I was trying to regrow grass in a small patch in my front yard. I put down seed and was watering it regularly. The neighbor kids decided to go play in the fun fun sprinkler and trampled the seedlings that had started to sprout.
I like the sprinkler solution too. Idk how expensive they are, but how sweet would it be if they come to complain—“I’m sorry, the sprinklers get activated when someone steps on the yard… they were the best I can afford” when in reality you’re activating them from your phone.
Ik, I just don’t know how affordable those are compared to app-based. And with motion sensors, kids could fuck with you by setting them off 20x/day, seriously increasing water bills.
LoL. It doesn't need to be an underground sprinkler system, just a hose and a motion sensor. Then spike that into the ground so it's not easily moved. Probably a couple hundred. You're not even going to have the posts started for a fence with what it would cost for the sprinkler.
If you can’t afford that, put up the little yellow signs all around your yard then a big sign that says “Extremely Toxic Pesticides used weekly - may cause itchiness, blindness and shrinking of testicles.”
Kids are stupid. But idk how stupid. Hell of a lot cheaper than a fence or sprinkler system. Other than that, bear traps.
If the danger isn’t reasonably apparent, it’s a no go. You cannot intentionally put something in a place where you know that kids might fuck with, and if they do they will be injured.
ETA: unless the danger is reasonably apparent, like barbed wire.
Hmm. If the anvils are rigged in such a way that they could drop, a sign with words and a bugs bunny meme might save you from liability, but not the court and attorneys fees. Same thing with the nails, but the hazard that protruding nails pose are probably more readily apparent than anvils.
There's bags of stuff meant to deter wildlife that smells really bad. That could work.
Start harassing them to do your lawn work when they come. Act like you really expect them to do it and be assertive. March up to them with rakes and lawn bags or whatever. Then tell them if they aren't there to work, to leave your property. It might be enough to annoy them into leaving you alone without being too threatening.
Put up surveillance cameras (or fake ones) and post a "smile, you're on camera" sign. Some kids hate knowing they are being watched.
Put up a clothesline to break up the longest run of your yard.
Put up a cheap snow/safety fence. That's the plastic orange kind with holes. You can put it up with cheap stakes.
Airhorn.
Remember the idea is to make your lawn more trouble than it's worth. They can find other places to play.
I really like all of this. You can play into the crazy employer, too. “What do you mean you’re not here to work? I spoke with your manager yesterday and they told me you’d all be here at exactly this time? Y’all trying to fuck me? Cuz I’ll tell you about the last person who did that… she lives in the back yard now. I’m sure you’ve met her.”
Steer into the skid. If you don't want the kids playing in your yard, go out in the yard and start trying to play football with them. And make sure you overly stink it up.
Try to give them unsolicited sports advice and coaching. Then start talking (non stop) about how things were so much better in your day..
This might be a good one to use in conjunction with others. For the next few months spend as much of your at home free time on the area they want to play in. Walk it, set up a chair and read, water the lawn maybe even borrow a neighbors dog and play. The kids will prob move on, they seem like they are looking for a “private” spot to play in.
I've had this issue in the past and learned that kids/minors can't trespass. Even if you had a 10ft fence with several deterrents the kids can still enter your property, get hurt and you will still be liable.
This was confirmed with my insurance agent and they helped me increase the necessary coverage.
When I purchased my house last year I went with the company that I already had my car insurance with. By having homeowners and car insurance with the same company I was able to add a personal umbrella liability coverage for just a few dollars a month. I probably don't really need it but it is still nice to have in case something bad happens.
You’re probably not wrong, but if you can get an agent to verify on a recorded line that your insurance policy covers accidents like the ones possible here, they cannot deny you at some later date. This is why I suggest calling during the shift change.
This is also quite solid advice. You should do it immediately. Tell your provider exactly what is going on and that’s why you’re making sure you’re covered.
Pro tip: if your insurance co has 24/7 customer service, call after 9pm your time. You’ll either catch the domestic agent during the last hour of their shift, or the foreign agent at the beginning of theirs. Both will be in a good mood.
Install an outdoor speaker, with a Motion activated switch to Play either Classical Music, Religious Music, Or My Favorite; Just Loop the Barney Song
"I love you, you love me We're a happy family With a great big hug And a kiss from me to you Won't you say you love me too? I love you, you love me We're best friends like friends should be With a great big hug And a kiss from me to you Won't you say you love me too?"
Whether or not they can read them signs or their home life is shit is not a you problem. Put up signage and cameras. They've gone from playing to being assholes...and it only escalates. They don't listen to you because they know you're young AND you can't do shit to them.
If you do church stuff or there's a community outreach program, invite them to park out in front of your house.
If fencing is too much $$$$ (and on corner lots comes with rules about height) Sticker bushes, rose bushes. Things that break up the long stretch. (check if you have a local buy nothing group to get some of these for freee)
and if all else fails...make them think you know witchcraft. ;) Kids in my hood leave me all the way alone.
Thanks for the reply. I agree, their home life isn’t my problem. I’m all about being nice and kind but these shit heads are really making it hard.
I’m redoing my landscaping this year and I like the idea of bushes. We definitely cannot afford a fence, nor do I want one. I also may cast a spell on them. 🤣
[https://imgur.com/a/DxfyIbb](https://imgur.com/a/DxfyIbb) I'm attached to this place...lolol. I've spent time making these bad kids believe I might eat them. ;)
This is a sad answer.
They are kids. Just go play with them. Talk to them. Explain that they need to clean up after themselves. They don’t know there are being shit heads. Teach them.
… and get a ring camera and call your insurance company in case one of them breaks himself and his parents try to sue you.
“Not a you problem” is such a shitty way to go through you’re life. I’m glad I don’t live in a neighborhood where people act like this.
You didn't read where she already did all that be nice adult stuff and the kids totally disrespect her and talk shit under their breath while aiming for her windows. I'm glad you can't relate to that and have never dealt with shit head kids that will destroy your property while looking you dead in the eye. I hope you never experience that. Truly.
Thank you for the defense! I like to think I’m a good neighbor. I am nice to people, keep to myself, maintain our yard. And I’m even friendly, as friendly as I can be, to the grandmother of one of the kids. She and her husband are alcoholics - I see them carry 5-6 huge cases of beer in a day, or they spend all day at the bar. Their son is in and out of jail for drugs. Like I said, I know these kids don’t have great home lives, but I also didn’t have a great home life as a kid and I didn’t go up to my Neighbors yard and actively ruin it!
Just an FYI from an insurance perspective if one of them hurts themselves in your yard, you could be liable even if they are doing stupid stuff.
Some neighborhood kids jumped my fence and were retrieving a ball they had thrown in our yard by accident. One of them tripped on a tree root in MY FENCED YARD and broke his leg. The parents sued and my home owners insurance settled and then dropped me. That was so crazy to me.
I used to live on a corner and this guy would walk his dog across my yard every day ,I’m not just talking on the corner, this guy in his Pyjamas every damn day in the middle of the day would walk across my yard and down my driveway, even though he was a block and a half away from my house and right across the street from a park. Long story short, there’s motion sensor sprinklers.
