Kids Playing In Cul De Sac

[StressieBessie4]

I’m aware I may get slated but this is starting to get to me! I have name changed.

I am a carer, and I have a 7pm appointment daily down a cul de sac which seems to now be mainly families living here and it’s turning into a nightmare.

As you enter two chairs are in the middle of the road with two parents sat on them, and it’s a struggle to get past. Then when you get around the corner the kids leave bikes and scooters over the entrance to the car parking spaces so you can’t get in without many shuffles. But when you’re trying to, the kids are walking behind your car! There is no consideration whatsoever and I’m starting to dread this call.

I feel so sorry for my client, who is lovely, but it’s an accident waiting to happen and . They all look at me like I’ve got three heads when I pull into the road yet they see me every day. What’s worse is the houses back onto a park!

AIBU to tell the parents it’s a road not a playground?!

And any disabled residents/visitors who don't have that privilege...? Or are they non-persons who simply don't matter?

YANBU and I don't think you sound moaning at all. Your gentleman needs his carer there and its not unreasonable to expect to park nearby. He has as much right and his visitors to access the road as the children. What's the point of the adults sitting there if they're not actually doing anything?

It's not an either/or situation. Children should, of course, be able to play out. But not at the expense of other residents or of people trying to do a very demanding job. My mum had carers. They were like ninjas. Every second counts. I could tell if they had been held up because they would cut corners. Not blaming them in any way, just stating facts.

I grew up in the 70's. We were all chucked out of the house to play. There were bloody loads of us. Some of the games actively used the road as an integral part of our play (running to the white lines, bouncing the ball off the kerb, skipping games etc.) Yet still we managed to respectfully move aside for cars in plenty of time. No arseholes blocking the street or any of that nonsense. Some neighbours parked their cars elsewhere if they saw us playing in a particular space, but we certainly didn't expect it.

This isn't actually about whether or not the children should be allowed to play in the road in a cul-de-sac. It's about whether, in the midst of their playing there all day, they/their parents could just have the tiniest respect for the other residents of the road and move/wait for one minute to let somebody briefly use the road as a road and access a parking space.

I doubt that anybody would mind at all if the kids play out there on the road for 99% of the time; the fact that the parents are teaching their children that they should get their way the entire time - as if sharing as a concept never existed - and that they alone matter, whilst the vulnerable gentleman at number 6, who has almost certainly lived there a lot longer than they have, should go without his basic human dignities rather than stop them from playing for one minute.

Are there really people out there who equate a carer coming in each day, to assist a vulnerable person with their basic dignities and functions, to a friend popping over for a cup of tea and a natter from time to time?

They are doing something: they're performance parenting and giving their sense of personal entitlement a good, long exercise.

Bloody hell, let the kids play, it's their home not yours.

It's the elderly gentleman's home too, and he's entitled to receive his care. That's an actual need not a want.

I played in my cul de sac when I was a child in the 60s it's not a new thing. The only thing wrong in this scenario is the two parents blocking access. I'm sure a quick word with them about what the OP is doing will sort it out.

Children definitely should be able to play together outside.

Yes I don't have a problem with children playing out, they do in my cul de sac but they know to move out of the way for vehicles! The parents don't sit like spanners in the middle of the road either.

The kids round me play in the street but they scatter quickly when they see a car
Sitting in the road in chairs is ridiculous though (people put a chair on their driveway and watch from there usually here)

Agree with others, speak to the parents at the chairs - lovely to see the children playing out, but they get very close to your car as you're parking and manoeuvring around the toys. Could they please ask speak to them about giving cars more space for their own safety.

And if they challenge you, you have to drive and park close for your job, you're not doing anything illegal but they likely are by blocking the road. You're more than willing to work with them as it's in everyone's interests.

Everyone should have access for any reason IMO, whether necessary or not. Sensible for the parents to sit out to make sure vehicles slow down and the children are aware they're there. Not ok to block access for anyone.

Perfect response!

Oh, I completely agree. But a few posters on here have seemed not to grasp that OP isn't prioritising her 'lovely day out' over children getting to take over the entire road whenever they want - not that there would be anything wrong if she were just wanting a lovely day out - she's actually providing an essential basic service to a vulnerable person, which they are trying to obstruct.

I wonder what will happen when they get old and need help to live their daily lives?

^^ this exactly.

This thread is reminding me of one a few months ago, where a mum from abroad had moved in with her kids, had stolen acquired some council 'road closed' signs and just put them out every time she fancied blocking off the road so that her kids could play there!

I don't think it was even a dead-end road, either - just a through-road that she decided everybody could just do without on her whim!

True but you don’t know if you don’t ask….

I tend to find being friendly, smiling and asking nicely usually gets me the outcome I’m after

But that's with people who don't realise that you need a hand or them to budge out of your way, until you make it clear.

These parents see OP driving in and glower at her - they must know by now that she's going in every day to care for Bert at number 6. It's clear as day to them that she just needs them to move themselves and their kids out of the way for a minute (and not block the space with their toys) so that she can access Bert's driveway, park up and spend the maximum available time helping him on the visit - but they arrogantly and steadfastly refuse to do so.

How nasty of them to treat a disabled person like this - their neighbour - even if they don't care for OP as a fellow human.

My kids played in our cul-de-sac growing up

They knew to get out of the road when cars came