Neighbor issues. Not sure if I am crazy or what.

You're hearing only one side of the story, Bill. Based on that, I tried to be a bit more objective. His story suggests to me that he's escalating all this (arguments, fences, trees, security cameras, etc) just as much as, if not more than, he says the neighbors are. Heck, he's acting like the kids (according to him, ages 8 and 10) are monsters or criminals. Instead, all I read is young kids playing relatively harmless games, in an area they've used for years (according to him).

Some of the others here are responding in the same manner - like the police are going to arrest & incarcerate 8 and 10-year olds for trespassing while playing catch or whatever. Not going to happen. Kids will be kids, and kids have been playing games (catch, baseball, tag, hide & seek, etc) wherever forever. Based on that, the civil courts aren't going to do much either.

He's now fenced himself in, effectively separating himself from his neighbors. That should pretty much end it. But, personally, I doubt it will. I can quite easily envision him upset next about these or other kids walking across the front of his property (killing the lawn) to the school bus or whatever (they can walk in the street).

 

I can see your position, and while I agree that kids will be kids, when you ask a child's parent to keep them off your property, regardless of if they have been playing there for 6 months, or 6 years, then it is the parent's resposibility to teach their kids right from wrong. The fact that the grass is getting damaged is enough for me to say "it is time to put and end to it." I would not want my nice lawn to get torn up, degrading my property value, when there is a perfectly good park nearby as mentioned. The kid's parents need to be grown ups and tell their kids that the property is off limits. Period.

 

Well I'm a few days late to the party here, but like others have said, I think your doing the right thing. Specially since they have their own yard to play in.

And for those saying kids will be kids, and go ahead and let them play on your property, I can only assume you are the asshole neighbor. My 7yo son knows to respect peoples property, and if not and someone tells me about it, he knows he will be in trouble for it. I have a 3 month old son also, who will grow up and learn the same thing. It's not ok with me for parents to just say let them be kids, let them be kids on your own property. If you don't teach your kids respect, then the future will be full of more assholes.

 

Okay, since I'm the only one recently saying that (kids will be kids), it's safe to assume you're directing your lecture towards me, Dave. First, I'm not the "asshole neighbor" you say. My kids left home at least two decades ago. However, when they were younger, yes, they played in the neighborhood with other kids, just as other kids played in our yards (more than one since we moved occasionally).

Today, several of the neighbors have kids, who occasionally run through the yard, play in the yard, or whatever. They like the front yard because it has a large, unobstructed, area. Just today, three were throwing a frisbee in that area. None of this ongoing activity has resulted in any permanent damage to the lawn (wouldn't care anyway - it's just grass).

Anyway, I don't see this as an issue of right versus wrong, disrespect of me or my property, an invasion of my privacy, or similar. Instead, as I said, it's just kids being kids. Heck, when I've got a bit of free time, i don't mind throwing a ball or frisbee with them. Sure beats the heck out of sitting around griping about kids playing.

 

Well that's great !! You can be the neighborhood Dad then , nothing wrong with that, but different strokes, & I don't think he's griping about kids playing , it's WHERE they're playing & I totally understand his point, its about respecting someone else's property, When I was growing up & on my street you just knew better than to go into someone elses yard , fenced or not without the owners permission, whether it was to play or go get a ball that landed there, thats just the way most of us were brought up & I brought up my kids the same way, it wasn't a problem for me growing up nor was it an issue for my kids growing up either, bottom line is if a propety owner wants you off their property, you leave simple as that, anything less is just disrespect....

 

Okay, guys. You win. Not going to argue indefinately. The kids are being disrespectful, evil, ill-mannered, or whatever. Go ahead and do whatever you want to them. You should be able to get some good ideas from the previous messages (police, electric fences, etc).

 

What is it about "Get off my property ". you don't understand ??

You are stuck on "there just being kids" mode, forget about the PROPERTY OWNER wanting them off his property who does he think he is anyway, I'm not going to argue, there is no argument, don't need electric fences,etc; Just need other PEOPLE (kids adults ) to stay the hell off his land, he doesn't need a reason, not saying their bad kids, he just wants them to respect his wishes & his RIGHTS as a home owner, think maybe you can grasp that ?? His yard, his call, I mean wtf ???