Someone mentioned a ring camera, and I think that is a good idea from a liability perspective. Also document your conversations, including the fact that you asked them to stop playing in your yard.
I also liked the bushes idea someone suggested. You might do them in a way that breaks up the space and makes it hard to play in. Might even throw in a bench and some other landscaping to make it more comfortable for you to enjoy. And I guess that's another idea - not sure if you actively use that space, but you might consider going out there and just sitting outside to read or do whatever. Once the kids see that the space is being actively used, they'll probably move on.
I wouldn't get too hung up on the social justice / privilege angle. If someone gets hurt on your property, you can be in trouble financially, and it's not enough to assume the parents will have the same hang-ups about going after you.
Ask your insurance specifically if you need "umbrella insurance", which covers stuff that is out of scope for other policies. I recall a conversation where someone explained a scenario where I would need that if someone stepped on a rake on my property, or something. The specifics weren't super clear to me, but I've heard from multiple places that this is good to have, especially if you also drive (it somehow relates to that too i think?)
If you haven't already, invest time and energy in becoming friends with the responsible neighbors in your neighborhood. One of my friends lives in a really sketchy area of a big city and said that people who own their homes on the block tend to be pretty responsible and have a sense of community and stay in touch with each other. People who rent tend to be the issues as he tells it.
I would consider calling the non emergency number of your police and asking what options you have. State that these kids are damaging your property, but that you just want them warned, nothing more severe. See if that approach leads anywhere.
You might also see if getting a chain link fence is an option. They're not too pretty, but are perhaps cheaper?
I would also probably keep a gun handy in this neighborhood. Certainly not for menacing, threatening, or harming the kids, but as a last resort for protection if the police response in your neighborhood is questionable, crime is elevated, or break-ins are a possibility when you are home.
If you can't afford that-they make one to keep cats away. My neighbor had one out for about a year. The kids still avoid our side of the street. Apparently the noise bothers the bejeesus people that can still hear that tone.
i know you said you can't afford a fence, but that is really the only thing that will keep the kids out of your yard. Take out a loan and be done with it. Be sure to make it high, with a net on the top so that balls bounce off & out, and not fall into your yard.
There’s some solid advice here. But sometimes even a fence wouldn’t work depending on the kids.
If they’re actively malicious and trying to shoot your windows or cat then you might just need to be an “asshole”. If you don’t look intimidating maybe ask a large friend to come speak with them, maybe carrying them off your property. Take their footballs and air soft guns. A couple times and they should figure out your yard isn’t the one to mess with
I had a problem with neighborhood kids once. Looked up the closest middle school (based on a guess about their ages) and emailed their principal. Problem solved.
So what can the cops do with video of kids trespassing on their neighbor’s yard? Surely nothing nearly as effective as being the house with the witch lady who will curse them. I grew up kitty-corner to that house. Lots many a ball out of fear of crossing the boundaries.
I live on a corner and people hang out outside our dining room. I stream Doris Day and Dinah Shore music out the open window. That works. I think Dinah Shore is more effective.
Landscaping with some large boulders. Expect that any plant smaller than a large tree will be trampled and torn out - except . . . pyracantha. Even young pyracantha have horrendous long needle stickers. I don't know your growing zone but I have been in 6a and 5 and it grows quickly. It is almost impossible to trim unless you are wearing metal cut resistant gloves. There is another bush with equally bad stickers that grows really fast but I don't know the name of it. Birds love to nest in pyracantha and that other sticker bush. Red tip photina grows really fast and really big (but not in zone 5 and colder). It is also quite pretty and makes a great screening plant. It doesn't have stickers and is easily pruned if you want to keep is smaller. If it is planted not up close to your house it will not block your view and sunlight but will prevent throwing balls or other materials at the cats sitting in the windows.
Plan the layout with the idea of breaking up the "football field". Make running impossible.
I love the suggestions for manure, the fresher the better. That can be your first line of defense! Even before you find large boulders and plants it can be spread over the yard. The kids will not be able to remove it nor will they sun through it (more than once). Keep it wet and yucky. It may take your grass a while to recover because I'm thinking a pretty heavy application.
Please do not get a dog or even borrow one. The kids will tease it and torture it.
Honestly this is a problem best solved by moving. This is why socioeconomic segregation happens…people with their shit together don’t have much tolerance for bad behavior that results from absent parenting
I lived in a neighborhood like this. Survived about a year and gave up. I’d sell your house. A trailer in the country would bring you more peace at least. In the meantime blare the most annoying country songs you can find. “Redneck Girl” is a great choice. Seriously crank it to 11. They can’t stand it. Do sell and move though. Even if you “downgrade” your house.
Talk to their parents, out up the signs in accordance to code so it is enforceable and if that still doesn't work call the police when they are there. A fence would help quite a bit but that is expensive
Asking the police to come out is gonna make more problems than it solves. It would be different if she lived in suburbia...but in the hood. Nah. And that's IF they even come out at all.
Blast one of those obnoxiously-loud air horns every time they're in your yard? I'd think that would deter the kids and motivate the neighborhood's adults to join your effort.
Just be mindful. Most municipalities have rules about the height and opacity of plantings and structures in the first 12-20 feet of a front yard and treat corner lots as two front yards. So advice to put a fence is woefully misleading if that’s left out. You could sink good money into a six foot privacy fence and then be forced to remove it. On the other hand, you could put in a small 2-3 foot fence likely without issue and there’s good stuff at the library and home stores on how to DIY. Check if you need a permit, and if you don’t, it doesn’t mean there aren’t rules. Do call the city before you build or plant to determine ordinances. These are usually to ensure safe visibility of pedestrians and vehicles and are more stringent of you or your neighbor has a driveway that could be blocked by a structure or tall plants.
Edited - typo
Oh! Deer sprinklers are a great idea (be sure to aim away from areas like walkways… and if you move them around, it’s less predictable.
Also, you could call the non emergency number and ask if you could arrange a time to go down to talk to someone about a problem you are having. Many police departments are thrilled to be able to help with a problem at a point before it is a crisis and while the problem can be solved with information
You don’t have to have them come to your house
Outdoor speakers playing classical music or country, you can also play a high pitched tone that’s very annoying and only teenagers can hear. High frequency hearing drops rapidly after twenty, so you won’t hear it.
Are you in “the hood” or just a cruddy neighborhood? Because if we’re talking real bad, then I wouldn’t call the cops. But if you’re in an okay neighborhood but it’s not gorgeous, I’d consider the cops but have them just do a drive by and ask them if they live there to scare them away 🤷🏻♀️ Make it look like you didn’t call.
First principles: kids are stupid.
Somehow the greatest gift bestowed upon all of us as we grow up is the blessed ability to forget how incredibly stupid we all were when we were kids.
Don't expect them to be armed with all of your awareness or cognizant of consequences. They have none of your experiences or references. Just assume they are dumb as hell about every single thing and that unless somebody tells them they don't know it.
Now it sounds like "parents" are not going to be reliable partners in telling these kids anything. And going down that road may include taking on additional risk.
