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Would sincerely like your input on how to handle this situation.
Last night, neighbor kids got a bit out of control. About 10 kids (ages 5 to 14) were playing tag and other sports in the cul-de-sac and running over my shrubs and stuff in the front yard. I can't have my shrubs get trampeled as I can't repair the damage and I'm mandated by the HOA to keep the front yard appearance neat and tidy.
I talked to one parent, and she apologizes for her 2 kids but points out that it is a whole lot of families that get together. One neighbor had his kid plus one or two friends, another neighbor had all four of their kids, and the parent that I talked to had 2 kids, plus there were a few more that I don't know who they belonged to.
I can't easily chase down 10 kids and talk to all 10. I'm uncomfortable doing that.
How do I effectively communicate that kids shouldn't be in my front yard? I don't mind if they retrieve a ball or if they lose a frisbee. What they can't do is hide behind my bushes, use baseball bats to retrieve balls, or run through the shrubs. (We don't have a lawn in our front yard. It's all shrubs.)
There are probably four families involved.
All are good kids, they just get out of control sometimes when there are too many kids and not enough adults.
I can't easily chase down 10 kids and talk to all 10. I'm uncomfortable doing that.
You're still having trouble?
This doesn't sound any different than your previous thread. Since you seem unwilling to assert yourself... one word:
Fertilizer.
Liberally applied.
Please don't say, "It's not in my budget" or I'm going to reach through the ether and shake you. YOU are the grown-up. YOU made the decision to live in a house on a cul-de-sac. Anyone born in post-1950 America knows cul-de-sacs attract families with kids. So the situation is a result of the choice you made. So you either assert a little authority as a home owner or you wring your hands. Some more.
Should I talk to the parents or the kids? I've talked to one parent three times so far. It's the parent of the kid that is always around when kids are in my front yard. I saw another couple kids from a different family, and will talk to them for sure.
Do I also need to talk to the parent of the kids who aren't in the yard, but playing with the other kids who do go into the yard? I really can't keep track of whose are whose, so I am thinking this is a good idea as well.
I can generally keep track of the kids that actually live in the cul-de-sac. Those are typically about 30% of the kids playing outside. I can't keep track of the 70% of the kids playing outside that are friends or guests of those who live here, because they change all the time.
you probably won't like this but had they trampled my bushes, I would have simply marched outside right then and there and called them all over and told them not to come into my yard anymore. period. end of story. you have to say it with authority though....
i had to do this a few weeks ago. four kids ran from the backyard of the house across the street into my yard, through my yard and onto the hill behind my yard. i politely raised my back window and told the kid that he had to get out of my yard and he could not run into my yard anymore. i haven't had anymore problems. if i had. his mother is two doors down. she would have seen me that day.
ETA: a better solution would have been to make them clean up your bushes after you told them not to do it again. i would have made them fix it or called their parents to see who was going to repair my property.
you really have to become a bit more assertive. these kids are walking all over you. whose the adult here?
If the kids are guests of your neighbors, the neighbors are responsible for their guests' behavior.
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