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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not bother giving the balls back?

103 replies

Djbow · 18/04/2022 12:30

I don't get on with my neighbours. She's an unpleasant nasty person who previously told her kids in front of me (and half the street, as she has a voice like a foghorn) that I'm 'mental' and 'have a screw loose'. He's an ineffectual twat who can't or won't discipline his kids so they run rings round him. As a result, their numerous children are rude, arrogant and behave in an utterly entitled manner.

I avoid them as much as possible.

Yesterday I was out enjoying the sunshine doing some gardening. Next doors kids can see me from their window, and at first I can hear them saying what's fatty doing with those plants.. She's a fat cow, Big fat cow. Then they're chanting fat cow, fat bitch, etc. This went on for a good 10-15 mins or more.

It's not the first time I've heard them call me names. Last year I was off to a friends 40th, as I left the house they were outside gawping and I heard the kids say 'she looks disgusting, she's so fat'.

(I'm a size 16 fwiw, but tbh even if I was a size 32 they shouldn't be saying it).

Onto the balls...so in summer they typically kick at least 1 ball over daily. The fence is 7ft so there is no reason for this to keep happening other than that they are careless and expect to get the balls back. On Wednesday this week it was 5. I throw them back over when I see them (mainly because I can't bear them yelling over the fence 'give us our ball back' - no please or thank you of course!). Today they've kicked 3 over so far. AIBU to chuck them in the bin rather than give them back? I'm not going to reward the little sods for insulting me repeatedly.

And before anyone suggests speaking to the parents, another neighbour recently had a run in with them over the ball issue, dad gave it the whole the whole kids will be kids, they're only playing and it's kind to give the ball back (yes they are Be Kind twats, of course). And the kids were basically laughing at the neighbour, taking the piss, 'you got told' etc.

Kids are between 8 and 11 so old enough to know better.

OP posts:
oakleaffy · 18/04/2022 13:31

This is deliberate harassment , by the sounds of it.
A 'Feral' family actually killed a woman because she punctured a ball before throwing it back for the umpteenth time.
It was very distressing.
The entire ''Problem family'' took pleasure out of bullying and threatening her.

Could you move, OP?

Djbow · 18/04/2022 14:04

I don't really want to move just yet, I'm planning a big move (to another part of the country) in about 3 years so I know I won't be here forever. If anything knowing that someone else (house behind) has issues with them has made me feel slightly better. Plus my neighbours on my other side are absolutely lovely - so its not all bad.

We have a country park within a few minutes walk, collecting them up and leaving them over there (I go walking over there a few times a week anyway) sounds a good idea.

OP posts:
Rickrollme · 18/04/2022 14:04

@VeryMuchFlaggingMinty

Taking notes as we have a new family next door (terraced) and I've had three balls over in less than a fortnight.
If they aren’t calling you names and being unpleasant like OP’s neighbors is it really that big of a deal to throw a ball back three times in two weeks? I would say this is just part of living in a terraced house. Our lovely neighbours don’t mind returning the occasional ball and I know they appreciate that we take their packages in when they’re not home, let them put their extra rubbish in our bin, and other general neighbourly things we are all happy to do. If you go looking for unpleasantness you will surely find it but most reasonable people find a little friendly give and take makes for a much happier existence.

In OP’s shoes, though, I would definitely stab the balls! Her neighbours are horrible people.

user75 · 18/04/2022 14:08

I'd take the balls to the tip and say "I thought they were easter eggs gobbled them up because I am a big fat cow" and laugh and then tell their mother to do one.

BungleandGeorge · 18/04/2022 14:22

They sound totally feral, I’d applaud you for getting rid of the balls but I think if it was me I’d be wary of escalation.

mrziggycoco · 18/04/2022 14:23

They sound like the next pillars of the community.

Cherrysoup · 18/04/2022 14:24

Can I ask why you haven’t tackled the parents on their children calling you names? Or are you worried the mother will again claim you’re ‘mental’? Why has she said this?

Theunamedcat · 18/04/2022 14:28

Anti vandal paint where they are climbing over

Smear the balls in something nasty throw it back if they moan say that's how you found them

maddiemookins16mum · 18/04/2022 14:31

I’d puncture them (but in a way it’s not obvious) so they go down slowly.

Freddiefox · 18/04/2022 14:46

I’d just throw them back, having lived next door to nasty neighbours it will escalate things and unless you’re prepared for all our war don’t bother not giving them back.