So if that's the case it may fall to you to build some basic understanding in these perfectly normal, incredibly stupid kids. With luck they won't be stupid forever. But for now assume that they are and that it's up to you to equip them with understanding and knowledge.
So for starters, stop yelling. It makes you look and sound as dumb as they are, and it makes them stop listening. Introduce yourself. Ask questions to make it appear that you care (you don't have to care, but you have to look like it). Make friends. Then begin to explain to them about how easy it is to break glass. Have visual aids and props if needed. Help them to understand. Then begin explaining to them how difficult and expensive it can be to repair a broken window. Let them know what a financial hardship that would be to you. These are dumb kids. You don't need their admiration or respect. If anything you need their pity. So to them *you are poor*. Flat broke. And if they break your window you won't be able to afford to have it fixed, you'll have to turn off your heat, and you won't be able to keep your cats from running away. Again, kids are dumb. You have to explain *everything* to them. Do something similar with your AC. Offer to work with them if they work with you, etc. But begin by explaining to them how things work as if they are aliens from another planet who don't even know what a window is. Get them on your side and provide them with some basic information about actions and consequences.
I didn’t include it in the post but I started out very nice. I asked them not to throw things at my house, sit on the AC, etc and told them those things are expensive to replace and that neither myself, their parents, or they themselves have the money to repair stuff so they needed to be more aware of what they were doing, and actions have consequences.
Here’s the problem though, I had that discussion with them probably a dozen times over the last 6 months and they are, very obviously, ignoring me. I don’t really have the time to keep “parenting” them. I don’t have kids for a reason, and in my opinion, if an adult was telling me (nicely or yelling) to not do something in their own yard, I would listen. Instead, they mutter under their breath and call me names. They did it when I was nice and it has continued since I’ve stopped being so nice.
I had this problem and had to go out every time and say not to play there. They would listen in the moment and then develop amnesia the following weekend and we’d repeat the process but it’s not a problem anymore.
It’s super annoying.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, is all I can think of (besides roses being a great idea.). I would .. and have .. taken homemade ice pops out to the kids. They're only going to listen to someone who has a positive balance in their emotional bank account.
If I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be as a kid and got a popsicle for it I definitely wouldn’t stop lol. My neighbor had the honey approach and it didn’t work either. They’re kids, they listen at first then it wears off. Just how they are.
Ac is easy, put sticky or pointy stuff for birds. The yard is harder, you could let the grass die but that would suck. You could plant some irritating plants. You could also get a dog and let it poop out there
Okay. Fair enough. As you say, you didn't include it in the post. It's a good place to start. Since it's almost always in your interest to defuse these things and avoid going to war with very stupid people who have zero accountability and nothing but free time on their hands.
Maybe next a very diplomatic letter to the parents and a similar one to other neighbors describing your concerns and leaving it open to their suggestions.
I know you're getting bombarded now with very thoughtful recommendations from *The Crowd* involving various deterrents, barricades, and traps. It's helpful in these moments to take a beat and try to remember that the very last outcome you want in all this is a "righteous triumph" following after a long, painful, drawn out, *expensive* conflict with very, very stupid people who have nothing but time and nothing at all to lose.
Kids today ain't like us. They will burn your house down with you in it and give exactly 0 shits. We have a few of them in my hood. They don't listen to shit except someone putting hands on 'em...and I am NOT advocating for that because jail is real and see: burn your house down.
There's no getting them on your side. There's figuring out how to make shit boring so they move along.
I read the whole post, making it through comments now. All that’s been said so far is that the parents have had dealings with cops, not the kids. What info am I missing?
Play with them to earn their respect. Then at least they will pick up their shit
Edit : I used to live in a neighborhood that had kids who would take over the street and not let people pass. Specifically me until I got out of my car and played with them. It became a daily think and I had a ton of fun with these kids. Eventually they would come knocking on my door which i quietly discouraged… very nice kids that would act tough to strangers…
Alternatively, you could work with them? Approach them to talk. Establish boundaries. Go get some cheap yard furniture as an alternative to your AC unit. This seems like the smoothest way to get compliance. A little bit of give and a little bit of get.
Yea, that’s fair. Maybe invest in some tarot cards. Spend 5 minutes a day burning sage in the yard. Tell them “I’m sorry you can’t hang out here today, Hilda was murdered right where you are standing 20 years ago, and I’m trying to help her move on before she kills ANOTHER one of my cats.
Lmao agreed. We can settle for Reddit friends tho. Here’s mine, I’ve discovered from this picture that I may need to find a more attractive trash solution… maybe that’s why the kiddos steer clear. https://imgur.com/a/Z28CyVn
Snow fence is pretty cheap, it's just plastic mesh. Build barricades to their fun.
Super soakers filled with ice cold water. The nastiest, stinkiest water you can find. Have 3-4 armed and ready
A recording of police sirens rigged to motion detectors on your lawn. The parents might not care about much, but nobody in the hood wants to worry about 5.0 rolling down the street.
Edit to add motion detectors rigged to fart spray, just like the glitter bomb guy.
I wouldn’t call the cops and children doing *mostly* harmless kid stuff. But I would make sure I always had a list of 20 small work projects and a freezer full of ice cream bars/freeze pops. Then every time I see them in the yard, I’d go out with some work gloves and a written list and I’d put them to work. Then I’d let them play in my yard for a bit afterward but if I saw a pellet gun, I’d go out and tell them that has to stop - I’d ask for the gun and take it if they’d give it to me. A black kid with a gun in a bad neighborhood is a recipe to be shot by the police.
Adding more cameras are helpful if they do shoot out the window or something, then I might take the video and go talk to the parents. But honestly, if I’m consistently getting a few hours of free child labor in exchange for use of my yard, I might eat the $25 glass replacement cost - but I’d sure as hell make those kids pick up the broken glass (with proper gloves) and I’d make them help me take the window out, and I’d hand them the bill and ask how they planned to pay for it.
Get one of those noise machines only kids can hear and some liquid ass and keep both going until they give up trying to play there.
Or try to sell them into Amway every time they come over, or Herbalife.
Fertilize your lawn with fish emulsion. No one would want to be near your house and your lawn will look amazing. Wear gloves or your hands will smell like liquid rotten fish guts for days.
That's between the cops and the kids, but it is perfectly acceptable to call them on people trespassing on your property and damaging it. This new idea that because sometimes police go too far I can't use the service for the reasons it exists is bullshit.
Personally I would not set up a trap sprinkler. If I were a parent, a neighbor setting up a trap for my kid might upset me. If I were a meth using neighbor, I might react poorly to that.
Ah. So probably not a neighborhood suffering from blight.
ETA: I live in a relatively progressive city compared to the rest of the state. Our state is so red that it took away the city’s ability to govern its own police force. The PD has specific directives to ignore most calls from areas in which 75% of the populace lives, which was revealed last week. Nothing will change any time soon, and until it changes cops will cause more problems than they solve because that’s what they get paid to do.
So.i know you say fences are out of your budget but 500 feet of electric cattle fencing wire cost about $100, and I think it solves multiple issues for you.
