Kids Walking Through Our Yard to Catch the Bus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

OP what is this really about. You don't like the family so you want an excuse to chase them off your property with a hose?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

I get that it's annoying, but it's so clear from your posts it annoys you because of the interpersonal dynamics and NOT becuase of the (nonexistent) risks. So own that. You don't seem sympathetic because you have all these excuses about mud and "marks" on the grass. Your resentment isn't really about the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

OP what is this really about. You don't like the family so you want an excuse to chase them off your property with a hose?

I don't need an "excuse" to not want people trespassing in my yard. One of the families I DO like (although I don't want their kids in my yard EVERY DAMN DAY) and the other I barely know but they have been less than neighborly to us so I'm not sure why I should put myself at risk to make their lives a little easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

You never know when you or your kids may need to tap into the goodwill of neighbors. Wait until your kids have their first teen party in your backyard that runs a litte loud or late.

[Anonymous]

So put up a fence OP instead of having a temper tantrum. The level of immaturity is amazing.

[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....

This sucks.

You need a fence. Alternatively you could try to landscape in the spring right after school gets out. Make a border of evergreens or something. If all else fails a motion activated sprinkler solves this problem too.

It's better they don't ask. Pretend you have no idea it's happening. You're not going to be liable for anything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

I get that it's annoying, but it's so clear from your posts it annoys you because of the interpersonal dynamics and NOT becuase of the (nonexistent) risks. So own that. You don't seem sympathetic because you have all these excuses about mud and "marks" on the grass. Your resentment isn't really about the kids.

Actually, it's both. I don't want people using my yard as a cut through every single day, even if we are super close friends. But this situation is worse because half of the people who are abusing my hospitality wouldn't allow the same in reverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

You never know when you or your kids may need to tap into the goodwill of neighbors. Wait until your kids have their first teen party in your backyard that runs a litte loud or late.

Lol I seriously doubt OPs kids will ever be in this situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

I get that it's annoying, but it's so clear from your posts it annoys you because of the interpersonal dynamics and NOT becuase of the (nonexistent) risks. So own that. You don't seem sympathetic because you have all these excuses about mud and "marks" on the grass. Your resentment isn't really about the kids.

Actually, it's both. I don't want people using my yard as a cut through every single day, even if we are super close friends. But this situation is worse because half of the people who are abusing my hospitality wouldn't allow the same in reverse.

OH good lord. Be an adult and either talk to them or put up a fence. At this point you're acting so pathetic it's laughable. You're the idiot that just constantly complains about things but never does anything to change the situation.

[Anonymous]

It sounds irritating enough to you that a fence is warranted. It doesn’t really matter what we think since we don’t have to live with it.

[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....

NP. Haven't finished reading yet but had to stop to respond to this. At my last house we discovered after moving in that not only were we the cut-through spot, our backyard was part of a set of yards where some of the neighborhood dads held baseball practice. They all knew we had moved in but no one, ever, introduced themselves to ask or discuss it. When we go outside during the baseball practice they would just stare like the idiots they were. If they had approached us and asked, it might have been different. I'm telling you now that a fence is the only solution. They will not listen to or care about you asking them to limit the days of week. Nothing except a physical barrier will work.

Yeah maybe some people may think you're a "d1ck". Who cares about their opinions. I certainly did not.

As to poster who accused OP of "peering out her window", if these are anything like my old neighbors, they screamed at the top of their lungs for no apparent reason whenever they were outside, so yeah I kinda knew they were there as they screamed their way through my yard. And to the people rushing in to dismiss the liability aspect, no it is NOT that unthinkable. Our trespassers later came INTO our locked fenced and hurt themselves playing. One dad while he didn't end up suing did knock on the door suggesting we pay medical bills.

Anyway, fence. ASAP.

This is so sad and pathetic and has me considering the merits of moving into a trailer park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do want to be "neighborly" but quite frankly this is a one-way situation where they get all of the benefit and I get all of the wear and tear and potential risk. I literally NEVER cross into their yards and as I mentioned the one family got annoyed when my kids and some friends stepped over onto their property at one point last year.

If their kids want to come on our property to play with my kids or cross occasionally when they are running late or there is bad weather, that's totally fine, but crossing through my yard at least twice per day every single day...at least 4 pairs of feet? That's gonna leave a mark.

I get that it's annoying, but it's so clear from your posts it annoys you because of the interpersonal dynamics and NOT becuase of the (nonexistent) risks. So own that. You don't seem sympathetic because you have all these excuses about mud and "marks" on the grass. Your resentment isn't really about the kids.

Actually, it's both. I don't want people using my yard as a cut through every single day, even if we are super close friends. But this situation is worse because half of the people who are abusing my hospitality wouldn't allow the same in reverse.

OH good lord. Be an adult and either talk to them or put up a fence. At this point you're acting so pathetic it's laughable. You're the idiot that just constantly complains about things but never does anything to change the situation.

I was actually ASKING whether people thought I should set a boundary of the number of days they can use the path or something. I have every intention of speaking with them about this. What made you think I wouldn't??? I'm just trying to figure out what to say, what I'm ultimately comfortable with, etc.

[Anonymous]

There were a few houses that had great short cuts through that we took. Avoiding being seen was more of a game then thinking about not cutting through someones yard. I could walk an extra 20 minutes to get to my destination or cut through someones yard. Guess what won out? And the fact that it was fenced didn’t really matter, that just made it feel adventurous.

Do I know now that it was trespassing and not acceptable? Yes. Did I know I was breaking a rule? Yup but it seemed like a stupid rule. The owners of the property never said anything to anyone so no one thought that they were dicks. I suspect that we would have though they were jerks if they complained.

[Anonymous]

You need a hobby. Or a job. Get a grip. Jesus.

[Anonymous]

I think OP’s concerns are legit. Can you put up a fence, OP? Otherwise I have no idea how’d you prevent the kids from crossing your yard.