Kids Walking Through Our Yard to Catch the Bus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that you need a fence. Until then, get a cheap sprinkler and set the timer strategically.

Yup. It is OP's lawn. Some of you obviously need to learn to respect other people's property, and then teach your kids that lesson.

[Anonymous]

Wear and tear on your lawn from walking? Thanks for the laugh! Wait until your kids are older and ride their bike through your lawn or later, drive over part of it when they are trying yo back out of the driveway.

[Anonymous]

And how much are these expensive houses on the quiet street? Mine was over 1M. DCUM- your kids are free to cut through my lawn like all the other kids in the neighborhood. We don’t have sidewalks. They walk on lawns. Especially the middle schoolers when they are out there at 6am.

[Anonymous]

OP--You start a lot of posts and write fairly coherently, have you ever thought about just starting a blog? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I would personally out down pavers that are non slippery and maybe discourage biking, but it's your property and you can choose what to do (and face the consequences). A fence with "no trespassing" signs should solve the "problem."

[Anonymous]

I would not allow my kids to walk through someone else's lawn unless I had asked them first. Do you know the parents? It's possible the parents don't know that they are doing this.

If you know them and have a way to get in contact, best thing to do is to actually talk with the parents. It's awkward, but you can just explain that you're feeling a bit uncomfortable with your yard being cut through and want to work out a plan.

[Anonymous]

OP here:
Spoke with the parents over the weekend, explained my concerns and asked that the kids not cut through our yard on a regular basis. I told them I'm ok with it on rare occasions like when kids are running super late or something but it can't be their daily commute plan. One family was apologetic and totally in agreement. The other seemed annoyed but that's not really my problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here:
Spoke with the parents over the weekend, explained my concerns and asked that the kids not cut through our yard on a regular basis. I told them I'm ok with it on rare occasions like when kids are running super late or something but it can't be their daily commute plan. One family was apologetic and totally in agreement. The other seemed annoyed but that's not really my problem.

Great update and a good resolution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here:
Spoke with the parents over the weekend, explained my concerns and asked that the kids not cut through our yard on a regular basis. I told them I'm ok with it on rare occasions like when kids are running super late or something but it can't be their daily commute plan. One family was apologetic and totally in agreement. The other seemed annoyed but that's not really my problem.

PP that wrote a novel about being the cut through house a few pages back. Nope, not your problem. They don't get a say in how your property is used. Expect their kids to just keep on trucking through your yard though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm worried because our yard gets very swampy/muddy sometimes in the winter and it's on an incline which can be slippery when it freezes. From a family member's experience it's all well and good to say "nobody will sue you" but their insurance company might not agree when it comes time to pay medical bills. I think injury is unlikely but it worries me ESPECIALLY with kids I've never seen before and whose parents I don't even know (the "guests" of the kids who live there).

The neighbor we know less well has had issue with other people crossing through THEIR yard in the past and was annoyed with our kids for being in their yard before so it rubs me the wrong way that they think they can just let their kids walk through our lawn without even asking.

And maybe that's the crux...I'm annoyed that they haven't even asked and the kids just keep trudging through our yard....

Xanax for you. Problem solved.

I know you think you're being cute but you're just embarrassing yourself, unfortunately. OP doesn't need medication but it does sound like a couple of neighbors need parenting classes.

[Anonymous]

Op here:
Dad of family in the culdesac that we don’t know as well emailed us that when they bought the house the realtor and previous owners said that there was a path through our yard. He is livid.

Previous owners were elderly and never walked through our yard. Can’t tell if he’s full of it or not. Either way, there’s nothing in the deed or whatever that he can walk through our property so….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here:
Dad of family in the culdesac that we don’t know as well emailed us that when they bought the house the realtor and previous owners said that there was a path through our yard. He is livid.

Previous owners were elderly and never walked through our yard. Can’t tell if he’s full of it or not. Either way, there’s nothing in the deed or whatever that he can walk through our property so….

Are you just trying to perpetuate the drama here? This doesn't seem very believable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here:
Dad of family in the culdesac that we don’t know as well emailed us that when they bought the house the realtor and previous owners said that there was a path through our yard. He is livid.

Previous owners were elderly and never walked through our yard. Can’t tell if he’s full of it or not. Either way, there’s nothing in the deed or whatever that he can walk through our property so….

I’m sure a real estate lawyer would know the details, but I don’t see why you’d be obligated to honor any alleged easement. Besides, it’s your property and it’s not as if they need the easement for the sole access point to the street. “Wanting a shortcut” isn’t the same thing as “there is literally no other path.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here:
Dad of family in the culdesac that we don’t know as well emailed us that when they bought the house the realtor and previous owners said that there was a path through our yard. He is livid.

Previous owners were elderly and never walked through our yard. Can’t tell if he’s full of it or not. Either way, there’s nothing in the deed or whatever that he can walk through our property so….

You need a fence, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here:
Dad of family in the culdesac that we don’t know as well emailed us that when they bought the house the realtor and previous owners said that there was a path through our yard. He is livid.

Previous owners were elderly and never walked through our yard. Can’t tell if he’s full of it or not. Either way, there’s nothing in the deed or whatever that he can walk through our property so….

Tell him that if the agreement was made with the previous owners, that has nothing to do with you. If there is an easement, please send you the paperwork showing you that claim. Otherwise, you expect him to respect your property boundaries.

Fences make good neighbors. Even a temporary one.