Kids waiting for school bus on my porch

[Anonymous]

I feel a bit like the neighborhood ogre, but I don't want kids waiting for the school bus on my porch. I wanted to post here to see if I am being reasonable or making a big deal over nothing. I just moved into a corner house in new neighborhood. The house has a school bus stop in front of it. My kids go to another school so don't ride the school bus. As I walked outside to get the paper one raining morning I saw two kids on my porch peering in the front door stained glass window. You can't see inside unless you put your face up to the door. I told them to go wait on the corner and they ran off the porch. As I was picking up the newspaper a car pulled up and a girl around 9 ran out of the car and started walking up to my porch. I called out and told her to wait on the corner. Her mom rolled down and the window and said she was only going to be there a minute until the school bus came. I am not sure if she had said this in nicer tone I would have let it go but the entitled attitude tone she said it in pissed me off. I told her kid again in a louder voice to go wait on the corner and the mom drove off. A few days later the same girl stood on my porch and when I went outside she said her mom said it was OK because it was raining. I again told her to go wait on the corner and she was not allowed on my porch no matter what the weather was like. I feel like it is a slippery slope, that if I am not consistent I will have kids on my porch every morning then in the afternoon waiting for their parents. As it is I pick up a lot of food wrappers on the corner and my plants there all get trampled. I figure that is not a big deal but the porch is. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I think it is super weird a mom would tell her kids to wait on a stranger's front porch, regardless of weather. Why doesn't she wait with them and let them sit in the car until the bus comes? I'm not sure what you do about it since it is a tricky situation, but I think it's fine if they aren't on your porch.

[Anonymous]

Can you call the school and ask to have the stop moved?

[Anonymous]

It is a slippery slope. You have to draw the line somewhere.

That is really amazing entitlement by that mother. SMH

[Anonymous]

I understand your frustration. I think it's pretty rude of the parents to assume this is ok without asking you. If you want them to be out of the rain, then wait with them in your car!

[Anonymous]

The previous owners likely allowed it. I would too in inclement weather. But you can do whatever you want, just be aware how you may now be viewed by the neighbors.

[Anonymous]

I may be in the minority, but if it's raining I wouldn't care if the kids waited on my porch...

[Anonymous]

People will think you are the neighborhood ogre.

Call the school and ask them to move the stop to across the street, that is what our ogre neighbor did and it worked out fine.

[Anonymous]

Wow! Never heard of such a thing! Usually I am on the side of letting people use my property, but this is too much. I wonder if the previous owner allowed it. I think it is fine to say no. If the mom driving her daughter to the bus stop is concerned about the rain, she can let her daughter sit in the car until the bus comes. I am surprised in this age of gun violence, etc. that people want their children waiting on random front porches anyway.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that the previous homeowners allowed it. Personally, I'd be fine with it in inclement weather. The mom might be a jerk, but the kids are just kids and it sucks to stand in the rain.

[Anonymous]

Our neighbors tell their kids it is ok to play in our yard and equipment. We have asked them to leave when not invited as they have damaged things and it's annoying. The Hey do laps around our house playing tag when we are napping or eating and it's uncomfortable. I think it is fine to tell them to get off your porch. Mom an wait if it is raining. Worst case, get some low hammer in fencing for a few hundred to create a boundary. They sell it at he and lowes.

[Anonymous]

If the mother is driving her child to the bus stop, the child can wait in the car with her mother. I would never leave my 9yo at the bus stop by him/herself without an adult. What if he/she had missed the bus!!??

[Anonymous]

My kids wait for the bus in front of a house with a covered porch. When it rains they bring umbrellas.

[Anonymous]

No, I wouldn't want that. Kids I don't know hanging out on my front porch? I don't really care if it's raining, they won't melt. If it's that big a deal, wait with your precious little offspring in the rain or drive them to school. Good grief.

I wouldn't want my kids standing on someone else's property, either.

[Anonymous]

If you dont like it, then call the school. I personally wouldnt care if they used my porch.