 

Actually it was from some earlier posts, as I didn't read through all the responses. With that said though, I'm all for letting kids play, my street is full of kids, also when I was little, we played in each others yards and other neighbors yards also, but those neighbors where ok with it. They didn't mind, as yourself, that we play on the property, but if someone told us to get off, we did, and if we didn't there was hell to pay when we got home. If you are fine with it, then by all means let them play, but the OP wishes these kids stay off his property, and has talked to the parents, and asked them to keep the kids off the property. It's his yard, and he is allowed to let whoever he wants on it. What I meant by the, it's not ok to say let them be kids, is your not teaching the kids to respect others property, if the owner says please keep them out of my yard, and then you say to your kids go ahead and play there, your just being kids after all. You should always respect other people's propery, no matter what it is.

 

I'm definitely not griping about them playing. If they wanna play outside, more power to em. I just don't want them doing it on my lawn. With them not playing football on my lawn this past year, my yard looked awesome. It wasn't all torn up and nothing but patches of dead area. I also don't have a problem with the baseballs or footballs coming into the yard every once in a while. If it comes over the fence to my backyard, they should just come ask me to get it. But I do have a problem with the ball hitting my house (this last time, it hit hard cause the crash sound was loud enough to hear over my tv.) and I REALLY have a problem with the kids behind us, or the 23 year that lives next to them, heck ANYONE who isn't me or my wife, I have a problem with them simply jumping my fence to get the ball. ESPECIALLY when they knew I was home. That's not cool IMO.

 

I'm with you OP, I get what you're saying completely. It's yours, and it's your right to do whatever you want with it.

 

And for those that have suggested I "go out there and throw the ball around with em"
That's not really my thing. I don't have kids, and am not going to. Also, they aren't related to me in any way, so I'm not obliged to do so. If i wanted to throw a football around, I'd get some buddies together. I wouldn't go over to the neighbors house and play with his 10 and 13 year old kid. Kind of creepy to me.

 

Put in some nice Bar-berry bushes, they won't run through there after that.

 

Wow that is crazy, i wonder where this is.

 

The fence and bushes have kept them out of the yard, its the ball hitting the house and the other neighbor (23 years old) jumping my backyard fence that are the problem now.

 

Seriously do you live in my neighborhood as it seems we suffer from the same problem. Since my last post here I have had a white trash family move in next door (renters) and have been dealing with the same issues as you that I was originally dealing with the across the street neighbor and finally curbed once I told him I was done f*cking around and next time I am just letting law enforcement deal with him and his disrespectful kids. Just like your neighbors it's just a lack of respect. If I ask you to keep your kids off my property than do so. Don't go being a spiteful prick because of it and encourage them to play in the yard more.
To the guy saying kids are kids. F*ck that excuse! Yes, kids are kids but if you raise them right and you tell them not to do something than they should obey your rules no questions asked. Hell my two year old knows if I tell her to not touch something or not to be someplace that she better stop dead in her tracks. If my two year old can grasp and follow the concept than my neighbors 8 and 12 year olds should be able to grasp it too. The problem stems from the parents. If the parents don't have respect than neither will their kids. In my case they are typical white trash and when I saw them moving in I pretty much expected a problem to eventually arise. Hell since they moved in most of the neighborhood has grown tired of them as they are definitely the black sheep of the neighborhood. Their kids are out of control and the parents are no better. I had to go over there last night to tell them to turn the music down since they found it appropriate to blast the stereo in their garage with the garage door open at 11:30 at night. Than when I complain I'm the prick. That's why moving forward I too am just calling the cops. Trying to be the nice guy does not work and has only made me seem soft. I could go over like a raging bull and trust me I would love to but I don't need to spend a night or two in jail because I let my temper get the best of me. I just tell myself that those white trash POS aren't worth it. Trust me I can relate to your problem as being the calm, cool and collective guy gets harder and harder every time you need to make the trip next door. Good luck man and I feel for you.

 

when the kids are in your yard, go offer them candy and to watch movies in your basement. That will scare them away.

 

Hahahaha, yep that'd do it, although pretty sure you could expect another visit....

 

cause they had a great time and want to come back for more?

 

Yeah , thats it.....

Is there a clown suit in this senario ??