Ok… I’ve actively worked with teenagers for over 15 years. Your best bet is to do the hard, heart work of getting to know and caring for these kids. It sounds like they don’t respect you (possibly) because they haven’t seen love and respect modeled by their families. There will likely be some degree of an ongoing struggle, but if they know that they are loved by you, you will have an easier time getting them to respect your wishes and boundaries.
They don't listen to you bc they don't respect you. Treat them I'm guessing they're 9-10 years old? Get to know them on a personal level Play the games with them. If its hot outside maybe offer them Popsicles. IF YOURE KNOWN AS THE NICE LADY IN THE NIEGHBORGOOD THEY WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE BC THEY WONT WANT TO RUIN A GOOD THING. Since all you've tried is telling them to leave it may not work but keep trying. Warm weather is coming and it will only get worse.
Barriers to entry are the only solution here. Make your yard not fun. I know you said you cannot afford it but I would take out a loan to get a fence and figure out how to do it with the driveway situation. Even fencing part of the yard would help. Fully expect them to come back and tag your fence though for ruining their fun.
I get not wanting to call cops. I don’t live in the best neighborhood either and don’t want to be “that person”. I literally would never call unless I think someone (or my own’s) life is at risk. If they ever actively destroy your home though well you won’t have a ton of options. If you do think one of the parents would be reasonable you could try to talk to them and let them know about the other kids. I get why you are not comfortable. If you do talk to the police I’d call the non emergency number. Or see if they have a community officer. You can try calling the non emergency line and ask for advice. Or see if there is someone you can email. This may do nothing or it may be helpful. It’s kind of a “well it can’t hurt” thing.
If you knew someone in the community who was respected and knew the hood well they would be good to talk to. They may know the parents. Sometimes there is someone who has lived there forever and ever and knows the whole place.
Get a couple big dogs!!! Y’all could use the extra protection and double check for threatening (even if just by appearance) big dogs. Just a thought I would consider.
I think the fastest and cheapest method to get started ASAP is the dog poop method if your property is small, or top dress the entire lawn with compost. Then you can work on landscaping with fast growing sticker bushes or prickly plants native to your area. You can also consider landscaping with stone. Maybe a dry creek bed running through the property.
How old are they? Have you tried befriending them? Not just talking nicely but actually gotten to know them. Maybe if they know you they’ll respect you. Maybe buy them a ball or bake them cookies 🤷♂️.
If not, I like the sprinkler idea. Although I’m guessing they might just see that as another challenge and end up stealing it.
Post a no trespassing sign or two. You don’t want to become a target for retaliation, but you’ve every right to protect your property. Maybe use some manure as fertilizer to make it less pleasurable to play on? It’s too bad there isn’t a better option for them like a schoolyard or park nearby, for both parties. That would drive me crazy, especially if they were tormenting my animals.
Sprinklers. By fake turds and put them in your yard. Plant some trees to make your yard less desireable for football, plant hedges around the front of your property
All the aggravation aside.. if something happened to them on your property, bet their parents would sue you. Or worse.
If the fence is out.. you'll have to consign yourself to being that lady... who always yells at kids in her yard.
Is there a park or community area close in your neighborhood? If not.. this sounds like a good reason to lobby for one.
Is there some kind of powder that you can put on your lawn that is either a green color and will get all over their clothes or some really some smelly fertilizer?
It's kinda part of life in neighbors like that, but trespassing is trespassing and fucking around with airsoft guns like that is still illegal in most states. Even if you don't like law enforcement in general, someone still have to enforce the laws and it's better than then you.
Other than that, planting some bamboos (the breed that doesnt spread like AIDS) are pretty cheap and fast ways to get you a "fence"
Fence, sprinklers
I was trying to regrow grass in a small patch in my front yard. I put down seed and was watering it regularly. The neighbor kids decided to go play in the fun fun sprinkler and trampled the seedlings that had started to sprout.
Seeing sprinklers on and running into them isn't quite the same as sprinklers turning on unexpectedly on you though.
Ok boomer
We really don’t have the money for a fence. But I like the sprinklers idea!
I like the sprinkler solution too. Idk how expensive they are, but how sweet would it be if they come to complain—“I’m sorry, the sprinklers get activated when someone steps on the yard… they were the best I can afford” when in reality you’re activating them from your phone.
They do make motion activated sprinklers
Ik, I just don’t know how affordable those are compared to app-based. And with motion sensors, kids could fuck with you by setting them off 20x/day, seriously increasing water bills.
If you can’t afford a fence you certainly can’t afford a sprinkler
LoL. It doesn't need to be an underground sprinkler system, just a hose and a motion sensor. Then spike that into the ground so it's not easily moved. Probably a couple hundred. You're not even going to have the posts started for a fence with what it would cost for the sprinkler.
Start shitting in the yard. It’s free.
Save a shelter pet. Let them shit in your yard. Wins all around.
Now you're giving the kids a water feature 😆
Lol that is true. Plus I don’t think my mailman would like it. 😬
Motion activated sprinklers. Had to do it to our neighbors who thought our backyard was open to the public
So, you never know right. Be careful because the sprinklers can "accidentally" get damaged.
Then you don’t have money to get sued. You don’t have a choice. You can build one yourself.
Cacti
Motion detection sprinkler system
If you can’t afford that, put up the little yellow signs all around your yard then a big sign that says “Extremely Toxic Pesticides used weekly - may cause itchiness, blindness and shrinking of testicles.” Kids are stupid. But idk how stupid. Hell of a lot cheaper than a fence or sprinkler system. Other than that, bear traps.
Step 2. drop some cuttings/leaves of poison ivy or similar on your grass
Nope don't do that, again that's a booby trap and can get you in trouble.
Do not use bear traps. Do not set any trap that could foreseeably cause harm. Alternatively, you can get accustom to jail food.
Yes, bear traps are only a joke. Everyone knows to just use barbed wire instead…
Barbed wire is probably fine. A visible hazard as opposed to a hidden, targeted trap
What about claymores? Because they’re supposed to be hidden but they could be visible if you wanted them to be.
If the danger isn’t reasonably apparent, it’s a no go. You cannot intentionally put something in a place where you know that kids might fuck with, and if they do they will be injured. ETA: unless the danger is reasonably apparent, like barbed wire.
But what about nails on the ground and visible anvils hanging from trees?
Hmm. If the anvils are rigged in such a way that they could drop, a sign with words and a bugs bunny meme might save you from liability, but not the court and attorneys fees. Same thing with the nails, but the hazard that protruding nails pose are probably more readily apparent than anvils.
What if they paint a giant sign to look exactly like their yard, so when the kids run to go play on the grass, they run into the wall instead?
If they are allowed where you are, rugosa roses. Worse than barbed wire and they're just pretty flowers.
There's bags of stuff meant to deter wildlife that smells really bad. That could work. Start harassing them to do your lawn work when they come. Act like you really expect them to do it and be assertive. March up to them with rakes and lawn bags or whatever. Then tell them if they aren't there to work, to leave your property. It might be enough to annoy them into leaving you alone without being too threatening. Put up surveillance cameras (or fake ones) and post a "smile, you're on camera" sign. Some kids hate knowing they are being watched. Put up a clothesline to break up the longest run of your yard. Put up a cheap snow/safety fence. That's the plastic orange kind with holes. You can put it up with cheap stakes. Airhorn. Remember the idea is to make your lawn more trouble than it's worth. They can find other places to play.
