Oh no! When did I become *that* neighbor?!

mom of 4

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The stories I could tell - I work at an elementary school. This is going to be my 14th year there. Over the years, we've watched the kids come and go. Even though this is a large town, it's very small town in many ways - it's easy to keep track of people.
First, I am not a teacher.
By watching the kids (their behavior and the way they interact with others), their parents (and how they handle things that come up), and listening to the teachers (things that go on in the classroom), we've gotten pretty good at picking out the kids who will succeed, who will struggle, whose parents will always make excuses for everything and who is oing to be the future juvies. And we can do it pretty accurately after they have been in our school for just one year. Not perfect, but pretty close.

Helicopter parents, swooping in and rescuing their kids. Whatever happened to natural consequences? Forget your homework? Low grade for it, no parents bringing it in. Some parents, at another school, would FAX in homework - that they had finished. Let kids learn a system to remember that works for them before they get to high school.

My son's live in an apt complex with lots of unsupervised kids. That don't hurry to get out of the way of vehicles - they dare you to hit them. My kids are moving out in 24 days - and they can't wait.
 

tarasgirl06

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Yeah, people sure are horrible here. I really don't understand why the crime rate isn't HIGHER with these people being such absolute morons. OH WELL! Not a subject to get me going on, but it sure would be nice if they would learn some consideration for others.
 

starryeyedtiger

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silly woman, don't scream at them...get some super soaker water guns and drown them with them
then they'll look like they peed themselves and their friends will laugh at them. they'll never mess with your stuff again
 

white cat lover

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I live in the country. One of my neighbors has a dirt-bike. Always rode it for like 3-5 hours after school. We'll, I'd just be getting home & my dogs had to potty. Macey, my big Lab/GSP X would go beserk over that dirtbike. Like, scary even to me! I asked the kids, talked to the parents, etc. I finally just let Macey loose after the kid. She went bark, bark, barking up to him. He wiped out. Macey apparently did some damage to the bike & he had to walk it the mile back home!


I am beyond nasty. But that kid rode his dang bike in MY yard.....after I asked him not to ride past my place it freaked one of my dogs out. Macey never left the yard....he trespassed & she did her duty.
Never even thought she bite him or I wouldn't have let her loose....but man....she doesn't like motorcycles or dirt bikes!
 

renovia

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Originally Posted by twstychik

I've had to be "that" neighbor too. Like when I see complex kids (we live in an apartment complex) throwing rocks or playing catch over someones cars. Even my husband has once when some kids from a few buildings away were beating up on the kid next door.
i revel in being that neighbor because someone has to teach these kids a lesson.

Originally Posted by Kiwideus

Oh yeah, I know the feeling! I caught a boy urinating on the fence and chased him off. I hope he didnt have time to put it back in his pants!
there were these kids in my apartment complex about 5 years ago and they would pee of the front step right in front of us and i went out and yelled at them. they eventually got evicted because other people complained and they were living like 8 people to a 1 bedroom apartment.

Originally Posted by MuttigreeMom

I think what gets me more is they were probably about 16. At that age, you know better.


I happened to be talking to one of my friends when this happened and she told me I should have turned the hose on them. When I said I didn't have it handy she replied "always have your hose ready! what kind of cranky old biddy are you? frankly, im disappointed"
That's the best thing I've heard all day
this is great!


Originally Posted by menasmom

I am ALWAYS catching the little kids in our cul de sac standing in my front yard drying to catch lizards,and every time I go out and ask them how THEY'D feel living in a 10 gallon tank after having been born FREE. They look at me dumbfounded and then I tell them not to play on my property and leave MY lizards alone. The fact that 1) they're trying to catch lizards so they can put them in a tank or plastic "house" bugs the living crap out of me and 2) the fact that their parents don't teachthem to respect other people's property bugs the living crap out of me.
My husband and I don't have kids, so I'm sure they all think we're "the creepy neighbors." Their parents avoid us at all costs, aside from the occasional wave as we drive by.
it's too bad the parents avoid you because they'll never hear the RIGHT story from you, just some nasty ones the kids tell them.

Originally Posted by Tarasgirl06

Yeah, people sure are horrible here. I really don't understand why the crime rate isn't HIGHER with these people being such absolute morons. OH WELL! Not a subject to get me going on, but it sure would be nice if they would learn some consideration for others.
the crime rate isn't higher because the parents come to the kids rescue, i'm sure of it.

when i have a kid, i will NEVER bring their homework to school.
 

tarasgirl06

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Originally Posted by DIEGO

I'm *that* neighbour too, but not coz I yell at kids or what have you. It's because I'm a foreigner.
Member of the same club. Born here, but of different -- oh boy, how different! -- backgrounds (multicultural). Feel like The Woman Who Fell to Earth (if you havent' read or seen The Man Who Fell to Earth, check it out sometime!)...you're not alone!
 
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muttigreemom

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Today I hopped in the shower so I could get my butt down to the post office before it closed and about a minute in I hear the dogs going NUTS at the front of the house. My first thought? "Those little punks are back!"

Oy, I'm old... so very old... I think a 16 year old is a "punk"


So I quick rinse the shampoo out of my hair, grab a towel, run like a crazy lady to the front window ready to give these kids holy heck...

... only to find out the dogs were barking at a squirrel


I think I need a hobby
Some nice knitting to calm me down maybe
 

tarasgirl06

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Well, maybe so, but it never hurts to be careful! Especially when your dogs bark -- that's why people in most of the world keep dogs, if they have them -- for protection!
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by Tarasgirl06

Well, maybe so, but it never hurts to be careful! Especially when your dogs bark -- that's why people in most of the world keep dogs, if they have them -- for protection!
Oh definitely! When mine hear someone coming on to the property they go ballistic... I can't even get out the front door without Boo trying to run through my legs to get at whoever it is.

I once had a guy come to the house to try and sell me a security system. He witnessed the 5 minutes of maneuvering to get out the front door so I could see who was there. After he started his speech I stopped him and said "Did you not see what I just had to go through to get out my front door? Do you not hear them trying to rip you apart through the window? Do you think anyone is getting in my house without me knowing about it??" Shut him up pretty quick
 

tarasgirl06

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Originally Posted by MuttigreeMom

Oh definitely! When mine hear someone coming on to the property they go ballistic... I can't even get out the front door without Boo trying to run through my legs to get at whoever it is.

I once had a guy come to the house to try and sell me a security system. He witnessed the 5 minutes of maneuvering to get out the front door so I could see who was there. After he started his speech I stopped him and said "Did you not see what I just had to go through to get out my front door? Do you not hear them trying to rip you apart through the window? Do you think anyone is getting in my house without me knowing about it??" Shut him up pretty quick
Yeah, I know the feeling! Today I locked myself out
and had to call a locksmith. Took him a LONG time and he earned every penny of the considerable charge trying every way he knew how to get in the door. I said, "Good door, eh?" and he said, "Not very -- criminals would use a crowbar!" Like DUH, they wouldn't use one on any door or window??? The fact that his entire arsenal of picks and other gadgets did not get him in means nothing? I don't think so! And then he dissed my lock, which he hadn't been able to get into.
 
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