How many times would you throw a ball back over your fence?

[duchy]

Originally Posted by Clairelovestate

I find this thread really sad. They are only kids playing and I’m glad I don’t have neighbours that withhold balls etc.
7 times is a lot and I would be a little fed up with that though and at that point I would maybe suggest going to a local park. I would never allow my kids to disturb someone that many times, however my kids have like 20 balls so if one goes over we wait until it’s found and gets thrown back.

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I think that's acceptable . I always lob the neighbour's kids balls back if I see them in the garden but knocking is fine once, more than once wait for the neighbour to chuck it back when convenient.

[Universal VR]

Originally Posted by coggie

I have twin boys living next door and are a really nice family. First time they kicked the ball over, aged about 4/5 they knocked on the door and asked if they could get it. I jokingly said ' no I'll get it as there is a crocodile living in the garden'...great look at their fances and strangely never had a ball come over the fence for a few years ! Now they are older they have about 6 or 7 balls and only come knocking when they run out

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I love that! One for my daughter to try. After the mum went round last night my son in law explained that they are trying to have a quiet evening watching TV and would rather not keep getting up to answer the door and then go out the back to get the ball. Her knock was the eighth of the evening and that was too much. It did stop after that.

The problem with new estates is that the gardens are so small. The chances of the ball going over the fence must be high. Our neighbour's children played out on the road. We are in a small turning of only three houses so traffic wasn't a problem out there. We are next to and opposite flood defences which consist of two huge dug out areas. One has been grassed over (the one opposite) but the smaller one next to us is surrounded by trees and is always full of water. It's a mecca for the kids in the area and they drop their bikes at the end of my drive and climb over the fence to get in. Last time I suggested that it wasn't the safest place to play plus it's private property, I got a mouthful from one of them. It annoys me to have to move their bikes to get my car out but otherwise I let them get on with it. I'd be sad if something happened but they're not my responsibilty. If their parents aren't worried about them playing on private property that can best be described as boggy, then I'm not going to worry for them.

[Powlay]

Originally Posted by CrochetFreak

Sorry I don't agree. If kids cannot wait until the neighbour is ready to give the balls back, whether hours or weeks, then it is mean of the kids parents to allow the kids to pester the neighbour time and time again. The neighbour will give the balls back when they are good and ready. If the parents cannot teach the children good manners then maybe the neighbour can

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As a kid if id have kicked my ball over your fence and i knew i was waiting weeks to get it back id have been over your fence when you were out getting the ball back myself.

Making a child wait weeks for a ball, or till you are good and ready doesnt teach them manners. Get over yourself, you're trying to justify being a grump making kids wait weeks for balls by claiming you're teaching them manners.

As a kid i played cricket in the alley, often the ball would get hit over into a garden and we would knock at the back gate, wait, try the gate and shout hello or just leave it and get another ball. If the ball hadnt come back over by the next day we'd go round and knock and ask for it back. Usually it would be thrown over after asking or we'd be invited through offered a drink of juice and told to go grab it ourselves.

[Jakey Neverland]

7 times is excessive, I would answer and tell them that I will throw it over next time I am in the garden.

My children play ball in our garden as do my neighbours and I cannot remember the last time a ball went over the fence. The kids are careful to keep it lower.

[bonnies mum]

Used to just throw the ball back when it came over but a couple of times it nearly hit me and when I spoke to the boys involved they denied it was them who kicked it.
After that I only threw it back when I felt I had retained it long enough to make the point. Real issue was that the halls were being kicked much harder than there was any likelihood of them staying with their garden
An occasional ball is ok but not 5 or 6 in a short time.

[vowels]

Originally Posted by Universal VR

I love that! One for my daughter to try. After the mum went round last night my son in law explained that they are trying to have a quiet evening watching TV and would rather not keep getting up to answer the door and then go out the back to get the ball. Her knock was the eighth of the evening and that was too much. It did stop after that.

The problem with new estates is that the gardens are so small. The chances of the ball going over the fence must be high. Our neighbour's children played out on the road. We are in a small turning of only three houses so traffic wasn't a problem out there. We are next to and opposite flood defences which consist of two huge dug out areas. One has been grassed over (the one opposite) but the smaller one next to us is surrounded by trees and is always full of water. It's a mecca for the kids in the area and they drop their bikes at the end of my drive and climb over the fence to get in. Last time I suggested that it wasn't the safest place to play plus it's private property, I got a mouthful from one of them. It annoys me to have to move their bikes to get my car out but otherwise I let them get on with it. I'd be sad if something happened but they're not my responsibilty. If their parents aren't worried about them playing on private property that can best be described as boggy, then I'm not going to worry for them.

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So a quiet, polite word worked?

As for the children playing amongst the flood defences, would a word to their parents not solve that situation or at least a call to the council to prevent a possible tragedy?

[Universal VR]

Originally Posted by vowels

So a quiet, polite word worked?

As for the children playing amongst the flood defences, would a word to their parents not solve that situation or at least a call to the council to prevent a possible tragedy?

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We’ve spoken to the council but it’s privately owned land so they can’t act. I emailed the owners who said they would contact the maintenance company to ‘keep an eye out’ but they can’t police it all the time. I’m not sure where the children live (certainly on this estate) so apart from following them home, I can’t do much. One lad said his dad owned the land and paid monthly for it! I suspect he thinks it’s council land and is talking about the council tax. It’s owned by a national housebuilder who wanted to build on it but couldnt get planning permission because the area is liable to flooding. I’ve lived here nearly all my life and it hasn’t flooded since I was a child around 50 years ago. I’m not complaining though, it’s a better view than houses would be.

[LadyAurora]

This is such a nightmare thing to go through, we don't speak to our neighbours anymore as after the football continuously came over at least 15 times a day I asked him if it was possible to stop it and five minutes later he was at the door verbally abusing me and threatening me, I was so upset so if it comes over now it waits until we're ready to throw it back, I've sadly suffered a lot of stress through this.

[Macca04]

Originally Posted by LadyAurora

This is such a nightmare thing to go through, we don't speak to our neighbours anymore as after the football continuously came over at least 15 times a day I asked him if it was possible to stop it and five minutes later he was at the door verbally abusing me and threatening me, I was so upset so if it comes over now it waits until we're ready to throw it back, I've sadly suffered a lot of stress through this.

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This is awful, I have three sons and growing up if their ball went over the neighbours garden they knew they had to wait to get it back. Sometimes over a week but so be it. I wouldn’t have them knocking at next door disturbing the neighbour.

My grandson now 10 has the same rules, ball goes over he waits for it to come back. Certainly focus’s he attention and it rarely goes over now. In over 20 years the neighbour has never been very quick to throw the ball back.

[sully301]

well we don't have this problem despite being surrounded by kids. Our dog loves balls and he sees them as his if they come into the garden, they don't last long!