Neighbours child takes my stuff

Mal-Adjusted · 27-07-2010 12:26AM #1

funny little problem.
my neighbors have 2 small kids who we sometimes babysit. they've gotten used to coming up to the house and often do it without their parents consent (or knowledge!)
anyway, when one of their parents comes up to collect them the older one, about 6-7, usually goes straight for my room, grabs a DVD and starts screaming & crying if he isn't allowed bring it home (he'll cry if the room is locked as well). the parents will always give in because they don't want to deal with a crying child.
If i'm lucky enough to ever get it back, it's usually smashed anyway.

what can I do to stop this without ostracizing the kids parents (who are family friends)?

Dudess · 27-07-2010 12:28AM

Parenting lectures from non parents/curmudgeonly rants re "youngsters nowadays" from 20-year-olds any second now...

Chuchoter · 27-07-2010 12:29AM

Stop bringing them over. If they can't control their kids you shouldn't have to pay for it.

sdanseo · 27-07-2010 12:30AM

Sounds like you're still living at home with your own folks or am I getting the wrong end of the stick there?

I've had the key to my bedroom door at home on my keyring for years (I'm 21 now) - mainly because I have a few littler cousins who tend to wreck the place when they're here so they cant get in and that solves that

Bit mean but hey it works.

27-07-2010 12:31AM

take the kids stuff

Ghost Train · 27-07-2010 12:34AM

Start sending invoices to the parents for any stuff taken

W.Shakes-Beer · 27-07-2010 12:35AM

Switch some Fireman Sam disk with a "Massive Church Orgy 3" DVD, then see if his parents want your dvd's.

AnonoBoy · 27-07-2010 12:35AM

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

funny little problem.
my neighbors have 2 small kids who we sometimes babysit. they've gotten used to coming up to the house and often do it without their parents consent (or knowledge!)
anyway, when one of their parents comes up to collect them the older one, about 6-7, usually goes straight for my room, grabs a DVD and starts screaming & crying if he isn't allowed bring it home (he'll cry if the room is locked as well). the parents will always give in because they don't want to deal with a crying child.
If i'm lucky enough to ever get it back, it's usually smashed anyway.

what can I do to stop this without ostracizing the kids parents (who are family friends)?

So the parents give in to the kid?

But it's not their DVD.

Surely all you need to do is say, "That's mine, no you can't have it." and then let the parents take their crying child home?

Easy.

Or else next time they're over, just stock your DVD shelf with explicit horror movies and really dodgy softcore porn films. Somehow I think the erstwhile sh*tty parents will find the strength of character to deny their offspring in that case.

oppenheimer1 · 27-07-2010 12:37AM

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

funny little problem.
my neighbors have 2 small kids who we sometimes babysit. they've gotten used to coming up to the house and often do it without their parents consent (or knowledge!)
anyway, when one of their parents comes up to collect them the older one, about 6-7, usually goes straight for my room, grabs a DVD and starts screaming & crying if he isn't allowed bring it home (he'll cry if the room is locked as well). the parents will always give in because they don't want to deal with a crying child.
If i'm lucky enough to ever get it back, it's usually smashed anyway.

what can I do to stop this without ostracizing the kids parents (who are family friends)?

Just keep the door locked. The child will have to learn that he cannot take what s/he wants when ever s/he wants. Don't give into the crying/tantrums.

Daisy Steiner · 27-07-2010 12:37AM

Dudess wrote: »

Parenting lectures from non parents/curmudgeonly rants re "youngsters nowadays" from 20-year-olds any second now...

Em . . . what?

OP **** that, lock the door of your room and subtly leave the room when they are getting ready to leave.

It's ****e to have to deal with a screaming child who hasn't been taught properly but at the end of the day, it's the parent's bad and you shouldn't have to sacrifice your stuff.

astra2000 · 27-07-2010 12:39AM

Keep the door locked and if they start crying tell them you will bring them home. Parents shouldnt allow this. If they manage to get their hands on something just say no and explain last item came back broken or if you cant face doing this tell them its not yours so you cant lend it or that someone else has asked to borrow it, use the same excuse parents will soon get the hint!!

xi · 27-07-2010 12:44AM

Speak to the kid like your his teacher, I find kids respect teachers more than their parents these days.

You could say no you can not have this DVD today I want to see it, however (speaking to Mam or Dad) he may borrow it next time. (in the mean time rip and burn to DVDR.)

Adam · 27-07-2010 12:47AM

cry harder.

alwaysadub · 27-07-2010 12:48AM

Keep the door locked and tell them no. It's not your job however to teach them that they can't have everything, but if you stick to your guns,pretty soon they'll cop it that you won't give in.

If they throw a tantrum, kick them out the door.

Neyite · 27-07-2010 12:54AM

ring supernanny.

yermanoffthetv · 27-07-2010 12:55AM

Substitute the word "dog" for "child" and your good to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL9bLsuVFn4

shinikins · 27-07-2010 12:57AM

Tell the child that he can't have the dvd becuase the last time he took one it wasn't returned in the same state it left the house, and do this in front of the parents. That way, the child knows why he's not allowed your stuff, and the parents know your unhappy with the situation. If they try to wheedle you around, tell them no again, that you can't afford to replace every item the child borrows. They'll get the idea quick enough.

ejmaztec · 27-07-2010 12:58AM

It must be time to electrify the door-knobs, or buy a Rottweiler.

