Problem with neighbourhood kids..

Fletch123

Please move this thread if it's in the wrong place!


We're having a problem with the kids in our estate, particularly our next door neighbours. The kids keep on coming into our front garden and messing with the plants (they say they're catching bees (?) but instead are breaking branches on shrubs etc). I've asked them nicely and not so nicely to basically get out, but they don't seem to understand that they shouldn't be on someone else's property.

My bedroom is at the front ground floor of the house and I get woken up by heads bobbing outside the window...

And today they had a dog in our garden playing catch.

Their parents are aware of the problem but don't seem to have made an impact other than threatening their children that I will come out and give out to them (which I don't want to do).

As you can tell I am frustrated and upset.

Is there anything at all that I can do? Or am I over-reacting?

Any advice appreciated.

Paulw

Shout at them, give out to them, chase them from your garden - all options. Other than that, try to have a word with your neighbour and ask that the kids stay out of your garden.

Going the whole hog - you could call the Gardai and report that there are trespassers on your property. Might be a bit harsh, but would certainly get the message across to your neighbour. :eek:

seamus

Do you have walls/gates?

I noticed this a lot when I was living in my brother's house. There were no real walls bordering the gardens and no gates on the driveways, so the kids had no problem running in and out. On the other hand when I was a kid, if there was a house with walls around the garden, particularly with the gates closed, you very rarely went in, except to get your ball or whatever.

I'm not sure how much giving out to them or chasing them will work - they might get more fun out of it than anything!

Traumadoc

Get a video camera and openly take it out when they are in your garden. I did it, they never came around again.

Firetrap

Tell them you've got Gary Glitter staying as a house guest

hopalong_ie

Traumadoc wrote: »

Get a video camera and openly take it out when they are in your garden. I did it, they never came around again.

NO but i can see the Guards giving you a visit.... ehem Sir we have had reports that you have been recording young children with a video camera....

corkfella

throw a few f's at them, nothing like fear. always kept me on my toes at that age! then wait for the neighbourhood to form a committe to evict you as thats easier than try to control their own kids... ha ha

Fletch123

Do you have walls/gates?

We have walls, but no gates at the moment. Believe me, I'd love to put barbed wire around the place at this stage. Think we're stuck with them.

Was talking to a friend who lives in the estate and he was telling me that they had damaged his car by using it as a target for their football practice...

We're going to move soon anyway. Pity the people in here after us!

IanCurtis

Firetrap wrote: »

Tell them you've got Gary Glitter staying as a house guest

Reported.

axel rose

hi fletch
I posted on a similiar topic before and believe me you have my sympathies. I had a lot of success with much worse behaviour. A lot depends on the age of the children and if these parents are in any way responsible for the 'little darlings'
You dont want to be a target or go completely overboard due to stress. (Its way too easy)
As a first response I suggest that you explain that your garden and they are not welcome.
btw as someone who works with children I can confirm that it is prefectly ok to photograph children trespassing onto your private property!!!!!! I have plenty of footage of underage antisocial behaviour that I have shown to the guards to prove it.,
I cant stand paranoid political correctness!!!:mad:

axel rose

I also recommend defensive planting-basically if it has thorns plant it! My personal favourite is pyracantha. Grows fast too. I get the impression that its more annoyance than antisocial. A lot depends on the ages of the children.

The_Conductor

Firetrap wrote: »

Tell them you've got Gary Glitter staying as a house guest

Firetrap- this is not After Hours.
Pertinent On-Topic posting please.

Regards,

SMcCarrick

Fletch123

axel rose- I find it antisocial. To be woken up by a child standing in the middle of your front garden just screaming and shouting at the top of his lungs I think is antisocial.

I've had nice words (Can you stay out please? Your wrecking the plants and flowers), I've had stern words (Get out now) and very pissed off words (I am sick! You woke me up! Get the hell out of my garden).

They range in age from 4 to 10 years.

What did you do to resolve the situation?

Victor

School.

axel rose

I didnt intend to undermine your experiences. I was thinking more of threatening behaviour when I mentioned antisocial behavior.

Its an awkward one alright. I suggest that you keep a detailed diary of exactly whats going on and include how both you and the children act. Its best not to use emotive words and descriptions. You are within your rights to record trespassing and behaviour to support this. I advise you to do this openly and explain to the children( in a firm polite way) what you're doing.

I would imagine that before long you would have a nice file to show to either the parents or solictor to back up requests. I wouldnt bother wasting your time with the guards.

It can surprise you how effective the action of openly gathering evidence is!

good luck

Fletch123

Sorry, weren't saying you were undermining my experiences! Just saying they aren't spray painting the front of the house or breaking windows, just doing stuff that other people might not mind (but I do!).

I'll start to keep a record. Going to be there for at least another month and I don't think I can take it for that much longer!

Victor: That'll hopefully get rid of some of them! Although their parent is pretty lax (local drug dealer... yet another issue!). I thought the bad weather would stop them but they soldiered on with the wrecking of the garden with umbrellas!

talkingclock

isn't there an electronic device that emitts a very high-pitched sound that only young ears can her. that'll drive them away. not sure if it is a legal device in Ireland.

axel rose

just a couple of extra points. If your neighbours house is council managed you may get a little headway by contacting the housing dept particularly with a comprehensive log and video of behaviours and damage.

