Sorry long one, new poster, please be patient! So, I have pretty annoying neighbours. Nothing too major- screaming kids, visitors part blocking our drive, howling dogs and general inconsiderate behaviour. They’re young with four kids so I just put up with it with a sigh. We say hello/ engage in small talk.
We live by a school so neighbour’s friends park here and they all walk to school. Neighbour’s friend often parks inconsiderately, as do random others who seem to pick up and drop off kids at neighbours house, usually part blocking our driveway.
Anyway, when they all return from the school run, they often congregate on the garden and open the car doors and play the music loudly. Very loudly. General screaming and larking about, sometimes accompanied by kids beeping the car horn followed by mothers shouting at them to stop (which they don’t) As I say, annoying, but I just sigh and think how others don’t really consider those around them anymore and it’s just kids having fun (even though I wouldn’t have allowed my two to do it)
Yesterday, heard beeping horn continuously. It woke my dh but his fault for napping in the day lol. It went on for quite a bit. I just rolled my eyes. DD, a primary school teacher, was unwell and asleep upstairs. Eventually I heard her come down. She opened the door, looked for the adults, couldn’t see anyone so looked over to the car. A little girl (about 3?) was on her own in the car on the road, beeping the horn. She smiled and waved at dd who put her fingers to her lips in a shush way (think primary school teacher!) She came back inside and sat down, and all was peaceful! She said it woke her up so she had idly started counting how many times the horn peeped before it would have been worth getting out of bed, and got to 54 times before she eventually came down.
Two minutes later, door knocks. DD answers to see ndn, small child in her arms, and car friend waiting at the bottom of drive. I think she was expecting me to answer, as dd obviously isn’t usually home at that time. She asked if ‘someone here had told my child off’ (I know she thought it was me) Dd said no, not at all. She just put her finger to her lips and the child stopped. Ndn said ‘in future you speak to me’ Dd said she did look for an adult but couldn’t see one.
At this point, my bad, I went to the door and unlike me, raised my voice and shouted that dd was poorly, and asleep and the noise was annoying. Ndn said not to shout (fair enough) and she has been told to ignore child’s behaviour. I’m assuming she’s having parenting input. I do understand ignoring certain behaviours (teacher/mother myself) but small child shouldn’t be in car doing that, only to be ignored. Actually she wasn’t ignoring it, she kept shouting at child to stop. Friend has now walked up my driveway to join neighbour. She said I shouldn’t be commenting on neighbour’s parenting skills. I admit I told her it was nothing to do with her and to shut up. I said I love children, never have any problems with children’s behaviours but I do have problem with adults. I said child should not be left on her own in a car to annoy others, let alone for other safety reasons.
Anyway, you get the picture, to and fro comments on my driveway. Not my style to argue on the doorstep, never raised my voice to a neighbour in the 26 years I’ve lived here. When it was obvious that these people had no idea what my point was, I realised we were all embarrassing ourselves and wasting time so I told them to get off my driveway, which to be fair they did. I also said never to come on my property again, for any reason. I guess I was annoyed, defensive of my poorly daughter even though she’s an adult and surprisingly territorial at having randoms knocking on my door frankly spoiling for an argument when I personally had ignored the behaviour originally.
Anyway, am I being a miserable old git? I’m so annoyed at myself for doorstep arguing and realise the need to try to get along with neighbours for everyone’s sanity.