Neighbours child

[managingexpectations]

would you let your child shout on a neighbour over and over again?
now I might be hot tired and being a grump but next doors child is bugging the life out of me.
just got through the door from a long day at work, the open the back door as the kitchen is hotter than the sun and I needed to make dinner.
as soon as the door was open next doors 7 year old child is bellowing on me. Shouting my name over and over again, standing on the fence to look in the kitchen window and shouting “I know you can hear me”
I did eventually go out, once dinner was cooking and I had 5 mins to spare.
He’s out in the garden with both parents, little sister and his gran! I relatively politely said please stop shouting on me I’m trying to sort tea, what do you need me for?
turns out he didn’t even want to speak to me he just likes being loud and annoying
it’s becoming a regular issue, if I go out to hang washing=shouting, pottering in the garden=shouting, sitting having a coffee=shouting.
tonight I am a bit hangry so I did say to his parents, can you try to keep that to a minimum please it’s a bit annoying. Seems to have fallen on deaf ears as he’s still going.
would I be unreasonable to send a follow up message to his mum (have each others numbers for emergency use and we’re not texters) We’re friendly but not friends, have the odd neighbourly conversation if we pass in the street etc or would that ruffle feathers and just cause an atmosphere?

Pedant's Corner is that way. 👉

Regional in some cases, so rather rude to be grammar policing.

Well who made that stupid law!

Oh heck this reopened a memory! My neighbour had 4 kids all close together (1 set were twins) and all 4 of them used to hang over the back garden wall shouting at me.

I resorted to putting headphones on to read my book in peace.

Kids then ramped it up a level by throwing their toys in the garden, I ignored their pleas to throw them back over, continued reading my book. I left them in situ for a few days then threw them back over the wall.

Later that day, they were back throwing the toys over again and I lost all 'kids being kids' sympathy and binned them all then went in the house and switched off my doorbell 😂.

Ignore him and get some loud music blasting! Preferably with expletives. Wind his parents up just like he’s winding you up

Spray him with the hose on the jet setting. It worked for my neighbours cat

My DC used to play ball nicely in our garden. DH was the 'pest'. Every time he played ball with them he managed to throw/kick the ball into next door's garden!
A couple of times he sent one DC to ask for the ball back.

One time NDN said the person who sent the ball into their garden had to ask for it back! We all had a great laugh when he went round and said "Mr/Mrs NDN please can I have my ball back". They were the loveliest NDNs ever.

I'd go out the front and go and ring their doorbell. When they answer say "your son was calling for me, I assumed you needed me"
They will soon get bored of you rining the doorbell !

It's dialect, used a lot in parts of Scotland.

😆

Has he jumped the fence and trampled your flowers to get his toys back yet? 🙈

Oh come on, he’s 7 not 2! At 7 he’s likely spent at least 1 if not 2 years in school. He should be well aware what is and isn’t acceptable social behaviour. If he isn’t it’s because his parents are utterly useless.

No op. Of course his parents shouldn’t be letting him repeatedly shout for you. It’s ridiculous. Apart from annoying you, it should be annoying the hell out of them too surely!

At this stage I would be direct and speak to his parents. Say something along the lines of it’s getting too much and you would rather they deal with it than you lose your temper with him. If it continues you will have to tell him off yourself, but you would rather it came from them seeing as it’s their child and their job not yours!

@BobbysDazzlerno he’s not, thankfully because he’d be well and truly stuck!
I’ve been back once to collect something, was only there for 10mins and I couldn’t be bothered throwing them back. I’m feeling slightly guilty as I really don’t know when I’ll be back at mine to return them (currently doing some caring responsibilities)
his mum did try the side gate a few days ago but it’s locked so she sent me a message asking when I’d be back as “a couple of toys have ended up accidentally over the fence” I just sent her the cctv footage of him leaning over the fence for maximum throwing potential and said “ I don’t think it was an accident, I’ll sort it when I’m back but I really don’t know when that will be.” I’ve not heard anymore from her but I will try to do it early next week. 😬

I wouldn't rush to get back OP, let the buggers wait! Loved your response to her text! I bet she was seething when she realised you knew EXACTLY what had happened, and hopefully they won't have the brass neck to try climbing over with a ladder to get the toys, but of course if they do, you could always prosecute for trespass!😂

Think you are making your point well 😊😊

I wouldn't return the toys even when I was home - make his mother come over and ask for them. The inconvenience might help to focus her attention on parenting her child. You can take this opportunity to tell her that you will return them this time but if he throws them on purpose again, you'll put them in the garden burner!

I recommend a trellis on top of the fence with the spikiest, most stingy plants you can attach!

I feel like a wicked witch but the whole family really wind me up. The parent from what I’ve seen are pretty hopeless and the kids just run a bit wild.
I’ll try to pop over on Monday if I can but I’m not putting myself out and I’ve got too much going on elsewhere in my life to worry about his balls.
mum just messaged with a sort of apology and just asked that I return the toys when I can. I can see there’s some kind of larger stuffed toy been thrown over today, it’s torrential rain so that will be a soggy mess when i eventually return it 😂

Absolutely this.

Book a hotel and stay away longer.

Won't he just climb over to retrieve balls etc ?. That's what i would have done.
But I didn't shout.
No one did.

Sorry don't know what to suggest for that.
He is being neglected by his parents.

@managingexpectations I think this is the best come back ever! "I’ve got too much going on elsewhere in my life to worry about his balls." So versatile in many situations! 😎 Well done you!

In Scotland shout on is not the same as shout at.

Shout on is like saying call on (but much louder) - you're shouting someone's name (to get their attention,) Not shouting at them.

The wee boy is shouting/calling for the OP to come out and engage with him.

@abracabarbaraperfect explanation! I couldn’t think how to explain shouting on 😂

@alexdgr8if he does he’ll be stuck! I have the smooth sides of the fence and he’s only little for his age. I doubt ether of his parents would be able to either as they’re bigger built and without ladders they’d be stuck too!
I suppose it would be entertaining 😂

Hosepipe out - next shout respond in shock! Get the parents.

‘crikey that was so loud I lost control of my hosepipe - better not shout again’