BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids anyone living in close proximity to children???

OK- so I have heard many of us on this forum state that they would love to live in a child free neighborhood...I couldn't agree more after my recent experiences. My husband and I just built a home (our "dream home") in a really nice neighborhood and put in a pool and all of the extras we wanted...We were so excited to live there!!! Well- after almost a year I have discovered that the children on the block are a nightmare!!!

Although most of the home have very large back yards, the kids tend to play IN THE STREET!!! What is that??? And they are so loud that my dogs freak out- they think we are being attacked or something!!! I have even found some of them in my yard teasing my dogs through the gate and one kid was even throwing stuff...No adults in sight BTW...My husband remarked this weekend that this obviously cannot be our dream home because of the high kid to adult ratio on the block. We have tried to be "nice" but firm in approaching the children (asking them to please not play in our front yard etc.) but it is getting to the point where it is absurd...I am ready to start yelling...

I am so irritated because there are all of these laws and rules we have to abide by for our dogs (leash laws etc.) But nothing that makes parents be aware of what their kids are doing...

My next step is to identify said unruly children and talk to their parents, but I certainly don't want to become the leper on the block either. Any advice on how to approach these parents?

No question. Talk to the parents ASAP!! If that doesnt' work, perhaps NO TRESSPASSING signs at the edges of your property? Then if the kids come in your yard to bother your dogs, you could involve the police, of course that's IF talking to the parents doesn't work. Playing in the street is annoying, but I dont' think you have a leg to stand on there. The brats harrassing your dogs, especially when they are fenced, is absolutely something you should NOT have to put up with! You may consider posting a beware of dog sign on your property just in case the little heathens provoke your dog into (justifiably!)fighting back...that may help you legally...I think...

As far as becoming the "leper" of the block, if your neighbors don't think there is anything wrong with the behavior of those kids, you don't want them as friends anyway.

I might consider the "no trespassing" the kids just don't seem to see that there are boundaries. I like the "beware of dog" idea too. It's kind of funny because the only thing my dogs would do is love someone to death...but the kids don't know that hahaha!!! Good point about the parents too...I need to consider what kind of people I want to be friends with....I guess worst case scenario we could just be polite and leave it at that...thanks Caterpillar :-)

There was actually one parent on a close by street that posted a sign in her yard...it said, "This is not a dog run. Please be respectful and pick up after yourself." I think this was in reply to some irresponsible pet owners that let their dogs go where ever and didn't pick up so I can understand her frustration, but as a responsible pet owner I was irritated...no one watches her little monkey (ahem I mean kid) when he is playing the street, but I have to have my dog leashed and supervised at all times...I don't like the discrepancy or the hypocrisy...why can't we just have a leash law for kids too? he he just kidding...really

Leash law for kids...now that's a lovely idea! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

UGH. Good luck Antikid. Sounds like you are surrounded from breeders from you-know-where. Breeders are so used to people catering to them, they just think that their kids can run amok where ever they want and if their kids are injured, they just file a lawsuit. I think half the time, that's what pahrunts are hoping for, that's why you never see one within 100 yards of their little angels.

Please. If you don't want to live in proximity to children, don't pick a neighborhood with big houses, big yards, good public schools or any of the other things that usually indicate children. Pick a condo in a more urban neighborhood, or an isolated farm somewhere. There are plenty of places with few children...maybe not in the suburbs.

Dogs are not the same thing as children. The only people who think they are have never had children. They're sweet and wonderful and loyal, and they're also animals.

Most of the children I see ARE animals. But not cool animals like dogs; they're more like weasels, or opossum....or those big gnarly wharf rats that you hear about living near the docks. Except not as well behaved.

SOFIE...YOU ROCK!!!! :-)
As for mayflower...what rock did you crawl out from under? I'm not sure I really even understand your post because you don't make any sense. It just so happens I have no interest in living in a condo or an isolated farm somewhere. I work hard and I enjoy living in a nice, large home with a pool and everything I want. Why should I have to choose? Why don't you take a whole bunch of rug rats and move to the farm yourself?
You're right...dogs aren't the same thing as children...they're a whole lot better!!!! While I respect your right to post whatever you want I have to wonder why you feel the need to stir up an argument on an otherwise friendly forum. Get a life.

Yes, Antikid - a farm is an excellent place to raise rats. It'll keep them from getting into trouble down at the docks.

On a more serious note, Mayflower, it's unfair to suggest that those of us who don't want to be harassed by children should limit ourselves to only living in certain types of places. Instead, maybe some of these parents that allow their children to run wild through the neighborhoods should do some actual parenting once in a while and teach their children to respect other people's space and other people's property.

Sofie and Antikid, you are so right. Why should CFers limit themselves to a certain type of housing? No matter where you live, you are going to have famblees moving in because they think it's their "right" to live where ever they want - just as it is the CF. There is a prestigious townhouse community in the area I live. It's sort of an unspoken thing that this community is not for kids. Everything there is geared towards adult living. People with kids KNOW this before they buy but once they get there, the childfree people have to put up with the noise, junky toys in the yard, and the complaining by parents that there is nothing in the common areas for their KYYYYDS. No one minds the presence of children anywhere so long as they are well-behaved and polite. Unfortunately this is rarely the case. My dogs and cats have more manners and common sense.