Doc · 27-07-2010 01:10AM

Go around to their house and ask to borrow any stuff that you like that they have like their plasma screen TV or stereo system or whatever. If the say no lie down on their floor screaming and crying and stamping your feet and arms saying "But I WANT IT I WANT IT I WANT IIIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!" If they give in trash them and then give them back to them with a note saying "How do you like it?"

Alternatively you could act like a grown up and talk to the parents and say that you don’t want to have the child borrow your stuff anymore as it is often not returned or returned damaged.

ElaElaElano · 27-07-2010 01:11AM

Dudess wrote: »

Parenting lectures from non parents/curmudgeonly rants re "youngsters nowadays" from 20-year-olds any second now...

Daisy Steiner wrote: »

Em . . . what?

She's talking about the kind of people who refer to three years ago as 'back in the day', or who say they 'feel so old now' on their 24th birthday. aka cúnts.

zuroph · 27-07-2010 01:11AM

Seriously though, just have a chat with the kid saying they can have something when they return something, in front of the kids parents. It'll embarrass them into monitoring the situation better.

Einhard · 27-07-2010 01:15AM

Steal the kids.

Sharpshooter · 27-07-2010 01:32AM

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

anyway, when one of their parents comes up to collect them the older one, about 6-7, usually goes straight for my room, grabs a DVD and starts screaming & crying if he isn't allowed bring it home (he'll cry if the room is locked as well). the parents will always give in because they don't want to deal with a crying child.

I'm sorry if I'm getting you wrong OP, but when you say the parents will always give in, what exactly do you mean?

They have come to your home to collect their child who is throwing a tantrum because he wants your DVD?

How exactly do they give in, isn't it up to you to say NO.

I really fail to see how anyone apart from the parents could take offence tbh and if they do are you not better off, family friends or not.

ejmaztec · 27-07-2010 01:37AM

Sharpshooter wrote: »

I'm sorry if I'm getting you wrong OP, but when you say the parents will always give in, what exactly do you mean?

They have come to your home to collect their child who is throwing a tantrum because he wants your DVD?

How exactly do they give in, isn't it up to you to say NO.

I really fail to see how anyone apart from the parents could take offence tbh and if they do are you not better off, family friends or not.

Some parents are so traumatised when they have kids, they think the world owes them a living, and that everyone should share in the pain of keeping their shit-bag kids happy.:(

OutlawPete · 27-07-2010 01:40AM

Just out of curiosity, what are the DVDs?

Maybe the parents want the kids to nick them so they can watch them.

Oh .. next time he comes around, have The Exorcist on resume, just at the head rotation scene.

Mara. · 27-07-2010 01:43AM

oh i know exactly how you feel.

I was once sitting on my OWN couch, when this spoilt brat comes along playing with his toy cars, crashing them into my leg.. then he starts to whinge about how he wants the whole couch to speed along.. I ignore him and carry on chatting to which his ma asks me would i mind moving so he can carry on playing.. THERE WAS NO OTHER SEAT IN THE ROOM. i took my place on the floor.

the kid was 7.

just let them know, i think a heavily hinted No is in order.

tony 2 tone · 27-07-2010 01:45AM

OP, would I be right in guessing that they would be friends of your parents? Doesn't matter about causing trouble between the families, lock your door, and if the kid tries to take any thing, take it back off him, while saying in a scolding way "No, you can't have that, that's bold" while giving the parents the stink eye.
Failing that, lump hammer, break his thumbs.

K-9 · 27-07-2010 02:49AM

Sharpshooter wrote: »

I'm sorry if I'm getting you wrong OP, but when you say the parents will always give in, what exactly do you mean?

They have come to your home to collect their child who is throwing a tantrum because he wants your DVD?

How exactly do they give in, isn't it up to you to say NO.

I really fail to see how anyone apart from the parents could take offence tbh and if they do are you not better off, family friends or not.

Can't see the problem myself either.

Cypher_sounds · 27-07-2010 02:52AM

Grow a pair and have a stern word with the parents that these things actually cost money so it would be nice not to have the stuff taken and damaged on you, otherwise just keep bitching like a pussy that a kid is robbing you in broad daylight lol

SoulTrader · 27-07-2010 03:34AM

Mara. wrote: »

I was once sitting on my OWN couch, when this spoilt brat comes along playing with his toy cars, crashing them into my leg.. then he starts to whinge about how he wants the whole couch to speed along.. I ignore him and carry on chatting to which his ma asks me would i mind moving so he can carry on playing.. THERE WAS NO OTHER SEAT IN THE ROOM. i took my place on the floor.

That's ridiculous! Putting an adult on the floor so a kid can use the couch for playing? If that is representative of the parent's usual attitude to the kid, that kid will grow up thinking the world owes him a living.

jimmycrackcorm · 27-07-2010 03:39AM

Learn too say no. it's actually easy

Neighbours child takes my stuff

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