Neighborhood kids knocking on door at 9:15 or later to play

[Anonymous]

Summer is great and all that- but is it just me or does it seem crazy to let your kids go knock on neighbors door to see if they can play after 9 at night. My son and his friends are 10 and 11 years old--and his friends regularly come to see if he's here at 9, 9:30 at night on weekdays.
I have my kids go to bed between 9 and 9:30 so he can't ever play then- and honestly, I usually get ready and go to bed by 10- 10:30.
My kiddos get up around 7 every morning no matter what we do, so I think 9:30ish is appropriate bedtime ( my other two kids are 8 and 1).
Tonite I was in PJs- husband out of town- it's lightning outside and I hear knocking at 9:20. Scared me to death and it was two neighborhood boys!
The kids are nice kids and all, but isn't that too late?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Which is why you say, "hey guys. Thanks for asking Larlo and Larla to play, but they aren't allowed to be outside after 8:30 at night. Hopefully you'll be able to play earlier tomorrow night."

[Anonymous]

Call their parents and mention.

[Anonymous]

man do I miss the 80s.....

[Anonymous]

Yes. Unless it is a special evening like July 4 or a block party celebration.

I am a laid back parent whose kids are up late, often until 10:00 or 11:00 during the summer and even I would be concerned about kids that age whose parents let them roam the neihhborhood that late at night. Have you met the parent? Are they drinkers or neglectful parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:man do I miss the 80s.....

We never would have knocked on a neighbors door at 9:30 in the 80s. Don't know where you lived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Unless it is a special evening like July 4 or a block party celebration.

I am a laid back parent whose kids are up late, often until 10:00 or 11:00 during the summer and even I would be concerned about kids that age whose parents let them roam the neihhborhood that late at night. Have you met the parent? Are they drinkers or neglectful parents?

Yep I know the parents-- one doesn't surprise me- but the others do. I will probably give general guideline to them next time they knock "john would love to play but we actually have 8:30 curfew most night- so can he catch up with you tomorrow?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer is great and all that- but is it just me or does it seem crazy to let your kids go knock on neighbors door to see if they can play after 9 at night. My son and his friends are 10 and 11 years old--and his friends regularly come to see if he's here at 9, 9:30 at night on weekdays.
I have my kids go to bed between 9 and 9:30 so he can't ever play then- and honestly, I usually get ready and go to bed by 10- 10:30.
My kiddos get up around 7 every morning no matter what we do, so I think 9:30ish is appropriate bedtime ( my other two kids are 8 and 1).
Tonite I was in PJs- husband out of town- it's lightning outside and I hear knocking at 9:20. Scared me to death and it was two neighborhood boys!
The kids are nice kids and all, but isn't that too late?

Just tell them no knocking after 8:30. Easy peasy. It's too late for you, but clearly not too late for them - since it is more than one family. You can't make them abide by your rules (except for at your house).

I understand, though - my kids (who go to bed at 8:30) stare longingly outside while the other (older) kids are still out playing.

[Anonymous]

I'd tell them but also but a note up to remind them?

[Anonymous]

My neighborhood is mostly with Asian and Iranian immigrants and the kids are all out playing that late. My son tells me most don't eat dinner til around 9. So I used to get this occasionally, but they stopped after I asked them to stop after 8:30 at night. I Just told them our cutoff time is 8:30 and it hasnt been a problem since.

Now, the kid who knocked at 7:20 in the morning on a Sunday....that one half killed me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighborhood is mostly with Asian and Iranian immigrants and the kids are all out playing that late. My son tells me most don't eat dinner til around 9. So I used to get this occasionally, but they stopped after I asked them to stop after 8:30 at night. I Just told them our cutoff time is 8:30 and it hasnt been a problem since.

Now, the kid who knocked at 7:20 in the morning on a Sunday....that one half killed me.

I wonder is her/his mom told them to go bug someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:man do I miss the 80s.....

We never would have knocked on a neighbors door at 9:30 in the 80s. Don't know where you lived.

+1

We definitely had a "door knocking" neighborhood, but never after 8.

[Anonymous]

We don't have a door knocking neighborhood. Sometimes this makes me sad, but then other times I'm grateful!

[Anonymous]

Our neighbors kids used to do it to us when we first moved in. Our kid was an infant so they were clearly looking for free babysitting. It made no sense. We declined times and they got the hint.

For an older kid, I'd just be blunt and say in our home its not ok to knock on the door. You call on the phone to invited XXX over or you wait till you are invited via a phone call or verbal invitation.

Yes, it sucks for kids who have bad parents but its your choice and its ok to say no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:man do I miss the 80s.....

We never would have knocked on a neighbors door at 9:30 in the 80s. Don't know where you lived.

+1 seriously! let's not over romanticize things !
way too late OP. Just tell the kids it's too late and to stop doing it.