids never enter anyone else's property.

But a couple of times over the last few weeks, the kids have been racing their bikes on the adjoining street as it is flat while our street is sloped. They are supervised more closely when they go there and a couple of times while i have been watching them there a lady who lives at the end of that cul we sac has been coming home and has given fairly stern cranky looks at us all and stomped inside. Yesterday her adult daughter came out and warned us that she would be home soon, so i asked if there was an issue but she just looked uncomfortable and said no.

Aibu to think kids riding bikes etc on quiet neighbourhood streets is a nonissue and nothing for residents to be upset about? I honestly can't imagine getting worked up about it even if I didn't have kids but maybe there is something i am missing.

Not everyone likes children, especially other people’s children. But a glare won’t hurt you. Just do like we do here, ignore and carry on i miss the good old days of children playing together

I would say it depends on how they're behaving, and how many children there are. You say riding bikes but also that they're racing, which could potentially lead an accident if they are going too fast and not being aware of their surroundings.

I don't think playing in the street is a bad thing, but some activities such as racing bikes and ball games are better suited to parks or areas with no traffic and no chance of damaging other people's property.

YABU if the kids are going to a street they don't live on to piss the residents off there. It's bad enough when they do it on their own street, but worse when parents think it's acceptable to send the noise to other people. Just make them play in their own street, it's much less bother.

She glared. She's allowed to glare, not everyone bestows all children with beatific smiles and loves them as their own.

Maybe she's pissed off at the extra noise and the playing in the street and recognises at the same time that she might be a bit U if she complained?

If she does complain, handle that if it happens.

I think that’s it’s not their street it’s a bit trickier. Also the fact that’s they are racing on a road isn’t great.

In t'oud days when I were young we used to spend hours playing outside. Its normal and natural (so long as they arent torching cars etc). However, on the other hand, when I was young there were also a handful of grumpy old people (not being ageist, they seemed old to 7 year old me) who would glare if we played near them and could be relied on to complain to our parents the instant we were too noisy. We did a combination of avoiding playing near them when possible and avoiding the glares when not (eg if I was walking down the road to my friends house). I would advice your children to do the same. I think its reasonable for them to ignore the glares if they are not doing anything wrong. Unreasonable would be if they retaliated in any way by being deliberately annoying/playing knock-a-door run etc.

Thanks for the different perspectives. I guess because one of the kids actually lives next door to her but on the corner of our street, it doesn't feel like too much of a stretch for the kids to be riding on that street. But probably the racing isnt a great idea. I'm not at all concerned about her glaring or being grumpy, just wondering if she has enough justification for it for us to change what we are doing.

A lot of the older generation have forgotten the luxury of freedom they had as children. The freedom to roam and play outside.......they probably annoyed their neighbours along the way. Moreso because they didn't have adults supervising them.

I'd completely ignore this, they aren't doing any harm........when she's not scowling at you she's probably moaning about ' kids these days sat behind screens all day ' I also live in an area that's managed to keep the long lost art of kids playing outside. I think it's fantastic and it's a freedom all kids should have. (( I'm als an oldie !! ))

We have a very similar situation where I live and I think most people here are more than happy to see children playing in the street.

It's a generally quiet street but at certain times there can be quiet a bit of car movement and delivery vehicles coming and going.

However, we do have a problem with children on their bikes - lots of posts on our local face book page about it.

Not because anyone objects to them riding their bikes around but because children tend not to think when they're busy playing and several times children have pulled out of side roads and parking entrances or between cars without looking and straight into the path of a car.

Fortunately, because most of the residents are aware of the possibility of coming across children they take care but not everyone in a car or van is a resident and might not be expecting it.

When this is being discussed on fb all the parents will get very cross and say they've spoken to the children over and over again, even taking the bikes away for short periods, but the children don't listen, and these children are older than yours.

Tbh, I think, to allow 5 and 7 year old to take responsibility for their own road safety without supervision is irresponsible so no, I don't think children of that age, or even a few years older, should be allow on a road where they aren't supervised.

Unless they are damaging anything like cars with footballs or giving residents verbal abuse or riding their bikes in front of cars driving then I don't see a problem.

Ignore her.

Let them be. children need to play just as much as adults have their needs. Fair enough if they were shouting an screaming all day but racing there bike is doing no harm at all. I think people forget they were once children.

I love seeing children play out as you don't see it very often these days and mine play in the front every chance they get.

Ignore her. Can’t believe 30% of people think you’re being unreasonable. Love to see (well behaved!) children playing out-most are sat indoors staring at screens nowadays

Sorry, just reread you OP and see that they are being supervised on the other street; I'm normally really careful about reading posts properly.

No, if they're being supervised there's absolutely no reason not to allow them to ride there bikes on that street.

The woman doesn't own the road. Ignore her.

There’s always someone moaning about kids playing. Whether it’s deeply emotional issue for them, or they’re just narky, who knows?! I was moaned at because my kids ran through the snow and made it ‘all messy’. You can’t win.

There is a rule in life that there is always one cranky neighbour who hates kids playing out. I can remember the one house on my street - we would shit ourselves if the ball accidentally went on their garden, there would be a furious whispered argument over who should ask for it back, then everyone would chicken out and write the ball off 😁

Im so glad most people think I am not BU. I love that the kids play outside and while I understand that it might occasionally be a slight nuisance I think it has actually improved neighborly relations. Because we end up being out the front much more than we otherwise would, we end up chatting to neighbours as they go for a walk or put their bins out or whatever and everyone just seems to be friendlier. I will feel confident in ignoring any crankiness from this woman.

@pigsDOfly, yes they are definitely supervised when not playing in front of our house. And, like you said, much more actively supervised at times that might be a bit busier like late afternoon weekdays when people are coming home from work.

Grumpy child haters have been around forever. Dont give it a second thought, unless any of them start offering visits to their house made of sweets

Grumpy child haters

OP says that the woman gave a grumpy look. Maybe she has resting grumpy face? Maybe she's WFH and is pissed off at the noise? Maybe she had a sleepless night and wanted a nap but now can't because it's noisy? Maybe she hates children? Maybe there has been damage to cars/gardens whatever? Maybe driving home the other day she had a close call and emergency stop to avoid one of the kids? Who knows why she "gave a grumpy look"?

It's a complete non-issue right up to the point that she entices them in and cooks them for her dinner. (well, maybe a bit before that)

Just came back to this. Can't believe how many SAG mistakes there are in my last post

The sound bikes make when they brake on a steep tarmac slope is really annoying! If they’re racing on the steep road next to her house, repeatedly, it must get very annoying!

Does she own the street? If not it is nothing to do with her who rides their bike on it.

If they're on another street, how do you know what they're getting up to? Are you completely sure they're not making a nuisance of themselves once they're out of your sight?

Unless it was a private road they should carry on as long as they are aren’t screaming etc.