School kids walking on my front garden wall

[Randomo]

Why do parents think its okay to have their kids walk on my front garden wall (2 foot high)....

Whats worse are the kids that sit on the 'pillar' at the entrance to my drive. (A 3 foot high brick pillar with a flat top).

When I was a kid I was taught not to walk or sit on others property. I dont blame the kids so much as the parents. Its drives me nuts. I used to call them out on it, but given up now....too many different/new parents each year.

Or am I the one with a problem?

I'd pop a little trellis/mini fence along it if you can afford to.

It's the climbing on to it that does most damage but yes, the small movements of a wall being regularly walked on will weaken the mortar and destroy the wall eventually.

Spikes. Missus. Spikes.

I don't understand many parents. Sometimes while I wait in the car for DC I see parents for the local primary school. They frequently stand and chat while their DC run in and out of people's hedges, snapping large parts off, chase eachother into people's front gardens, trample the hedging, take their puppies (so many puppies) for a little walk to pee on the shrubs in people's gardens and the parents just watch it and chat. I often have to take a deep breath to stop myself from getting out of the car and telling them to teach their children about respecting other people's property. I don't know how the homeowners cope with it. Would drive me insane.

I would plant roses as suggested in front of the wall and top it with pot plants. Or for a more permanent solution I would add spikes!

YANBU I don’t let my children walk on walls unless they are in public spaces ie parks etc, not on a privately owned domestic property. It’s rude imo

@Flowers500

I thought I was a grinch about people’s kids but I don’t see the issue at all? It’s definitely on the cuter end of the spectrum, and I didn’t think anybody would ever mind. As a child I would have thought any woman who came out to tell us not to do this was a witch

How can it not be an issue? You don't walk in other people's gardens. The wall isn't in a public place. The wall wasn't made for people to walk on it.

YANBU. This is exactly why we have so many little shits these days, because their parents don’t teach them to respect other people’s property.

Put something on or near the wall to discourage them. Spiky plants, roses, railings on the wall or a spiky fence.

Motion sensor sprinklers.

@Flowers500

I thought I was a grinch about people’s kids but I don’t see the issue at all? It’s definitely on the cuter end of the spectrum, and I didn’t think anybody would ever mind. As a child I would have thought any woman who came out to tell us not to do this was a witch

This.

Stick mooning gnomes all the way along the wall.

I mean this genuinely, can I ask why it bothers you? I wouldn't allow a child of mine to walk on someone's wall if I were with them, but I couldn't get worked up about it I don't think.

I also have a low front garden wall and quite enjoy seeing little kids holding their mum's hand as they walk along it. I would not be too keen on older kids walking along the wall and I also don't care for the teenagers/adults who occasionally plonk themselves on it for a chat with a friend, but overall it is not something worth being bothered about so YABU.

That would annoy me too, I can be a bit territorial where my property is concerned!

I would be tempted to buy a job lot of fake cat/dog shit and strategically place it along the wall.

Neighbours had this. They put metal fancy fencing on top

Thanks for your input all, glad to know your thoughts!

@TwoAndAnOnion

A thin brick wall can most certainly be damaged by kids walking on it. You have to remmber that its 1 or 2 kids, walking along it every day or 2, for a couple of years; on a wall that is older than me to begin with.

(The bricks themselves wont be damaged, but the top bricks will become loose and fall off; and need to be re-fixed on)

@Bluntness100

Just put an angled coping stone along it, so they can’t walk on it.

Thats actually a good idea.

I'ts a bit hard to explain, but I dont think it would work easily here; as between each brick there is a 1 brick gap in height; if this makes any sense. Imagine there is a brick missing between each brick in the row basically.

In theory I could fill the gap with another brick (to make a solid line without gaps) then put angled coping stone on top; but the brickwork I have is very old. So adding new bricks will make it really stick out.

So I''ve gone with the plants idea for now, which has helped (only small sections are walkable atm). They're still growing though; hopefully in a year or so most of the wall will be unwalkable.

Loosen a few bricks OP, and watch them fall, that'll learn em or buy some cat--proof spikes. And a rolling pin for shaking at them.

Loosen a few bricks OP, and watch them fall, that'll learn em

Great idea if you want to get sued

God there are such miseries on this thread. Totally normal for kids to walk on walls and one of my few lovely memories of childhood. I do not believe that would do any damage at all unless your wall is in need of repairs. Chill out.

@LaBellina it was a joke. Could you no tell by the winky face and rolling pin quip that followed?

Although it would highly likely be an unsuccessful case. The OP doesn't have a duty of care to children walking on her wall, they are technically 'trespassing' and in doing so are taking a risk. HTH.

Strategically placed broken bottles cemented on top of the walls should do it.

I'm afraid you'll usually find the consensus is you're a miserable git not embracing and encouraging children to climb on walls, -and potentially unsafe sconces, any safety concerns you have, you should address and repair/ rebuild the wall immediately to make it even easier for them, otherwise you are destroying their fragile childhoods...... it's never acceptable to expect kids not to clamber all over you property. It's unmumsnetty to say otherwise.......

Electrified razor wire and dog mess is your solution.

You can get a paint on tar like substance which they put on high walls etc. To stop theives climbing up them. Maybe paint some of that on the top of the wall.