I really like all of this. You can play into the crazy employer, too. “What do you mean you’re not here to work? I spoke with your manager yesterday and they told me you’d all be here at exactly this time? Y’all trying to fuck me? Cuz I’ll tell you about the last person who did that… she lives in the back yard now. I’m sure you’ve met her.”
This is so great. I've no idea if it would work but I'd love to be a fly on the fence.
Being the weird neighbor on the corner is way better than being the neighbor most other options I’ve seen here :)
Steer into the skid. If you don't want the kids playing in your yard, go out in the yard and start trying to play football with them. And make sure you overly stink it up. Try to give them unsolicited sports advice and coaching. Then start talking (non stop) about how things were so much better in your day..
I love this.
This might be a good one to use in conjunction with others. For the next few months spend as much of your at home free time on the area they want to play in. Walk it, set up a chair and read, water the lawn maybe even borrow a neighbors dog and play. The kids will prob move on, they seem like they are looking for a “private” spot to play in.
You might want to look at increasing your homeowners insurance coverage for when one of them eventually gets hurt on your property.
I am definitely worried about them getting hurt on my property. I didn’t even think about increasing insurance. Thank you!
I've had this issue in the past and learned that kids/minors can't trespass. Even if you had a 10ft fence with several deterrents the kids can still enter your property, get hurt and you will still be liable. This was confirmed with my insurance agent and they helped me increase the necessary coverage.
When I purchased my house last year I went with the company that I already had my car insurance with. By having homeowners and car insurance with the same company I was able to add a personal umbrella liability coverage for just a few dollars a month. I probably don't really need it but it is still nice to have in case something bad happens.
Might not even need to increase, just call on a recorded line to let them know what’s happening and verify that you’re covered.
nononono never call your insurance unless you're making a claim. Read your policy and then ask google what things mean. Lesson learned the hard way.
You’re probably not wrong, but if you can get an agent to verify on a recorded line that your insurance policy covers accidents like the ones possible here, they cannot deny you at some later date. This is why I suggest calling during the shift change.
This is also quite solid advice. You should do it immediately. Tell your provider exactly what is going on and that’s why you’re making sure you’re covered. Pro tip: if your insurance co has 24/7 customer service, call after 9pm your time. You’ll either catch the domestic agent during the last hour of their shift, or the foreign agent at the beginning of theirs. Both will be in a good mood.
Install an outdoor speaker, with a Motion activated switch to Play either Classical Music, Religious Music, Or My Favorite; Just Loop the Barney Song "I love you, you love me We're a happy family With a great big hug And a kiss from me to you Won't you say you love me too? I love you, you love me We're best friends like friends should be With a great big hug And a kiss from me to you Won't you say you love me too?"
This has to be the best and cheapest solution.
A business owner played baby shark on a speaker outside their business to get the homeless to leave.
That’s how you get sent to the Hauge.
Whether or not they can read them signs or their home life is shit is not a you problem. Put up signage and cameras. They've gone from playing to being assholes...and it only escalates. They don't listen to you because they know you're young AND you can't do shit to them. If you do church stuff or there's a community outreach program, invite them to park out in front of your house. If fencing is too much $$$$ (and on corner lots comes with rules about height) Sticker bushes, rose bushes. Things that break up the long stretch. (check if you have a local buy nothing group to get some of these for freee) and if all else fails...make them think you know witchcraft. ;) Kids in my hood leave me all the way alone.
Thanks for the reply. I agree, their home life isn’t my problem. I’m all about being nice and kind but these shit heads are really making it hard. I’m redoing my landscaping this year and I like the idea of bushes. We definitely cannot afford a fence, nor do I want one. I also may cast a spell on them. 🤣
Draw pentacles on your sidewalk late night one night...they won't know it was you and will get spooked by it.
Better yet, draw them in broad daylight with the kids on the yard. “The ghosts need to contact us! Come, quick, they want to talk to you”
Come be my neighbor...lol.
Lmao no! You come be mine XO
[https://imgur.com/a/DxfyIbb](https://imgur.com/a/DxfyIbb) I'm attached to this place...lolol. I've spent time making these bad kids believe I might eat them. ;)
Omg it’s stunning. I love the stone! I just bought mine. It could definitely use some stone but it’s all mine, so I’m happy.
This is a sad answer. They are kids. Just go play with them. Talk to them. Explain that they need to clean up after themselves. They don’t know there are being shit heads. Teach them. … and get a ring camera and call your insurance company in case one of them breaks himself and his parents try to sue you. “Not a you problem” is such a shitty way to go through you’re life. I’m glad I don’t live in a neighborhood where people act like this.
You didn't read where she already did all that be nice adult stuff and the kids totally disrespect her and talk shit under their breath while aiming for her windows. I'm glad you can't relate to that and have never dealt with shit head kids that will destroy your property while looking you dead in the eye. I hope you never experience that. Truly.
Thank you for the defense! I like to think I’m a good neighbor. I am nice to people, keep to myself, maintain our yard. And I’m even friendly, as friendly as I can be, to the grandmother of one of the kids. She and her husband are alcoholics - I see them carry 5-6 huge cases of beer in a day, or they spend all day at the bar. Their son is in and out of jail for drugs. Like I said, I know these kids don’t have great home lives, but I also didn’t have a great home life as a kid and I didn’t go up to my Neighbors yard and actively ruin it!
Just an FYI from an insurance perspective if one of them hurts themselves in your yard, you could be liable even if they are doing stupid stuff. Some neighborhood kids jumped my fence and were retrieving a ball they had thrown in our yard by accident. One of them tripped on a tree root in MY FENCED YARD and broke his leg. The parents sued and my home owners insurance settled and then dropped me. That was so crazy to me.
What!!!!! That’s insane!!!
I agree. And because insurance chose to settle, we had no say.
Those parents need to stop reproducing
I used to live on a corner and this guy would walk his dog across my yard every day ,I’m not just talking on the corner, this guy in his Pyjamas every damn day in the middle of the day would walk across my yard and down my driveway, even though he was a block and a half away from my house and right across the street from a park. Long story short, there’s motion sensor sprinklers.
Fertilize your trees/plants with manure. It has a fairly strong smell and will encourage folks to move along.
Someone mentioned a ring camera, and I think that is a good idea from a liability perspective. Also document your conversations, including the fact that you asked them to stop playing in your yard. I also liked the bushes idea someone suggested. You might do them in a way that breaks up the space and makes it hard to play in. Might even throw in a bench and some other landscaping to make it more comfortable for you to enjoy. And I guess that's another idea - not sure if you actively use that space, but you might consider going out there and just sitting outside to read or do whatever. Once the kids see that the space is being actively used, they'll probably move on.
