Update: 'I asked them to stop it so I can work': Renter encounters doorbell-ringing neighbor children and their driveway-hogging parents

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Apr 22, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

There's no manual on how to deal with inconsiderate neighbors — especially when it's their kids who are causing the problem! 

"Kids will be kids," as the saying goes. But where are the parents responsible for said children? This person was pretty annoyed while they were trying to work and kept being continuously badgered by their neighbors kids. The 5 and 7 year old kiddos were ringing the doorbell numerous times throughout the day. No, it's not for important reasons, they just wanted to see the OP's pet dog. Sometimes they were just ringing the doorbell because they were bored! The OP pretty quickly got sick of this, but what could they do about these two bothersome children? 

The kids aren't even the entire issue. These nightmare neighbors use the OP's driveway, going so far as to park there! Clearly, the parents and kids all have some boundary issues, and a strange lack of respect for their neighbor's space. In an update posted to r/AmItheA**hole, the OP revealed their pretty simple solution to the issue. 

Next, this woman explained an infuriating story of how she used to prep lunch every day for her husband… until a few of his coworkers told her what he was really up to. 

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  • 01
    Plant - Ever since I moved in I've been having issues with the neighbours... [their kids] keep ringing my doorbell multiple times a day'
    via Jasper Garratt on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/AmItheA Posted by u/cactusloverforever WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property? Not the A-hole Throwaway for obvious reasons. I moved into a detached townhouse a few months ago. It's a rental, I'm leasing it for a year with the option to extend that with a second year or possibly buy the house.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 03
    Font - My driveway is right next to the neighbours', it big enough to fit 2 regular sized cars and halfway down my driveway there's a path leading around my house., on side side of the path is my house on the other sides about 3m of yard, that's mine.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 04
    Font - Ever since I moved in I've been having issues with the neighbours using my driveway for parking, turning their cars, storing their other stuff, playing, etc etc. Asking them to stop using it and keep their items on their own property has not worked, so I placed a few large plants, installed a camera and a no trespassing sign, and that helped a bit. At least the cars are gone.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 05
    Font - The last few weeks with the 'stay home' advice, I've been working from home, but the neighbours kids are making that really hard. They're about 5 and 7, boys, and they keep ringing my doorbell multiple times a day to ask if they can play with my dog, if I want to play with them or anything else they can think of. I asked them to stop it so I can work, which of course didn't work, so I asked their parents, and was told boys will be boys and they weren't going to do anything about it :( To
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 06
    Font - WIBTA if I actually did that? I'd love to place a fence or something, but as it may be a short term rental I have to be able to return everything in it's original state for now. EDIT: I'm getting a lot of comments about social distancing and lack of isolation of the boys. I'm from the EU, my country isn't on lockdown and it's (or was, I'm not 100% sure anymore) advised to let small children play outside.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 07
    Font - r/AmItheA Posted by u/cactusloverforever 34 1 UPDATE WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property? UPDATE I was asked for an update on r/AmItheA /comments/g31n1q/wibta_fo r_planting_prickly_bushes_in_my_front/
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 08
    Font - About a week after my post I planted a 'wall' of blackberries and raspberries at the 2 sides of my garden facing the driveway, about 30 cm from the edge so no overhanging branches! On the other side of the berry wall I planted lots stuff like strawberries and tomatoes. To reach the tomatoes and strawberries from the driveway you have either go through the fruitbushes or walk up to my house, walk about 2m along the side of the house and my windows and then walk into my actual garden. Not s
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 09
    Font - For about 2 weeks it was somewhat quiet but I still found the kids on my driveway every single days. As far as I know they did not enter the garden and I hadn't noticed them walking around my house anymore, so I figured the bushes were working.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 10
    Font - About 1 week ago berry season started and my bushes are now full of raspberries and there's lots of strawberries as well. The neighbours noticed. First I caught the boys picking and eating raspberries so I told them off and dropped them off at home, told their mom I caught them stealing (that's how I see it even though it's fruit) and that I'd call the cops next time. She huffed and told me to grow up, but took the boys inside anyway.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 11
    Font - After that it was quiet up until yesterday afternoon, when I went out for a while and found the dad and his 2 sons right in the middle of my garden when I returned, clearing my bushes and plants. I didn't even confront them, just called the cops from a distance as they hadn't noticed me yet and started filming them after making the call. Luckily 2 cops showed up after 10 minutes or so and they confronted the neighbour as they were still picking berries. They told them they were trespassin
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 12
    Font - After a while the cops came by and asked me if I wanted to press charges. I asked them if they felt like they scared the neighbour enough to stay away. I got a small smile and yes about him, but the wife had just kept shouting at them and her husband about the 'little b' living next door. I told them no for now, asked them if I'd be allowed to get an extra camera set up on the wall between my garden and the road to cover the entire front garden + driveway, they said that's allowed as long
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 13
    Organism - So, now I'm getting an extra camera installed, one neighbour knows I'm done messing around but his wife isn't there yet and if I ever catch any of them again, the cops will be called and possible charges will follow.
    via u/cactusloverforever
  • 14
    Font - awaysaway23 Enthusiast [8] A NTA - their parents are lazy and sound like they just want to make you a free babysitter. "Boys will be boys" smh
    via u/awaysaway23
  • 15
    Font - fysu I would straight up go and ring the parents doorbell once every 30 minutes or so for an entire day. "What do you want?" "Just wanted to say hi!" and then walk away. Repeat over and over again until the parents get fed up. "Oh, I'm sorry is it annoying to have your doorbell rung all day long?" I'd take a sick day just to commit.
    via u/fysu
  • 16
    Font - shellexyz Partassipant [4] I HATE "kids will be kids". If you don't teach them that their behavior isn't correct, they're gonna keep "being kids" when they're 20 or 30. The fact that they're kids maybe means you're understanding and instructive rather than punishing. It means they're given the opportunity to learn. But it doesn't mean they should be allowed to continue.
    via u/shellexyz
  • 17
    Font - Mirianda666 Pooperintendant [54] NTA. These parents are jerks. Be petty and install a motion-sensor that sets off a sprinkler system. 3.0k Share cactusloverforever OP I'd love to, but I've been turning part of my driveway and front yard into a vegetable garden, meaning I'll be there quite often the next few months and don't want to get soaking wet myself every single time.
    via u/Mirianda666
  • 18
    Font - ketita Parta ipant [3] NTA. The parents are lazy and not bothering to parent. You deserve to live hassle-free.
    via u/ketita
  • 19
    Font - rattus-domestica NTA are you f king kidding? This would drive me fing insane. You haven't called the cops yet? Isn't this trespassing? 149 Share cactusloverforever OP The cops here won't do anything unless they catch them in the act and even then probably still will not do anything other then talking to the parents as they're young kids.
    via u/rattus-domestica
  • 20
    Product - Idejbfp Partassipant [3] NTA but stop giving them anything and don't allow them to play with your dog. If they get rewards they'll keep doing it. 98 Share cactusloverforever OP They're not allowed to play with her anymore. I walked her a few hours ago and they came running up to us, I told them no and just kept walking.
    via u/Idejbfp
  • 21
    Font - cactusloverforever OP I've got 2 rapsberries and 1 blackberry in my backyard, in pots because I didn't want them to take over the yard but I could plant them out front.
    via u/cactusloverforever

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neighbors kids neighborhood yard Bad Neighbor dogs aita berries petty
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