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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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67 replies

User20611 · 27/02/2022 09:54

I don’t no what else to do, I live in a cul de sac and have approx 10+ children in our street, They range from 3-16years.

Weather seems a lot better and the nights
Are getting lighter, out comes the children playing, (it doesn’t bother me
The slightest that children are out playing as mine some times goes out to join them to)

But every child that plays out seems to think my front garden is a playing area for the street!

My living room window is at the front of my house… I get approx 6 maybe more children think it’s acceptable to walking, riding bikes, scooters, playing dolls, football any game really on my front garden. I have children standing right up against my living room window shouting, screaming, bouncing balls the lot 🤦🏼‍♀️.

I have gone out to ask them nicely to not play out on our front garden and if they can go to play on there own garden instead but they still don’t listen, soon as I shut the door they are back on and have forgotten what I’ve just said.

Ive gone on to bashing on the living room at least 4-5 times a day, the same as my husband, they just look at me with a shocked face to think they are doing nothing wrong!

My husband is starting to get really fed up as it’s been going on for so long and no matter what we say and do they totally ignore us and can see him shouting very soon.
We have given them the polite talking to and the bash on the window to remind them but nothing stops it.

My husband works long hours and when he’s finished from work and walking to the door he’s having to climb over scooters bikes and balls even food rubbish all dumped along outside our front door! We never have peace or to be able to relax in our living room.

We would like to put hedging along our garden but feel this will be damaged from bikes and scooter and footballs being always dumped on our garden.

I have tried speak with the parents as we all get along well in our street, but seems to fall on deaf ears.

Does anyone else have any advice on what we can do, moving is not a option!

OP posts:
User20611 · 27/02/2022 13:49

Yes they have been told before I’m
Sure they hear us telling them every day to get off as well 🤦🏼‍♀️.

OP posts:
Cuck00soup · 27/02/2022 14:05

Can you create a cheaper border? Some plant pots, solar lamps and concrete blobs (whatever the technical term for a half bucket of concrete is) to mark your territory.

DdraigGoch · 27/02/2022 14:06

I like Boycie's response to darts disrupting his card game:

Now listen up you cretinous little irks! There’s a three-yard exclusion zone around this table, and if another one of your missiles should fall within it, I will personally shove it - point, shaft, feathers an' all - right up your gearbox!

Lesperance · 27/02/2022 14:24

Balls and bikes? I reckon if there is a ball or a bike on your property, then it's probably yours, isn't it? You need to pick it up and put it away around the back. Then see what happens.

Theremustbemoretome · 27/02/2022 14:26

Play opera/classical music - loudly if necessary. This may cheese off the neighbours and they might come and collect their offspring in return for turning the music off. Or maybe not!

Mosquito alarm or similar

Fences that are lines of thick rope or chain to mark your garden off could be a cheap option in the meantime.

Speak to the neighbour about sharing the costs with a gate etc.

BlondeWidow · 27/02/2022 15:01

High pitched cat deterrent that only kids can hear!

BlondeWidow · 27/02/2022 15:03

Only kids can hear these and they work a great! Some convenience stores use them to keep kids from congregating outside https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultrasonic-pest-Repeller-Units-Insects-Pet/dp/B09K9GMRVS/ref=sr11_6?crid=3I99QU9LTOABG&keywords=ultrasonic+kids+deterrent&qid=1645974166&sprefix=ultrasonic+kid+deterrent%2Caps%2C47&sr=8-6

Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 27/02/2022 15:06

Start slyly taking items inside. Once dc have to tell their dps they have lost their toy the dps may stop them leaving them around.
Charity shop the lot op.
Once stabbed a footy with a screwdriver when the little shit nd kept hitting my window.

girlmom21 · 27/02/2022 15:14

@BlondeWidow

High pitched cat deterrent that only kids can hear!
I'm 26 and can still hear them
TwoCoffeesPlease · 27/02/2022 15:30

If you can’t do a fence and a gate, why don’t you put some obstacles in your front garden?

Some concrete planters and shrubs in the middle of the lawn. You could gravel some areas as well so it’s not nice to cycle on.

Telling them won’t work. My parents live around a private green - there are constantly random children who do not live around the green playing on it. They get kicked off but they always come back 🙄

hopeishere · 27/02/2022 15:32

Is the front of everyone's open plan? Is your patch of green bigger than anyone else's?

GodspeedJune · 27/02/2022 15:36

Plant some cherry Laurel or pyracantha. The Laurel is tough as old boots and won’t be affected by footballs hitting it. Pyracantha - they’ll only touch it once.

beautifullymad · 27/02/2022 15:38

It brought back a memory. In the early 1980's the children in our road would hang out under the only lamppost with their bikes. The lamppost was right by our drive.

Every day a plethora of bikes were left dumped on our drive. My dad was forever getting frustrated and our deeds specified our front and drive has to be open plan.

In the end after years of frustration he reversed his car over the bikes. It only needed to happen the once. The bikes were never dumped in the driveway again.

Can you use your garden as a temporary drive? Is it accessible from the street front?
I'd start driving over offending items. They have had more than enough warnings.

Icantbelieveitsnotnutter · 27/02/2022 15:39

I'm sure your front lawn could do with some far reaching water sprinklers?Wink

LittleWins · 27/02/2022 16:05

When I was young and playing out there was a retired fella who didn’t like us playing outside his house (not on his property). He used to put pins down so we went out with magnets to collect them. His grumpiness was only met with our stubbornness tbh. I imagine they see pissing you off as a sport now.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 27/02/2022 23:30

@Icantbelieveitsnotnutter

I'm sure your front lawn could do with some far reaching water sprinklers?Wink
I was going to suggest this but I was worried it might be an attraction rather than a deterrent depending on the weather and age of the kids involved.
FairFuming · 28/02/2022 12:24

Couple of big prickly bushes then? If no money for a fence. There's lots of fast growing varieties or even a temp fence and some raspberry canes would do for most of the summer at least

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