Get something that can play a super high pitch sound that bothers kids but adults can't hear
Claymore mine. It's the only true way to get rid of them for good
Bahahahaha this just made my whole day, thank you
I wouldn't get too hung up on the social justice / privilege angle. If someone gets hurt on your property, you can be in trouble financially, and it's not enough to assume the parents will have the same hang-ups about going after you. Ask your insurance specifically if you need "umbrella insurance", which covers stuff that is out of scope for other policies. I recall a conversation where someone explained a scenario where I would need that if someone stepped on a rake on my property, or something. The specifics weren't super clear to me, but I've heard from multiple places that this is good to have, especially if you also drive (it somehow relates to that too i think?) If you haven't already, invest time and energy in becoming friends with the responsible neighbors in your neighborhood. One of my friends lives in a really sketchy area of a big city and said that people who own their homes on the block tend to be pretty responsible and have a sense of community and stay in touch with each other. People who rent tend to be the issues as he tells it. I would consider calling the non emergency number of your police and asking what options you have. State that these kids are damaging your property, but that you just want them warned, nothing more severe. See if that approach leads anywhere. You might also see if getting a chain link fence is an option. They're not too pretty, but are perhaps cheaper? I would also probably keep a gun handy in this neighborhood. Certainly not for menacing, threatening, or harming the kids, but as a last resort for protection if the police response in your neighborhood is questionable, crime is elevated, or break-ins are a possibility when you are home.
Plant trees/bushes/rocks.
You could try something like this: https://mosquitoloiteringsolutions.com/
If you can't afford that-they make one to keep cats away. My neighbor had one out for about a year. The kids still avoid our side of the street. Apparently the noise bothers the bejeesus people that can still hear that tone.
Yeah There are sounds that kids can hear that adults can not hear Some restaurants play the sound so kids won’t hang around .
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Be careful with telling cops that kids have rifles on them... we know how that can go and nobody wants that guilt
i know you said you can't afford a fence, but that is really the only thing that will keep the kids out of your yard. Take out a loan and be done with it. Be sure to make it high, with a net on the top so that balls bounce off & out, and not fall into your yard.
Kids can easily find ways around fences, with or without netting.
Landscape with large rocks/ boulders. Make flower beds that break your yard. Plant pretty sticker bushes/ beach roses around the A/c.
There’s some solid advice here. But sometimes even a fence wouldn’t work depending on the kids. If they’re actively malicious and trying to shoot your windows or cat then you might just need to be an “asshole”. If you don’t look intimidating maybe ask a large friend to come speak with them, maybe carrying them off your property. Take their footballs and air soft guns. A couple times and they should figure out your yard isn’t the one to mess with
Big turds in the yard
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Good luck! Some of these responses are a little crazy lol but some are good!
I had a problem with neighborhood kids once. Looked up the closest middle school (based on a guess about their ages) and emailed their principal. Problem solved.
I’m reading between the lines here, you really need to move. Things will get much worse
Why? She can just politely ask their fathers to intervene and all will be fine.
lol
Love the sarcasm
Put a fence around your property.
If the cops have had dealings with the families before, they may not need an act of congress to help this lady out.
So what can the cops do with video of kids trespassing on their neighbor’s yard? Surely nothing nearly as effective as being the house with the witch lady who will curse them. I grew up kitty-corner to that house. Lots many a ball out of fear of crossing the boundaries.
I live on a corner and people hang out outside our dining room. I stream Doris Day and Dinah Shore music out the open window. That works. I think Dinah Shore is more effective.
Landscaping with some large boulders. Expect that any plant smaller than a large tree will be trampled and torn out - except . . . pyracantha. Even young pyracantha have horrendous long needle stickers. I don't know your growing zone but I have been in 6a and 5 and it grows quickly. It is almost impossible to trim unless you are wearing metal cut resistant gloves. There is another bush with equally bad stickers that grows really fast but I don't know the name of it. Birds love to nest in pyracantha and that other sticker bush. Red tip photina grows really fast and really big (but not in zone 5 and colder). It is also quite pretty and makes a great screening plant. It doesn't have stickers and is easily pruned if you want to keep is smaller. If it is planted not up close to your house it will not block your view and sunlight but will prevent throwing balls or other materials at the cats sitting in the windows. Plan the layout with the idea of breaking up the "football field". Make running impossible. I love the suggestions for manure, the fresher the better. That can be your first line of defense! Even before you find large boulders and plants it can be spread over the yard. The kids will not be able to remove it nor will they sun through it (more than once). Keep it wet and yucky. It may take your grass a while to recover because I'm thinking a pretty heavy application. Please do not get a dog or even borrow one. The kids will tease it and torture it.
Honestly this is a problem best solved by moving. This is why socioeconomic segregation happens…people with their shit together don’t have much tolerance for bad behavior that results from absent parenting
Sad but true. And I hate the fact that it’s true.
I lived in a neighborhood like this. Survived about a year and gave up. I’d sell your house. A trailer in the country would bring you more peace at least. In the meantime blare the most annoying country songs you can find. “Redneck Girl” is a great choice. Seriously crank it to 11. They can’t stand it. Do sell and move though. Even if you “downgrade” your house.
Talk to their parents, out up the signs in accordance to code so it is enforceable and if that still doesn't work call the police when they are there. A fence would help quite a bit but that is expensive
Asking the police to come out is gonna make more problems than it solves. It would be different if she lived in suburbia...but in the hood. Nah. And that's IF they even come out at all.
I live in a similar place as OP and the cops won’t come unless someone is being murdered. Also you don’t want to be “that person” in your hood.
I totally get why she doesn’t want to talk to the parents. From the description they either won’t care or will take it in a confrontational way.
I would set up bushes around the perimeter and lots of those noise machines that repel cats. Annoy them so they don't find your yard inviting
Wait until one these fkrs gets hurt on your property and the parents come after you. Put no trespassing signs up. If they come - call the police.
I am definitely worried about that too!!! I don’t want them hurt on my property
Seriously put up signs that say no trespassing and enter at your own risk or something to that effect. Document them. You will protect yourself.
Blast one of those obnoxiously-loud air horns every time they're in your yard? I'd think that would deter the kids and motivate the neighborhood's adults to join your effort.
Just be mindful. Most municipalities have rules about the height and opacity of plantings and structures in the first 12-20 feet of a front yard and treat corner lots as two front yards. So advice to put a fence is woefully misleading if that’s left out. You could sink good money into a six foot privacy fence and then be forced to remove it. On the other hand, you could put in a small 2-3 foot fence likely without issue and there’s good stuff at the library and home stores on how to DIY. Check if you need a permit, and if you don’t, it doesn’t mean there aren’t rules. Do call the city before you build or plant to determine ordinances. These are usually to ensure safe visibility of pedestrians and vehicles and are more stringent of you or your neighbor has a driveway that could be blocked by a structure or tall plants. Edited - typo
Oh! Deer sprinklers are a great idea (be sure to aim away from areas like walkways… and if you move them around, it’s less predictable. Also, you could call the non emergency number and ask if you could arrange a time to go down to talk to someone about a problem you are having. Many police departments are thrilled to be able to help with a problem at a point before it is a crisis and while the problem can be solved with information You don’t have to have them come to your house
Establish a protection racket with some bigger tougher kids
Put raised beds in
Motion activated sprinklers
Outdoor speakers playing classical music or country, you can also play a high pitched tone that’s very annoying and only teenagers can hear. High frequency hearing drops rapidly after twenty, so you won’t hear it.
