Horrible child, worse parents

smallBiscuit

My next door neighbours have a child about a year older then my son (6) she is without a doubt a horrible sour 'thing'.
We dont get on with her parents at all, my other half had the audacity to ask them to ask their son (14) not to play football against our front wall as he was knocking all the stones off it. That apparently means war? We get evil looks whenever either of the parents see us and they've told their kids not to play with ours.
Results, their seven year old picks on our son (not physically) and tells the other kids on the road not to play with him.
Now if the parents weren't 'lovely people' or the child wasn't devil spawn The answer would be to talk to them. That isn't an option, is there any way to legally put it out of its misery? Or any other idea's on what the hell I could do?

We don't want any trouble and tbh I've forgotten we are at war numerous times and said hello to them. Is there anything that I could do at all?

axel rose

Have I got this right? You want to sue your neighbours so their 6 year old will be nice to your child? Yea go for it! :rolleyes:
If that is your attitude then i wonder how your partner approached their child regarding the football issue. From your post I would hate to live beside you.
Kids will be kids, support your child, be nice to the other CHILD, invite the local children (yes including the 'horrible sour thing') into your house and let the whole thing blow over.

I would also advise you to distinguish between a child and an adult.....and try to act like the latter.

January

Try calling the Gardai to have a word with the child...

Are you serious? Ignore them! Just because they are your neighbors does not mean you have to talk to them or socialize with them!

smallBiscuit

axel rose wrote: »

Have I got this right? You want to sue your neighbours so their 6 year old will be nice to your child? Yea go for it!

Do you think that would work??

There are 3 approaches to use here, legal, illegal or ignore
We've been using the ignore one for ages, but its hard since the devil spawn is trying to turn every other child in the area against our son, daddy gives us the most wonderful evil eyes or 'I've just sucked a lemon' faces every time he either sees us or passes our house, and after the request to ask their son not to play football against our house (there is a huge green directly in front of the house by the way, so it isn't much hardship to not use our wall as the goal) he came out screaming and threatening my other half (who was 8 months pregnant at the time)
Then there is the illegal option, ie put the devil spawn out of her misery, I think drowning would be the best, kindest option. But I think the police would disagree with my assessment.
Finally there is the legal option, short of suing which I don't think would work myself, is there anything that can be done?

Kids will be kids, support your child, be nice to the other CHILD, invite the local children (yes including the 'horrible sour thing') into your house and let the whole thing blow over.

Done that, for that exact reason and the parents have told their kids including the ds (shorter than writing devil spawn) not to play with our son. We would let it blow over, it isn't a big thing, but our neighbours don't want it to

Lizzykins

The problem is that there are people out there who thrive on setting people against each other. They very often do it through their children. I've had experience of it myself in years past and it made life very uncomfortable. My advice is to ignore the neighbours completely-children and all. Forget legal -and illegal -options! What goes around comes around and you may have to wait years to see it but it will come.
The main thing is to be calm and sure of your own position and it will all work out.
Good luck.

Quality

I think that is good advice from Lizzykins...

Also if there is a lack of friends for your child, why dont you invite other kids ie your nieces and nephews or his school chums to come to your house on play dates.. Send them out the front to play.

Kids can be cruel, but grudges dont usually last long.. especially at 7.

axel rose

agree with quality.
However a fight cant continue if only 1 person has interest in it. It takes too much effort to ignore someone, say hello when you are both out in the front, let your neighbour ignore you!

I would also advise you to drop the attitude regarding devil spawn thing- your problem is with the parents not a 7 year old. Regardless of how subtle you are, your child is picking up on it. Its not funny and makes you look a bit sad. Your job is to give your child confidence not to continue a spat with a child.
Have you spoken to the parents of the other children to invited them over? (by them I mean the kids )

Nevyn

It is hard when one or two kids single out your child on the road and basically run a hate campgain against them. I have the same happen to me and my kids due to mine having manners and not being let run the streets.

When ever either of those two boys were not around my kids got on well with the rest and played happily enough, as soon as either of them arrived out they persistantly berated and bullied my kids and bullied the rest into not playing with them.

I tried going to the parents and was told ah they are just being kids.

All you can do it keep your child safe, make them confident, give them oppertunities to make other friends and keep a civil distance with the neighbours but don't let them intimidate you.

lostinnappies

if you cant wait for Karma ..... move....

Simply put, there are people in this world who are approachable, who are rational and who are willing to listen. There are some who are not. If its getting to be such a huge problem to you then move. There is no other answer... you could try talking to them or getting some legal advice, but by the sounds of it you would have better luck knocking your head off a wall.

Either wait out the current storm in antisipation of the next or move. Just imagine not having to wake up every morning to see those lemon faced neighbours. You should be happy and comfortable in your own home ... ask yourself is it worth it?

smallBiscuit

lostinnappies wrote: »

Either wait out the current storm in antisipation of the next or move. Just imagine not having to wake up every morning to see those lemon faced neighbours. You should be happy and comfortable in your own home ... ask yourself is it worth it?

Not a chance, I love this house, I love the area, I'm not going to move. They don't bother me at all, it is only for my son I'm unhappy.

Anyway it is pointless to feud with me, I have a very bad memory. My other half and I have had big fights in the past which result in her not talking to me, but a couple of hours later I've forgotten that we're not talking. I keep forgetting that we're fighting with next door, I only remember when I get the lemon sucking face. I think (hope) it is bugging the hell out of them, that we are apparently completely unaffected by this 'feud'
In response to all the other responses. Good advise all, things I already knew, I suppose I was just looking for someone to moan to. Or advise as to the legality of killing them.


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