Fwiw police, housing, school, social workers are not interested and will not or ever do anything.

SuchAsSeals · 18/04/2022 14:53

I'd do whatever I thought would make my life the easiest or pleasantest. If binning the balls means more annoying shouting or confrontation with their awful parents, I might resist the urge to bin them. But on the other hand, it would be worth suffering a day or two of extra annoyance if they could conceivably learn to not be so careless. I suppose it's not worth hoping they'd learn not to make rude comments to or about you.

With less awful people, popping the balls and binning them would seem too harsh, but your neighbours sound exceptionally terrible, OP.

SuchAsSeals · 18/04/2022 14:56

I like maddiemookins' suggestion, if it's possible to pierce them (or nearly pierce them?) with a pin without popping them... The idea of making them filthy before tossing them back is good, too. Sticky jam or molasses, mud... Or something that stinks?

LaurieFairyCake · 18/04/2022 15:09

"No, your children called me a fat cow in the garden last week. 'Be kind' goes both fucking ways"

And walk off

WomanStanleyWoman · 18/04/2022 15:11

Paint a face on one and glue a wig to it before you throw it back. Extra points if you scream ‘No, nooooo! I’m begging you, please don’t kill me!!’ beforehand.

jesusmaryjosephandtheweedonkey · 18/04/2022 15:16

Pin prick small puncture and rubbed in manure. Then throw them back.

travailtotravel · 18/04/2022 15:25

Pigeon spikes on the gate and fence if they're yours. They can't climb over and someone the balls can accidentally get spiked.

Brainwave89 · 18/04/2022 15:29

Even if you do not get on with the neighbours I would never destroy a child's ball. For some families this might have been a significant expenditure. Fine to say you will put them back once every few days though. The children have a poor role model, it is not their fault.

Longingforatikihut · 18/04/2022 15:31

I am much bigger than you (size wise) and had a similar issue. I started taking the balls and saying I had eaten them, that's why I got so fat. Balls stopped coming over the wall.

100problems · 18/04/2022 15:32

I was prepared to say you're unreasonable, but actually I don't think that's right.

Every hall would go back over the fence with a knife puncture in it for the spiteful remarks though.

Anyone says anything it's a hole for every nasty remark. Quit, and the balls come back in one piece.

SeaToSki · 18/04/2022 15:45

Any dogs on the street that would like a new ball?

Put them on your curb with a sign. lost.. free to a good home

Give them back with a copy of the Water Babies and say you were acting as Mrs Do as you would be done by…but you are switching to acting as Mrs Be done by as you did and so any more balls that come over will be donate to the charity shop

Just donate to charity/leave them in a local playground

Just throw them back and ignore, wait for karma to roll into action

Hallyup89 · 18/04/2022 15:55

They sound horrible but jeez, raise yourself above a couple of kids. Throw the balls back at the end of the day.

NeedAnOffSwitch · 18/04/2022 16:00

Deflate them each time (metal attachment of a foot pump is ideal. Attached to a pump and it's great for inflating. Disconnected however and it's bye bye air) and throw back. That way, you haven't stabbed and damaged their property but they won't be usable unless the family from hell sits with a pump and inflates them, every single damn time. See who cracks first.

1forAll74 · 18/04/2022 16:03

Keep the balls, and go and roll them all down the street at night time, or put them all in a wheelie bin, with a sticker saying free balls for anyone,. It's all petty, but very difficult to deal with scummy type people who have no manners. If you stab their balls, they seem to be the type,who will retaliate with something awful towards you.

JudgeRindersMinder · 18/04/2022 16:06

@NeedAnOffSwitch

Deflate them each time (metal attachment of a foot pump is ideal. Attached to a pump and it's great for inflating. Disconnected however and it's bye bye air) and throw back. That way, you haven't stabbed and damaged their property but they won't be usable unless the family from hell sits with a pump and inflates them, every single damn time. See who cracks first.
This is genius! Super irritating for them but keeps you in the right as you’ve not actually done any damage
Lemondrop2 · 18/04/2022 16:11

@oakleaffy is right. A woman died when exactly this sort of incident escalated.

Just throw the balls back over and move house in 3 years, as you plan to.

The advice on here (re. stabbing balls etc.) is sympathetic, but it won’t improve your situation. I am sorry this is happening to you.

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