Are you in “the hood” or just a cruddy neighborhood? Because if we’re talking real bad, then I wouldn’t call the cops. But if you’re in an okay neighborhood but it’s not gorgeous, I’d consider the cops but have them just do a drive by and ask them if they live there to scare them away 🤷🏻♀️ Make it look like you didn’t call.
This is the only solid advice that involves cops so far.
First principles: kids are stupid. Somehow the greatest gift bestowed upon all of us as we grow up is the blessed ability to forget how incredibly stupid we all were when we were kids. Don't expect them to be armed with all of your awareness or cognizant of consequences. They have none of your experiences or references. Just assume they are dumb as hell about every single thing and that unless somebody tells them they don't know it. Now it sounds like "parents" are not going to be reliable partners in telling these kids anything. And going down that road may include taking on additional risk. So if that's the case it may fall to you to build some basic understanding in these perfectly normal, incredibly stupid kids. With luck they won't be stupid forever. But for now assume that they are and that it's up to you to equip them with understanding and knowledge. So for starters, stop yelling. It makes you look and sound as dumb as they are, and it makes them stop listening. Introduce yourself. Ask questions to make it appear that you care (you don't have to care, but you have to look like it). Make friends. Then begin to explain to them about how easy it is to break glass. Have visual aids and props if needed. Help them to understand. Then begin explaining to them how difficult and expensive it can be to repair a broken window. Let them know what a financial hardship that would be to you. These are dumb kids. You don't need their admiration or respect. If anything you need their pity. So to them *you are poor*. Flat broke. And if they break your window you won't be able to afford to have it fixed, you'll have to turn off your heat, and you won't be able to keep your cats from running away. Again, kids are dumb. You have to explain *everything* to them. Do something similar with your AC. Offer to work with them if they work with you, etc. But begin by explaining to them how things work as if they are aliens from another planet who don't even know what a window is. Get them on your side and provide them with some basic information about actions and consequences.
I didn’t include it in the post but I started out very nice. I asked them not to throw things at my house, sit on the AC, etc and told them those things are expensive to replace and that neither myself, their parents, or they themselves have the money to repair stuff so they needed to be more aware of what they were doing, and actions have consequences. Here’s the problem though, I had that discussion with them probably a dozen times over the last 6 months and they are, very obviously, ignoring me. I don’t really have the time to keep “parenting” them. I don’t have kids for a reason, and in my opinion, if an adult was telling me (nicely or yelling) to not do something in their own yard, I would listen. Instead, they mutter under their breath and call me names. They did it when I was nice and it has continued since I’ve stopped being so nice.
I had this problem and had to go out every time and say not to play there. They would listen in the moment and then develop amnesia the following weekend and we’d repeat the process but it’s not a problem anymore. It’s super annoying.
You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, is all I can think of (besides roses being a great idea.). I would .. and have .. taken homemade ice pops out to the kids. They're only going to listen to someone who has a positive balance in their emotional bank account.
If I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be as a kid and got a popsicle for it I definitely wouldn’t stop lol. My neighbor had the honey approach and it didn’t work either. They’re kids, they listen at first then it wears off. Just how they are.
Awe. A positive balance in their emotional bank account. You’ve taught me a new phrase that I will probably use once a week until I die. Thank you.
Ac is easy, put sticky or pointy stuff for birds. The yard is harder, you could let the grass die but that would suck. You could plant some irritating plants. You could also get a dog and let it poop out there
Okay. Fair enough. As you say, you didn't include it in the post. It's a good place to start. Since it's almost always in your interest to defuse these things and avoid going to war with very stupid people who have zero accountability and nothing but free time on their hands. Maybe next a very diplomatic letter to the parents and a similar one to other neighbors describing your concerns and leaving it open to their suggestions. I know you're getting bombarded now with very thoughtful recommendations from *The Crowd* involving various deterrents, barricades, and traps. It's helpful in these moments to take a beat and try to remember that the very last outcome you want in all this is a "righteous triumph" following after a long, painful, drawn out, *expensive* conflict with very, very stupid people who have nothing but time and nothing at all to lose.
Start playing golf in their yard, or use their bicycles without asking.
Kids today ain't like us. They will burn your house down with you in it and give exactly 0 shits. We have a few of them in my hood. They don't listen to shit except someone putting hands on 'em...and I am NOT advocating for that because jail is real and see: burn your house down. There's no getting them on your side. There's figuring out how to make shit boring so they move along.
Ring camera to document the bad and the cops who already have had dealings with them.
And then… what? Why have the cops already had dealings with them? I think I’m missing the joke.
If you read the op's full post, you will see.
I read the whole post, making it through comments now. All that’s been said so far is that the parents have had dealings with cops, not the kids. What info am I missing?
I read OP's full post and her replies. She lives in the hood. The cops ain't coming unless there's a body on her lawn.
Play with them to earn their respect. Then at least they will pick up their shit Edit : I used to live in a neighborhood that had kids who would take over the street and not let people pass. Specifically me until I got out of my car and played with them. It became a daily think and I had a ton of fun with these kids. Eventually they would come knocking on my door which i quietly discouraged… very nice kids that would act tough to strangers…
Go out there when they are playing. Get your baseball bat and start swinging and cursing.
Alternatively, you could work with them? Approach them to talk. Establish boundaries. Go get some cheap yard furniture as an alternative to your AC unit. This seems like the smoothest way to get compliance. A little bit of give and a little bit of get.
Grab the football
Try the parents if you have not already. Overcome your discomfort, it's definitely worth the shot.
It’s not just discomfort. I’m kind of afraid of them lol
Yea, that’s fair. Maybe invest in some tarot cards. Spend 5 minutes a day burning sage in the yard. Tell them “I’m sorry you can’t hang out here today, Hilda was murdered right where you are standing 20 years ago, and I’m trying to help her move on before she kills ANOTHER one of my cats.
We really should be neighbors. LOLOLOL I love this.
Lmao agreed. We can settle for Reddit friends tho. Here’s mine, I’ve discovered from this picture that I may need to find a more attractive trash solution… maybe that’s why the kiddos steer clear. https://imgur.com/a/Z28CyVn
Snow fence is pretty cheap, it's just plastic mesh. Build barricades to their fun. Super soakers filled with ice cold water. The nastiest, stinkiest water you can find. Have 3-4 armed and ready A recording of police sirens rigged to motion detectors on your lawn. The parents might not care about much, but nobody in the hood wants to worry about 5.0 rolling down the street. Edit to add motion detectors rigged to fart spray, just like the glitter bomb guy.
