Parents standing on my front lawn

[Twizbe]

Trying to decide if I say something to the Head so thought I'd ask here first.

I live next to a 2 form entry junior school. Our house is the last of 3 down a single track private dead end road. The end of the road is a gate for the school. Our property boundaries the school.

When we moved in this gate was just emergency access / gardener access for the school. No kids used this entrance.

After covid the school use this gate for year 6. Since the schools went back after Xmas we have 60 kids using this gate morning and evening.

A few times now I've seen parents stood on our lawn or in sunny weather sat on it.

Today I came home and this bloke was stood almost at our front door playing with the leaves on a young tree in the lawn (it's about waist height)

He just gave me a dirty look at I turned my car into my drive.

AIBU to ask the school to remind parents that this is private property and not a place to sit / stand.

Your garden needs manuring

Unbelievable so rude and ignorant. I would tell school and put up a fence or hedging.

YANBU Have a word with the school.

😂

See, now. This would get me riled.

Yes, it's just a pile of grass, or a path.

Yes it's only for a few minutes.

But it's disrespectful behaviour and bollocks to not calling people out on their crappy behaviour.

If you're on my grass and I see you? I'm coming out the door and telling you to get right off with the stare too!

It's about respect at the end of the day and if people do not respect you enough not to traipse all over your garden then show them the same level of respect back and send them packing with a flea in their ear.

Call out crappy behaviour, regardless what it is. Otherwise you just seethe and become resentful- it only gets worse from there.

You may feel a little awkward or uncomfortable in the beginning but when you find your voice you'll be using it all the time and wondered what took you so long!

As for your hubby not wanting to make a fuss over anything that's even more reason why ONE of you needs to have a voice to be able to confront things otherwise this type of thing will continue through your lives.

Good luck.

I’d try and get some photo or video of the parents and kids on your lawn, so the school can see that you’re not making a fuss about nothing.
They should really pay for the fencing if they’re now using this as a frequent entrance.

@Twizbe

I'm glad I'm not being silly about this. I am thinking about putting up a small picket fence type thing. Though it is very clear that it's our garden and not just part of the road.

If it's not clear it's yours then you can't blame them for using it. If you make it clear using a small fence or some sort of border, that will help your argument.

Razor wire, bear trap, mega phone

Of course yanbu. A simple 'do you mind not sitting/standing in my garden please and a smile should do it.

If you get any pushback simple go to the school and then crack on with putting a fence up.

This is just another reason to add to my long list of why I hate people! Absolute CFs! Yes email the school but also spread manure from a local friendly livery yard or your grass and/or instal a well timed sprinkler system for the school run timings

YANBU.

This is just another reason to add to my long list of why I hate people!
What an extreme reaction to op's problem.

Honestly why is it that so many parents think they are special and normal rules don’t apply to them? I live near a large primary school and some of the parking has to be seen to be believed, I wouldn’t mind but most parents live within easy walking distance so don’t even need to drive their precious darlings there and back. The head teacher has begged and pleaded with parents over the years, trying to get them to respect residents living nearby and they don’t take an ounce of notice

This! They really can walk the 10-15 minutes it takes but prefer to drive over 45 mins before and sit in the road with the engine running.

It's not for the school to sort it though, they are responsible for the kids, not their entitled parents.

I think a small fence is the answer. As a short-term solution is there anywhere locally that you could get some large stones to put along the edge of the grass to demarcate it from the road a bit more clearly?

And a water pistol. Can you spray them with it somehow without it looking like it's deliberate

Of course yanbu. A simple 'do you mind not sitting/standing in my garden please and a smile should do it

Hmm in the real world you'll just get a tirade of abuse at worst and a filthy look at best.

Haven't rtft but it seems to me that the parents are assuming it's school property and not privately owned land so you def need to raise this with the school and in writing.
Good luck.

We have similar issue, usually find we don’t get repeat offenders…. Pop out and ask them if you can help them, they usually say no, and that’s when you can simply say, “oh, i just wondering why you came in my garden/property then….”. leave the awkward silence for them to realise they were on private property and move off…. If they don’t, then it’s followed with “Well as long as you don’t need anything, would you mind leaving my property.”. Seems like every year we have one or two new mums or dads, need the lesson. No one ever gets aggy, most are just distracted, and offering them assistance tend to not put backs up, with it not being confrontational.

Bloomin cheek, remind them it is private property, not a park. Report it to the school. I understand the fence comments but why should you have to pay to stop them trespassing.

@indeed

Put a sign up saying “if you’re a paedophile please stand on this lawn”

😅🤣😅

I would def mention it. They may add it in the school newsletter as a reminder to respect residents’ gardens. That would really grind my gears if I came home to that. 🤬

Are: the response to some who think hating people is an overreaction.

Most people are pretty clueless about the impact they have on others, automatically blame everyone else, or worse deny everything. I think we’ve become a very narcissistic society. Thankfully, a sweet smile and suggestion does the trick, but as i’m built like the side of a mountain and my resting bitch face is pretty mean, if the smile is to fade, it’s like the clouds come over and thunderstorms start. Ultimately, i find most other people pretty horrible when they are presented with uncomfortable situations, so i tend to avoid them too. Hate is a little strong, but i put myself in the extreme avoid and keep myself to myself.

'Excuse me, but this is private property as you can see. Would you kindly move away?'
'No'
'Ok I will call the Police and also inform the school.'

Erect a sign love, a sign! Picnicking on your lawn! Bloody bollocking hell!

Buy one of the cheap IP cameras with a Talk function, so if confrontation isn’t your thing, then you will be able to sit in your living room and a small disembodied voice can ask them to mive

Move

.

The school will be happy to mention it in their newsletter to show support I’m sure, but they’re not able to tackle obstruction or trespass. If the parents persist, ask them nicely and then I would definitely be out there filming them and spraying weed killer!