I personally recieved a lot of support from some co counsellors but it may be more related to the fact that my experiences were more criminal.

Would you be prepared to instruct a solictor to write to your neighbours?

Fletch123

Axel Rose- I don't think I would take it that far since we'll be moving soon. I'd say the council are sick of them. Their front garden looks like a halting site (probably why they're in ours!), and sometimes I feel sorry for the kids because we can hear the screaming and shouting in the house etc.

Anyway! I think I'll just take note of it, just to have evidence of how frequent it is in case I do need to have stern words with the da (dreading it, creepy and dangerous individual).

Talkingclock- don't think those are legal, wouldn't be able to confine it to the area of the front garden, and I'd probably be able to hear it!

axel rose

best of luck fletch. I know how stressful it can be- it nearly cost me my sanity!
you know you could explain to the neighbour that you noticed that his kids are going into your garden....blah blah..... however you have noticed very rare plant disease that needs to be treated with super duper chemicals over a peroid of weeks.
Get my drift?

The_Conductor

talkingclock wrote: »

isn't there an electronic device that emitts a very high-pitched sound that only young ears can her. that'll drive them away. not sure if it is a legal device in Ireland.

There certainly is- Its in wide use in the UK, and reportedly very successful. An alternate- have an external speaker wired to the wall of the house (discretely) and use it to play soothing classical music. Most kids I know hate classical music with a passion. I find it calming...... You're far less likely to get into trouble with neighbours for some low playing classical music than the alternates?

Fletch123

Smccarrick- I live on an end of terrace in a council estate (ours was ex council when we bought it). There would be uproar if I was playing classical music outside the house! I know those devices but it just wouldn't work given our close proximity to neighbours on all sides and the street.

Axel Rose- Very good!

Had a chat with the mother of two of the kids and she told me that she's ripping her hair out. Apparently her boys are being led astray by our next door neighbours. And our next door neighbours seem to now have some associations with travellers. And some of the kids in the garden are traveller kids who get the bus from their temporary settlement down to our estate. Fantastic!

What I can hope for is that once school starts properly they won't be in half as much. And since they seem to be collecting bees (wtf?) the cold weather will kick in soon, no more bees, so they'll have no excuse.

Was furious today when I found they had broken the branch of a shrub in the front garden and have been ripping the flowers and leaves off some of the plants. As well as leaving their litter in the garden. Next time I see them I'll tell them that it's there last chance and if they come back I'll have to have a word with the guards.

My start leaving broken glass around the front!

My OH will be moving up to me today and I'm actually scared that they'll do something to his car (even though it'll be parked in our driveway!).

Can't wait to move!

axel rose

Fletch just wondering If you are a guy or gal? Because a lot of my problems abated once my husband moved up. Granted he did go to great lengths to look and act like a mad hard b-stard!!! Some kids (and .......) can only take direction from men.

the_syco

axel rose wrote: »

Some kids (and .......) can only take direction from men.

Ah, you're a lass. Unless you're well built, kids will see you as no threat. They'll see a dude as a threat, and if he's well built, or just a bit mad, they'll stay even further away.

Victor

Fletch123 wrote: »

My start leaving broken glass around the front!

Not acceptable.

TequilaMockingBird

I think it's so sad, but it crossed my mind today that if I had a man living here I wouldn't feel so vulnerable. It's very wrong, but true in my case that these little sh*ts have more respect/fear of men.

A neighbour of mines dog got loose yesterday, grabbed a cat from the alley behind my house (alleys in NEW corporation housing estates?? - a whole other thread) got it by the head, ran out into the cul-de-sac where there were about 10 kids playing and ripped it to shreds. Literally. The dog owner was too frightened of the dog to go near it to get it under control. (She rang her non-driving husband in work to come home and get control of the dog. :rolleyes:)

Cue lots of traumatised kids, cat owner in tears, dog owner "oh its not a viscous dog" (wtf?), dog warden having a great laugh with owners (wtf?) because the dog has a license and is not a banned breed (same dog owner was bemoaning the fact that pit-bulls were not allowed on the estate) so whats the problem like? Arrrgghhh.

I feel like weeping.

OP I have hijacked your thread, apologies. What I meant to say was, if you can keep some type of dialogue going with the parents your going to find the whole thing alot easier. Explain about the sleeping etc, that they just cannot cross the line into your drive as it is your property. The guards will be no help, but I agree the corporation might be, the main thing is the parents.

This is the problem with ghettos corporation estates, the decent people will move away.

Integration ftw.

Fletch123

Victor- apologies, poor taste joke.

I frightened one away yesterday so some progress seems to be made. OH has moved up now so a male presence might have a much needed influence!

Thanks all for the suggestions!

CreepingDeath

Fletch123 wrote: »

We're having a problem with the kids in our estate, particularly our next door neighbours. The kids keep on coming into our front garden and messing with the plants

Here's a good approach... polite, fake concern for the kids welfare, with an element of fear.

Tell their parents that you've sprayed your plants with strong pesticides.
If their kids touch the plants then they have to be brought in to wash their hands immediately.


EDIT : Just seen Axel_Rose had the same idea above !