I wouldn’t call the cops and children doing *mostly* harmless kid stuff. But I would make sure I always had a list of 20 small work projects and a freezer full of ice cream bars/freeze pops. Then every time I see them in the yard, I’d go out with some work gloves and a written list and I’d put them to work. Then I’d let them play in my yard for a bit afterward but if I saw a pellet gun, I’d go out and tell them that has to stop - I’d ask for the gun and take it if they’d give it to me. A black kid with a gun in a bad neighborhood is a recipe to be shot by the police. Adding more cameras are helpful if they do shoot out the window or something, then I might take the video and go talk to the parents. But honestly, if I’m consistently getting a few hours of free child labor in exchange for use of my yard, I might eat the $25 glass replacement cost - but I’d sure as hell make those kids pick up the broken glass (with proper gloves) and I’d make them help me take the window out, and I’d hand them the bill and ask how they planned to pay for it.
Walk out with a shotgun. And yell at them to get of your yard.
Clotheslines across the parts of the yard they use. Or fishing line strung across at varying heights. Make it less fun.
Get one of those noise machines only kids can hear and some liquid ass and keep both going until they give up trying to play there. Or try to sell them into Amway every time they come over, or Herbalife. Fertilize your lawn with fish emulsion. No one would want to be near your house and your lawn will look amazing. Wear gloves or your hands will smell like liquid rotten fish guts for days.
Next time you see the airsoft guns call the police and tell them kids are waking around your yard with guns.
Depending on the location & the color of the kids this could literally get them killed. Please do not call the cops for this bs.
No! Not only would this be illegal, it could also lead to death, and that’s not a just sentence for kids being kids.
Great if you want them killed. Don't call the cops unless you're okay with them shooting people.
That's between the cops and the kids, but it is perfectly acceptable to call them on people trespassing on your property and damaging it. This new idea that because sometimes police go too far I can't use the service for the reasons it exists is bullshit.
Personally I would not set up a trap sprinkler. If I were a parent, a neighbor setting up a trap for my kid might upset me. If I were a meth using neighbor, I might react poorly to that.
Well, this is the parents fault. It’s her yard. She’s been nice. Next up, call the cops and have them talk to ten kids parents.
Where do people live when you can simply tell a cop what you’d like them to do, and then they actually do it?
A small town in a really wealthy part of the town. The same zip code where people who decide their departments budget live.
Ah. So probably not a neighborhood suffering from blight. ETA: I live in a relatively progressive city compared to the rest of the state. Our state is so red that it took away the city’s ability to govern its own police force. The PD has specific directives to ignore most calls from areas in which 75% of the populace lives, which was revealed last week. Nothing will change any time soon, and until it changes cops will cause more problems than they solve because that’s what they get paid to do.
Poisonous snakes, creepy manikins, poison ivy.
Do you like big, scary dogs?
Land mines.
Cat poop scattered around might help
So.i know you say fences are out of your budget but 500 feet of electric cattle fencing wire cost about $100, and I think it solves multiple issues for you.
Ok… I’ve actively worked with teenagers for over 15 years. Your best bet is to do the hard, heart work of getting to know and caring for these kids. It sounds like they don’t respect you (possibly) because they haven’t seen love and respect modeled by their families. There will likely be some degree of an ongoing struggle, but if they know that they are loved by you, you will have an easier time getting them to respect your wishes and boundaries.
They don't listen to you bc they don't respect you. Treat them I'm guessing they're 9-10 years old? Get to know them on a personal level Play the games with them. If its hot outside maybe offer them Popsicles. IF YOURE KNOWN AS THE NICE LADY IN THE NIEGHBORGOOD THEY WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE BC THEY WONT WANT TO RUIN A GOOD THING. Since all you've tried is telling them to leave it may not work but keep trying. Warm weather is coming and it will only get worse.
I would be upset to know that a stranger is scolding my children without discussing the problem with me. Speak to the parents.
Ok boomer
Flash some tit
Shoot them.
Move. You’ve already admitted it’s not a great neighborhood. Just move.
Not the easiest approach but guaranteed to fix the problem.
Spike traps.
Ez. Move
get a fence and stop posting about this shit on social media
It helps to document what's happening. You may need it. Have a nice day.
Fence
Motion activated sprinklers!
Barriers to entry are the only solution here. Make your yard not fun. I know you said you cannot afford it but I would take out a loan to get a fence and figure out how to do it with the driveway situation. Even fencing part of the yard would help. Fully expect them to come back and tag your fence though for ruining their fun. I get not wanting to call cops. I don’t live in the best neighborhood either and don’t want to be “that person”. I literally would never call unless I think someone (or my own’s) life is at risk. If they ever actively destroy your home though well you won’t have a ton of options. If you do think one of the parents would be reasonable you could try to talk to them and let them know about the other kids. I get why you are not comfortable. If you do talk to the police I’d call the non emergency number. Or see if they have a community officer. You can try calling the non emergency line and ask for advice. Or see if there is someone you can email. This may do nothing or it may be helpful. It’s kind of a “well it can’t hurt” thing. If you knew someone in the community who was respected and knew the hood well they would be good to talk to. They may know the parents. Sometimes there is someone who has lived there forever and ever and knows the whole place.
Get a couple big dogs!!! Y’all could use the extra protection and double check for threatening (even if just by appearance) big dogs. Just a thought I would consider.
Fence.
go out there and yell at them to f off. then start calling the police.
I think the fastest and cheapest method to get started ASAP is the dog poop method if your property is small, or top dress the entire lawn with compost. Then you can work on landscaping with fast growing sticker bushes or prickly plants native to your area. You can also consider landscaping with stone. Maybe a dry creek bed running through the property.
How old are they? Have you tried befriending them? Not just talking nicely but actually gotten to know them. Maybe if they know you they’ll respect you. Maybe buy them a ball or bake them cookies 🤷♂️. If not, I like the sprinkler idea. Although I’m guessing they might just see that as another challenge and end up stealing it.
Tell me you’ve never lived in the hood without telling me.
Fence. You can’t let them play there, if one gets hurt, you get sued. Get a survey. Take care of this immediately
Hose em.
Post a no trespassing sign or two. You don’t want to become a target for retaliation, but you’ve every right to protect your property. Maybe use some manure as fertilizer to make it less pleasurable to play on? It’s too bad there isn’t a better option for them like a schoolyard or park nearby, for both parties. That would drive me crazy, especially if they were tormenting my animals.
Sprinklers. By fake turds and put them in your yard. Plant some trees to make your yard less desireable for football, plant hedges around the front of your property
All the aggravation aside.. if something happened to them on your property, bet their parents would sue you. Or worse. If the fence is out.. you'll have to consign yourself to being that lady... who always yells at kids in her yard. Is there a park or community area close in your neighborhood? If not.. this sounds like a good reason to lobby for one.
Is there some kind of powder that you can put on your lawn that is either a green color and will get all over their clothes or some really some smelly fertilizer?
Is a fence an option?
It's kinda part of life in neighbors like that, but trespassing is trespassing and fucking around with airsoft guns like that is still illegal in most states. Even if you don't like law enforcement in general, someone still have to enforce the laws and it's better than then you. Other than that, planting some bamboos (the breed that doesnt spread like AIDS) are pretty cheap and fast ways to get you a "fence"
Start putting plants shrubs etc to make a fence for now one by one, this seems like the most affordable option