Neighbours kids keep looking over our fence

[lilybit2025]

As the title suggests. Young girl around 5-6 keeps looking over at our fence. Did it a handful of times yesterday until I turned around and said 'hello can I help you?' And she's doing it again today. It sets our dog off and drives her insane yet she still does it.
I find it incredibly intrusive and I don't know if our neighbours know she's doing it and she's only a child but we do not have children and aren't particularly fond of them either.

Encouraged by her parents, within the boundaries of her own property, certainly.
As if that’s for op to take on 😆

I'm not a child person like OP but I would far rather live next to and engage with a curious friendly one than have loud inconsiderate grown ups

She has decided to make a game of it. At this point, I'd say to her "Please stop looking over our fence because you are scaring out dog!" If that doesn't make her stop, then for sure I would talk to the parents, specifically saying that it is distressing your dog, and nothing more. (They are likely to be highly defensive of their child in this case!)

I guess you can try ɓlocking the spot she looks over with something? But try her parents first .

Presumably an electric fence would be frowned upon on here 😉 so personally I would extend the fence with trellis and attach something quick growing and spikes.

They do grow out of it eventually, my neighbours kids were always nosing and throwing their rubbish over as well as throwing stones at my dog.

Just speak to the parents.
Please don't take an easter egg as someone suggested. She will think that you're her friends, and that if she continues to be nosy she'll get another one!

its not a choice, you can have neither

if it was a boy looking over the fence i bet this would be your answer.

Am I the only one thinking this thread is slightly absurd? A little girl is peering into your garden. If it really is a big deal, just tell her not to in a firm but kind way.

yeah just ring on door, nicely say “did you know your daughter is peeping over the fence all the time? She’s climbing on something to do so, not sure if she has some toys by the fence.

If she doesn’t stop it - sit out for a while, hose pipe and spray her with a little water.

Is this even a debate? Just have a quiet word with the parents without being judgey etc. that’s all it will take

the girl means no harm. She doesn’t really understand privacy arguments etc.

I had this with kids climbing onto the roof of the neighbours shed which was next to our fence and staring at us. I grew something very prickly and fast-growing (pyracantha I think) in the hope that one of them would lose their footing and fall into it. Unfortunately they moved before that happened.

Some horrid people on here. She’s 5 ffs! Have a word with the parents.

Completely different scenario, but I have the same thing with people looking into my garden and setting the dogs off. I live in a rental, and when I took it on I had no idea there was a footpath running alongside the property. And it's constantly in use for all dog walkers, plus a cut through to a campsite a little distance away. My fence is 6ft tall, but set a little below the path, so anyone taller than about 5ft 8 can see straight into my garden ... and they do, and it riles me up something chronic. I have zero privacy.

This. Saying "hello, can I help you?" to a 5 year old is so ridiculous. You need to be direct.

How about having a word with her parents stating you’re concerned for her safety as she is climbing up to look over the fence and you’re worried the dog might startle her, she loses her footing and has a nasty fall.

KilkennyCats

Oh come on!
An Easter egg? Op doesn’t need to bribe the child not to constantly stick her head over the fence.

Thats not a bribe, it’s a neighbourly gesture that leads to a normal conversation as opposed to some of the suggestions here that will mean the child will go running to the parents and it will make a big thing out of something that doesn’t need to be!

The parents can be asked to stop their child making a nuisance of herself without being presented with an Easter egg, if op wouldn’t have made the gesture under normal circumstances.
It’s not the norm to shower neighbour children you barely know with chocolate, Easter or no Easter.

KilkennyCats

Im not being argumentative but the three houses around us dropped in Easter eggs!!!

Maybe a strategically aimed sprinkler is needed?

A well-aimed water pistol 🔫
Oh, sorry, that's cats 😉 😼

That sounds lovely ☺️

That sounds lovely ☺️

Oh, one of those parents...

KilkennyCats

They’re a nice bunch, we drop in flowers and an egg to them too, we’re very lucky!