background: we live in a small esate; cul-de-sac so mostly only cars in here are people that live here. There's a few communal areas (some grass, shrubs, trees). In the esate there are a few single people, a couple of older couples, but mostly families with children. The children all play outside in the cul-de-sac, general childrens games; tag, hide and seek, ride their bikes, skate, play football. Nothing that's causing damage or is offensive. They can sometimes be loud- they're children. Comes with the territory. There are a couple of them that run accross peoples front gardens (all open onto the pavement) as short cuts, but they haven't caused any damage.
We've had some problems over the past year with the same few neighbours that think the children are too loud, shouldn't play with balls, shouldn't be allowed to draw on pavements with chalk (they drew a hopscotch thing), and shouldn't be allowed near the communal grass. (as it happens my 2 aren't as it's right next to a busy main).
This has recently escallated into a couple of the neighbours telling the children that they will get the police called on them if they play with balls. We've reassured our boys the police won't do anything about them playing with a ball if they're being careful- keeping it away from any parked cars and out of peoples driveways.
Anyway..this morning we recieved a letter from the factor saying that while 'they are not anti-children' the communal areas aren't designated play areas and the children shouldn't be near them. I have also found out from a neighbour that one of the anti ball brigade wants to start a committee to 'deal with issues they're not happy with' and has purchased no ball game signs which they're going to put up.
I'm so angry that one or two assholes think they have the right to dictate what my children do and how they play when they're (my boys) are not doing any harm. So i've just sat and typed a ranty email to the factor basically saying that firstly I object to this anti- children phrase as noones objected about adults walking on the communal areas, chucking fag ends on them and walking their dogs on them. Then I've gone on to say that maybe their next letter should stress this is a neighbourhood and people should try approaching others if theres a problem not trying to make it official by involving a third party, and they have no right to put up signs without all residents agreement. I've also said I would approach the people who are complaining to him myself but obviously I cannot be sure who out of the 3 or 4 witches it was so I can't do this.
I haven't sent it yet. Should I- or will I just come accross as nutty as them. I also want to go and confront the person about these signs but I'm not doing that while I'm angry.
I know this may seem a bit trivial but it's really wound me up! I do loads with my boys- we take them out alot, they have lots of activities, but the odd evening or weekend they want to go out and play it always ends up with them being moaned at or threatened. We have previously asked these neighbours to speak to us- not the children. One denied it, one claimed it's not our children they were speaking to (but have said this to all the other parents too) and one shouted and swore at me for about 10 minutes. Now one of thems getting signs and another (or may be the same one, i don't know) is complaining to teh factor. ARRRGG