Kids in Cul-De-Sac (Howe: live, dangerous, move)

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Bo

Parents these days are focused on having their kids play (and practice) a sport that can result in a scholarship. Colleges aren't issuing scholarships for any sport on your list, so I don't think your idea will work.

rules my kids out - hopscotch and marbles are favourites around here.

[TexasVines]

Originally Posted by flourpower

who? the kids??? HA!!!!!

of course the kids the parents are not going to do anything

[JuanValdez]

Anytime kids start playing around my house I just sit on a chair in the driveway with a shotgun across my lap. Seems like I have to do that 2 or 3 times a year but it DOES fix the issue.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by awsimons

My wife and I love kids. Trying to have our own, but that's really irrelevant.

We live in a cul-de-sac and the kids that live around us often play ball in the street. We leave one or both cars in our driveway and we OFTEN hear loud "BOOMS" when our garage door gets hit with a ball. Today was a tennis ball, but they play with baseballs often too. Not only do they hit our garage door, we see them very frequently going into our yard to retrieve their balls. I don't think it's a stretch to assume they hit our cars sometimes too.

I don't want to be a jerk, but my wife and I are really bothered by this. We have fairly new cars and I really don't want dents appearing. Are we overreacting? What can we do about this? Thanks.

Alan

I find the addition of the disclaimer in the beginning of your statement, that you and your wife love kids, not very genuine because you then go into detail of how, no, you really do not like them. When TTC sometimes we operate on a script that we love kids but in honesty maybe we are a bit jealous that others have them when we don't? Unsure but maybe this is the actual root of the problem and the hard balls going out of bounds onto your property is just an external trigger?

There has been very good advice given here (as well as classic comedy with some of the other comments) but do ask whoever you feel more comfortable with, the parents or the kids themselves. If you can actually see when a ball comes onto your yard and see who did it, then retrieve it and go hand it back to them, that would make an excellent time to appear respectful of them while also being able to add in that your car got hit the other day and made for a very expensive dent. Kids, if good and decent, will not want that, be thoughtful of it, and perhaps even swing in a new direction. If they respect you they will protect and defend you.

Your neighborhood is a hundred percent safer with kids playing outside. In other areas you sadly do not see this anymore. Consider yourself blessed.

[blaircedarbank]

What an unbelievably rude reply to accuse the OP of being JEALOUS? Then, to say the OP should go get the ball that came onto his property and take it back to them and act respectful of THEM.
This must be a cultural or regional thing. Where I am from, you respect other people's property and do not trespass on it. I don't want to be liable for anyone getting hurt on my property. I am not insured to be a ball park or court.

[The Sweet Pickles Bus]

Originally Posted by blaircedarbank

What an unbelievably rude reply to accuse the OP of being JEALOUS? Then, to say the OP should go get the ball that came onto his property and take it back to them and act respectful of THEM.
This must be a cultural or regional thing. Where I am from, you respect other people's property and do not trespass on it. I don't want to be liable for anyone getting hurt on my property. I am not insured to be a ball park or court.

I gotta agree with you 100%. Sorry Merovee-I usually enjoy your posts and the knowledge you convey.

Maybe OP shoulda said "My wife & I love most kids".

[perticusrex]

I dislike most children....I've never had a problem telling a kid in the neighborhood I've lived in, "Excuse me but you need to get your stuff out my yard. I need for you to stay out my driveway." "Take the hoop to the front of your house." "I would hate for anything to happen to your things because you left them in front of my house; I'm sure your parents spent a lot of money on that stuff." Just tell them straight up. Kids are forever being coddled and treated as equals....pffffft. NOPE.

[TexasRedneck]

Mebbe ah'm an oddball...kids out front don't bother me as long as they respect my property. That having been said - you hit my garage door, vehicle, etc. with something - it now belongs to me until your parents come to retrieve it. Not gonna get mad at the kids - the parents, well - THAT is a horse of a different color!
We've got a large front yard, and the kids played out there for many years. Unfortunately, they became a bit destructive, and I had to tell them they were no longer allowed to play there, and why, after several warnings. They still like racing their various R/C cars along the sidewalk since it's so long between driveways, and we've no issue w/that - to me, I'd rather see 'em outside playing than inside glued to a video game!

[todd00]

How old are these kids? Maybe a friendly word to the kids first, if it continues talk to the parents. I lived in a cul-de-sac too at one time. The previous owners of the house used to let the neighbor kids use the pool, so they began asking, didn't take the hint, so we had to talk to the parents. Lots of cars in the circle, sometime parked in the center, or parked in front of our mailbox, even when they had plenty of driveway space. Also, one can like kids and still not care for brats that have no respect for other peoples property. You might consider putting a security camera out there, just in case there is any damage, you do have proof of what happened.

[Sonny Chiba57]

Originally Posted by Bo

Parents these days are focused on having their kids play (and practice) a sport that can result in a scholarship. Colleges aren't issuing scholarships for any sport on your list, so I don't think your idea will work.

If that's true then they should sign them up for sports in school where they can practice in a real field and not a cul-de-sac...Old school games never caused damage to other ppl's property