Annoying neighbor kids making me crazy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will be held liable for injuries or drownings on your property, OP.

You need a fence pronto and you need to tell these idiot parents to tell their kids never to go into the pool without adult consent. I would have yelled at them if I had found them in my pool, I can tell you that.

Apart from that, I treat the neighbor kids like my kids: I tell them the rules and send them home (my kids to time out) if they don’t comply. I am direct. And if it’s not a good time, which it often isn’t, I turn them away nicely at the door.

All of this. See the other thread about a parent who wants to get a trampoline in her unfenced yard. Read about liability, insurance cancellations and the legal concept of attractive nuisances. Your pool is the same thing -- it should be fenced already (you're likely violating your local regulations without knowing it -- even the inflatable above-ground pools are subject to fencing regulations in many areas including Northern VA for example. It's not just permanent in-ground pools that must be fenced, in many places).

Otherwise, although the neighbors and their kids are the ones who are being a problem, and I agree that they are -- YOU will be the one the lawyers and police talk to if something happens on your property.

And PP is right: You need to have a face to face talk with the parents about the pool and say the kids have to come to the front door and see and talk to you for permission before they go into the back yard. Ever. Explain that your own kids have some summer activities going on ("activities" can mean in your head "they're doing stuff in the house right now and don't want to play") so your kids enjoy some play time with the neighbors but won't always be available. Hence the need for the neighbor kids to ASK every single time.

This is likely to continue even after the pandemic stay-home time drops away, and even after you drain your pool. I'd get a fence because come fall and winter, theyll probably still come into your yard to play even without the pool there.

[Anonymous]

OP how many times have the parents apologized and said they would do better next time?

You need to be calling them every single time.

Also, fence and gate with a Magna Latch lock. You can look up guidelines for the height to set the Magna Latch. If done right, a 3 yr/old would not be able to open the gate.
https://us.ddtech.com/products/magnalatch-top-pull

[Anonymous]

Now I see my Americans friends must think I am nuts. I have zero qualms yelling at other people’s kids when they are in my yard/ under my watch. I would very sternly chastised those kids off and send them back home with some proper fear of me. Geez grow a backbone, those kids are walking all over you and that’s not ok

[Anonymous]

OP - please get a fence immediately. This is a MAJOR liability issue for you. If something happens to the neighbors kids, you will get sued.

Besides just being rude and annoying, you’re also financially at risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - please get a fence immediately. This is a MAJOR liability issue for you. If something happens to the neighbors kids, you will get sued.

Besides just being rude and annoying, you’re also financially at risk.

Jesus, what about the kids' lives??? Nothing? Just money? Wow. Unreal.

[Anonymous]

You are so at risk with a freaking open pool in your yard. If a kid dies in there, you pay. It’s a giant attractive nuisance and you’re letting them in it so your goose is already cooked. Get rid of the pool, or get a fence and a cover and some better supervision. In this situation, legally, you’re the annoying one.

[Anonymous]

Not OP... but what are the thoughts around liability if your HOA won’t allow a fence (unless you have a pool)? We’ve had neighbor kids one try to play in our yard but I’ve always made them leave if I saw them. But what if I hadn’t and they got hurt on anything in our yard? Kinda seems like that’d be trespassing, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had new neighbors move in next door this winter and never really got to know them since everyone was hunkered down inside for so long. When the weather got warmer all the kids started playing outside more and we decided to let our kids play with theirs outside since neither of us seemed to leave the house except to get groceries and we were comfortable with the risk. We have 2 boys ages 6 and 2, and they have 3 boys ages 3, 5 and 7. The boys' parents are both working from home and seem pretty busy so they let their boys play outside mostly unsupervised for most of the day. Our yards are separated by bushes but you can easily get from one to the other through a couple different areas.

For the past couple weeks now their boys have been coming over to our backyard to play, with or without our boys, pretty much all day long. We got an above ground pool, jungle gym and tons of other toys to keep our kids entertained all summer so they seem to prefer our yard to theirs. Their mom doesn't ask, they just show up in our yard and will hang out for hours if our kids are outside without the parents checking on them once. Earlier today I heard an odd noise and the older two were swimming in our pool totally on their own (in their clothes I should add) which is not okay.

I have spoken to the parents several times now and told them our kids enjoy playing with theirs but to please text or call first since we aren't always available and it's hard when they just show up in our yard. They apologize and say they will for sure next time but they never do. And, it's an even bigger concern that they don't seem to notice when their kids have left their yard and come to mine. We are generally home but since DH and I are working too we can't always be supervising them in the backyard. This just seems to keep happening over and over again and I am not sure what to do about it to make it stop short of putting in fencing. My kids are happy to play with theirs for an hour or so but they fight a ton and it's really hard to watch 5 wild boys all at once. Their parents never come check on them or even seem to care what they are doing which is crazy since they are still pretty young. Any ideas how to get through to them?

You send the kids home every time they come over without permission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - please get a fence immediately. This is a MAJOR liability issue for you. If something happens to the neighbors kids, you will get sued.

Besides just being rude and annoying, you’re also financially at risk.

Jesus, what about the kids' lives??? Nothing? Just money? Wow. Unreal.

The whole point here is the parents don't care about the kids lives and OP is trying to get their attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - please get a fence immediately. This is a MAJOR liability issue for you. If something happens to the neighbors kids, you will get sued.

Besides just being rude and annoying, you’re also financially at risk.

Jesus, what about the kids' lives??? Nothing? Just money? Wow. Unreal.

The whole point here is the parents don't care about the kids lives and OP is trying to get their attention.

No, that's not the whole point. OP has a ton of things in her yard she admits are like candy to kids, including a pool -- and no fence. She admits they come over repeatedly without permission or supervision. What the hell is she waiting for? Do people really not care about the lives of other people's kids?

[Anonymous]

This has got to be a troll. Nobody with a pool and small kids could be this dumb.

[Anonymous]

That’s crazy to me. I would first run to any store that sells the pool sensors so you are aware if their kids are swimming when you are not there. Then start getting quotes for a fence.
I would also spend the next week or two working near a door or window to the backyard so every single time you see them come into your yard or pool you can tell them to leave. After repeatedly getting kicked out they will be less likely to keep trying. If they get in the pool I would personally walk them to their front door and talk with the parents each time.
Although a fence is pretty easy to climb so I think it is a logical solution to liability with the pool you really need to keep addressing it with the family until it stops.

[Anonymous]

A fence will be several thousand dollars.

I would be annoyed about paying that much because of badly behaved neighbor kids. Walk the kids over to their front door and ring the door bell every time.

To reset things, I would tell the parents you need a one week break from play dates. During this break anytime the kids go in your yard you ring their doorbell.

[Anonymous]

Forget the neighbor's kids. You need to lock/cover the pool for the sake of your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forget the neighbor's kids. You need to lock/cover the pool for the sake of your own.

x1000 how can you not have a pool lock for the safety of your own young kids?