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I will probably be raked over the coals for this response, but given that the girls are unsupervised until 5pm or later nearly every day, and the teenager is watching three younger siblings, I would make a call to social services (or the police). It is not appropriate (in this day and age) for a young teenager to be completely responsible *all the time* for younger siblings (a young teenager who has also shown that she does not know or has never been taught some levels of appropriate behavior), and the OP's point that they leave the garage doors open showing there are no cars (and no adults home) opens them up to all kinds of potential dangers. I am not saying this as some kind of nosy killjoy, but as a parent and a mandated reporter. These kids are being neglected. Maybe if the parents got a visit from a social worker/police officer asking about where the parents are all the time it might wake them up.
Neglected??? And what does "this day and age" have to do with the age of a teenager babysitting? 14 is certainly old enough to babysit. And not to mention the op says he "thinks" the kids range in age from 5-14.
I cannot believe you would suggest he calls social services over this, because you are a "mandated reporter" wth?
And also editing to add ,what makes you think these kids are neglected? Because the parents work and have the oldest child watching them...ohhhh, wow, neglected...having kids actually helping the family now days is neglect.
Wow, Sucks for you that this is happening. Maybe next time they are going around screaming you could just go upto teh kids and ask them to keep it down? In a nice way? When I was a kid I used to have people say that to me and my friends all the time ha ha ha
Neighbors and kids are an interesting mix. Our house sits on a small lot and shares a fence with neighbors on both sides and in the back. It is definitely what you would call a "family neighborhood" with lots of kids. One day, shortly after we moved in, our rear neighbor was working in her yard and had her pet rabbits out with her and apparently my 5 year old daughter, who was playing by herself in our back yard, saw them threw the fence posts and started talking to her and asking her questions and such. I didn't know any of this since I was in the house at the time. A few days later I was out back and the neighbor called me over and chewed me out, telling me she wasn't there to entertain my kid and could I make sure my daughter never talked to her again so she could enjoy her quiet time in her own yard.
Fortunately it resolved itself as my daughter grew up and that neighbor moved away, but it was such an akward situation for awhile.
Okay...I have chuckled at this thread title for too long! Perhaps someone already mentioned it, but "Parents with Children?" Are there parents who have never had children? Sorry... grammar humor...
OK - you got me. I can't argue with you HOWEVER we have a dog so couldn't I be considered a parent without children?
Maybe I should have titled the post "Absentee People with Kids Under 16?"
Also, for the person wanting me to call Social Services I will say the kids are generally supervised - just not by their own parents. The folks next to them (2 houses from me) have 2 kids, too, and they are always outside and their parents are watching them. The neighbors on the other side of me are generally outside, too, so there are people around most of the time to deter criminals.
(One thing I always wondered about this area is why do kids always seem to play in the front yards? Nothing wrong with that but it just seems odd to me. Where I came from the backyard was where we'd goof off. We were not allowed in the street, either, and these kids are always in the street with their bikes, scooters, etc.)
Wow, Sucks for you that this is happening. Maybe next time they are going around screaming you could just go upto teh kids and ask them to keep it down? In a nice way? When I was a kid I used to have people say that to me and my friends all the time ha ha ha
I tried that before I went to the Dad. The kids were on my lawn about halfway between the street and my front door screaming away one day. The loudest of them all is the oldest child, too, which is especially annoying because I thought a teenager should be way past the "screams of death" phase.
I went out there and politely asked them to keep it down. She said okay but not 5 seconds later when I turned my back to them they started again. I was pissed. I didn't even make it halfway back in the house and they were at it again. I looked back and said "girls.....please" and they ran back in front of their house and stayed quiet for a bit but the next day it was the same crap.
Frankly, I think the parents let them do as they please and the oldest is a brat so the rest of the girls mirror her behavior.
Frankly, I think the parents let them do as they please and the oldest is a brat so the rest of the girls mirror her behavior.
I think you nailed it on the head--siblings look up to the oldest, including copying everything that sibling does. My oldest (6 y.o.) will do the most incredibly annoying things. I ask him to stop, but then my 2 y.o. starts doing the same thing (and it is almost impossible to stop a 2 y.o. sometimes!). I feel somewhat bad because I am harder on my oldest, but in many ways I have to because, as I tell him, he is setting an example for the younger one.
I tried that before I went to the Dad. The kids were on my lawn about halfway between the street and my front door screaming away one day. The loudest of them all is the oldest child, too, which is especially annoying because I thought a teenager should be way past the "screams of death" phase.
I went out there and politely asked them to keep it down. She said okay but not 5 seconds later when I turned my back to them they started again. I was pissed. I didn't even make it halfway back in the house and they were at it again. I looked back and said "girls.....please" and they ran back in front of their house and stayed quiet for a bit but the next day it was the same crap.
Frankly, I think the parents let them do as they please and the oldest is a brat so the rest of the girls mirror her behavior.
Yeah that's tough...Your other neighbours probably have the same issues right? You shd maybbe talk to them and I guess approach the dad agian. If that doesn't help, Talk to your HOA file a complaint. Can you call the cops for distrubance of the peace? esp if a large number of people are filling it? I think after being polite to people if it's just not cutting it....legal action is the way to go...
Just a thought...esp since the kids are old enough to understand the situation right? I am guessing these girls are teenagers? or Pre-teens?
... A few days later I was out back and the neighbor called me over and chewed me out, telling me she wasn't there to entertain my kid and could I make sure my daughter never talked to her again so she could enjoy her quiet time in her own yard. .
Sounds like your 'neighbor' needed a privacy fence.
I might have an issue with other kids on my lawn if mine weren't out as well, but kids making noise? Where are they supposed to make noise if not outside? Most places have noise ordinances, but they start at a particular time in the evening, like 9p or close to that.
Fourteen is plenty old enough to be babysitting siblings. You have to give her credit for being out there with them instead of sitting in the house on the phone or in front of the TV.
When you buy into a neighborhood with kids, you should be expecting kids to be playing outside and making noise. When new families move in, they aren't required to go by other's rules. If the kids make a lot of noise on a regular basis way into the evening, I would have a talk, but otherwise, I'd let it go.
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ha ha ha
