To complain to this kid's mother

[mrsbojangles2]

I’m autistic and really struggle with noise and chaos — I value calm and order. I live at the end of a cul de sac where lots of neighbours’ kids play in the street. I don’t have children (by choice — I find them overwhelming), but when I moved in, I accepted that street noise from kids playing was part of the deal and vowed never to complain about it.

Most of the local kids are fine — respectful and not too noisy. But a new girl (around 9 or 10) who doesn’t live on the street has started turning up every day to play. She screams constantly at full volume and keeps walking onto my front garden — leaving litter, dumping sweets and toys, kicking a tree stump, etc.

I’ve asked her several times (politely but firmly) to keep off the garden and tone it down a bit. She just gives me a look and walks off. I heard her laughing at me with the other kids as I walked off today. She's really pushing my buttons.

AIBU to try and track down her parents and complain? Or do I just have to suck it up?

I’m not sure it will help. Can you secure your garden ? Play music? Noise cancelling headphones?

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....automatic sprinkler (or even better remote controlled sprinkler) and a spiky plant

No, you don't have to suck it up. It's your property.

I'm autistic as well OP. And since I moved to my present home I've been the target, off and on, of the local children and youths. They damage my hedge, throw stuff into my garden, are cheeky to me , come up my path and kick my door etc etc.
I get the local police involved when things escalate. Because this has been ongoing off and on for so many years they are actually quite helpful and will up the car patrols in the area and the community police will talk to the children in the schools. In the past I've also contacted the anti social behaviour unit of the council and they have been quite helpful.

I think if you contact the police over the problem you are having with this girl , the fact she is coming into your garden, they will take it seriously. You need to tell them you are autistic because that is classed as a disability and they have a duty of care towards you.

Yep, as the others said - take it seriously. Can you get a ring camera so there is evidence

I'm so sorry you've been going through that @ThymeandBasil. That must be horrible to live with. It's my fear that it will escalate with these kids too. Right now it's annoying stuff rather than malevolent, and I don't want to make things worse. I would rather speak to parent(s) before police but I don't know what the parents are like. I imagine to have such a badly behaved child with a bad attitude they might not be nice people or take it seriously.

Don't you miss the days when you could grab them by the ear and march them home?

I'd just wait till she heads home, follow her and knock on the door.

Thanks everyone for your replies and understanding. I thought I was going to get hauled over the coals for being harsh. After I found some foam projectiles has been fired over my garden wall into my back garden I lost my shit and went to have a word with one of the mums over the road. She rolled her eyes when I mentioned the problem child and said she'd have a word with all the kids about their behaviour. So I'm really really hoping that does the trick.