6 year old causing havoc with neighbours

[Amiemac]

I’m literally at my wits end! We live in a street I grew up in as a child. It was a great neighbour hood, now since my kids have been in it the neighbours are so easily annoyed. Don’t get me wrong my 6 year old is no angel but I seem to be getting knocks at my door constantly over him. It just puts my anxiety levels up and makes me feel really low. A few months ago he threw a few stones into one of their gardens and the man came up and was extremely rude about it and approached me in a horrible manner, fast forward to yesterday my next door neighbour came out complaining about a football that hit her window. I’ve spoke to my son about this and have even went as far as to ground him for the week, I just feel as though either I’m doing a bad job parenting or my neighbours hate me. I’ve had a rough year with a miscarriage and mental health issues and my neighbours are very aware of this, I just don’t know what to do.

Stop letting your 6 year old play out unsupervised. Job done.

Why is a 6 year old, an untrustworthy one at that, playing unsupervised?

I’m sorry but your son should know better than to throw stones and kicking a ball so hard that it hits your neighbours window. Whilst they might. It have handled it very well, maybe there have been smaller things that have happened and they feel that nothinghabeen done to sop it I’m sorry you’ve had a shit year but that is a separate issue to your sons behaviour.

Is he unsupervised? I've got a 6 year old and he plays in the back garden only, as well as my 9 year old - not in the street

Your neighbours don't hate you, They're probably just sick of your son throwing stones and kicking balls against their windows.

They’re not easily annoyed at all. Keep your “non angel” at home. Problem solved.

Rather than grounding him, why don’t you take him to the park? Kids that age have lots of energy. So being able to play football etc in the proper place for that would be better than getting bored and annoying all your neighbours.

6 is far too young to be playing out unsupervised.

My 6 year old is playing in his front garden with the gate locked!! How is that unsupervised!! I live on a terrace street it’s easy for a ball to hit a window, and I’ve stated that I’ve punished him for it if you read my post again, I’m just saying I don’t like confrontation because it makes me anxious! He’s six by the way not sixteen!!

Exactly he is 6. So he needs supervising especially as he has shown he can’t be trusted!

Six year olds should be under direct adult supervision not wandering the streets annoying the neighbours. I suspect because it’s a great neighbourhood, people take pride in their gardens and homes and don’t want feral children creating mayhem. A miscarriage doesn’t stop you parenting the child you have effectively. If your mental health issues are severe enough to impact significantly on your ability to parent effectively then you need to seek appropriate support.

You’re having a tough time and you don’t know what’s going on in your neighbours’ lives. How would you feel if someone was throwing balls or stones at your home? That won’t do much for anyone’s anxiety levels.

Then take the ball off him . Take him to the park for football. We don’t have a big garden so my Ds is not allowed to boot it in the garden . ... I would also add he isn’t been supervised as your neighbors told you about this

If your front garden was secure enough for him to be out there without you then the walls would be too high for him to throw stones over or hit windows with a ball.

He’s in the front garden he’s not running the streets

He's in the front garden but in your very words is causing havoc. He needs to be supervised.

He is still being allowed to annoy the neighbours though so he obviously needs better supervision. Why are you unwilling to take responsibility?

I'm sorry you're having a tough time OP, but it is within your means to change the situation. I promise you that if you take a firm line with your 6 year old now it will save you no end of heartache down the line. He's old enough to understand that throwing stones and kicking balls at windows is anti-social and will have consequences.

You can’t have him in the front garden yet. He’s too young as he’s shown you by his behaviour.

Yes, Amiemac, he's in the front garden - being a dick. You need to control his behaviour and THEN he is allowed to play outside without you directly watching him, and not before then.

Hmm your thread title and defensive posts don't fit together. Do you think he's causing havoc?

Don't listen to these idiots , I fact don't come on here for advice , a lot of people talk nonsense

God lots of lovely people on this thread! Let your child play in the garden and he’s unsupervised and then your mental health is severe because he threw a ball at a window, I was looking advice, I never said he had a right to do this as I punished him the same way this page is crucifying me! Thanks very much

Op, take the advice people are offering you. Don't let him play out unsupervised and then he can't upset the neighbours.

@Amiemac my advice is keep your son in if you can't supervise him take him to the park and don't let your neighbour get to you