Can you believe people sometimes?

[stormylady]

I had to send some kids home the other day, One of the kids brought his little sister over, and said thier mom said it was ok for them to dig for worms in my yard but she couldn't be around the chickens cause she didn't want her to get sick from them, And really I could understand that "fear" for my child, but what threw me was that it was fine for her to come over and dig up my yard looking for worms, knowing that all my chickens was in the back yard, penned up of course but still, I got the feeling that "Mom" just wanted the kids out of her hair and didn't want her own yard full of holes! So I told the boy that i felt it was best to take her home, Just to be on the safe side, cause I didn't want any problems. But what I wanted to say (but held my tongue) was that The kids was more likely to make chickens sick than the chickens making the kids sick! Not sure if that is even true, but Thats how I felt. And I really love when the kids come over, but I hate feeling used! Sorry for the rant, just had to get that off my chest, thanks for listening! Sandy

 

[DTchickens]

Yup, a lot of people believe that

.. Luckily though more and more people are starting to come around

 

[Nicola]

I hate it when people do that. one of me next door neighbours would send her daughter over to my house for me to baby sit while she went to the pub.

 

[Boyd]

do you even let the kids dig up your yard for worms?

 

[tdkmom]

Yeah I get that kind of thing here too. Neighbor doesn't know what to do with her kid so she let's him come here w/o asking and he stays ALL DAY! And yells at my dog for being near him. Well go home if you don't like my dog. She lives here - he doesn't!

 

[maplesky7]

I have a neighbor boy who comes over and walks right in and stays all day and says he wants a juice box or a snack...

I'll be having a talk with him soon... it's his teen sister who's supposed to be watching him...I'll be talking with her soon too. It's rude to just walk in for starters. I'm on a tight tight budget... I don't feed and juice other kids. You want something to drink... have some water. You hungry? Go home. When ever I go over to their house big sister is chompin away at nachos or french fries.

If I choose to do so...which isn't every day... but I did make cookies and put a dollop of icecream on top for my girls and this boy. He asked for more... I told them that was good now go wash your hands and go play.

He is always asking my daughter if he can have her toys, so she comes and asks me and I say, no, it's yours. sheesh. He brings our inside toys outside and leaves them all over the yard in the grass. I told him...no inside toys go outside...no upstairs toys come downstairs... I repeatedly tell him no chasing chickens or ducks but then I hear a commotion and he's at it again.

It's not his permanent residence next door but his half sister watches him.

I can't blame it on him but rather the parenting he is or is not receiving with guided direction.

I never like the saying that it "takes a village" to raise a child. I always took offense and thought... I'll raise my children just fine without "the village" thank you. Then I had a heart attack this past April at age 35. I needed my family, close friends, and church family to help me during those times right after and still do to some extent. I'm not superwoman after all it turns out.
The way I see myself in this boys life is as a light. A sound rooted soul and through our lives...myself and my children's...he will be able to absorb things for the better...and I humbly must say this and shall not let it get to my head.

...even though there are times his behavior can get to me...I have to remember he is a child and must be guided.

gee...guess i didn't really think of all of this until I started to write and think about it.

food for thought.

 

[mamagardener]

I never can understand how people expect older siblings to be babysitters all the time. Sometimes when you are in a bind fine, all kids need to pitch in and help out. If you need to work,fine but make sure the older kid knows the rules-don't let your younger brother/sister wander all over the place-if they can't be bothered to make sure the younger child is safe, then find affordable daycare or camp. Older children need a little time for themselves too, they are not built in nannies. That little boy seems like he would love to have structure, it is boring to play alone when you are a child, he is lucky he has you for a neighbor. You just need to set ground rules, if he can't follow them he needs to go home

 

[b.hromada]

Sounds like you did the right thing to me. Like you, I would have wanted to say more, but kept my mouth shut!

 

[EweSheep]

Sandy

I had run into a couple of kids in my neighborhood think it was ok to chase chickens. I told them NOT to chase or poke a stick at them and respect to give them space. Well they didn't listen to me and I raised in a firm voice. PLEASE GET OUT! They said Why? I told them that they didn't listen to what I asked them to do and you went ahead and poke and chase them anyway. Well they did go away and came back the next day and it was a nuisance! The parents were no where to be found except for Junior which his parents and us are in agreement where the kids are going and having permission to come and play with my 5 year old DD. For the others, they didn't listen, out playing tearing up things so I shut the gate on them except for Junior. After awhile, they never did came back again. Then Junior moved away which it did upset my DD for awhile LOL!

So I agree with your tactics, Sandy, since you have raised your kids so it is no harm in what you did to the kids. If they were smart, they will listen and do what they are told to do. Otherwise, the law officials and the CFS would be called in also.