I need advice, too (another crazy neighbor post) --sorry so long!

[BellLisamo]

OH MY WORD!!!! I thought i was reading a book. A fiction book....

thats insane. i cannot believe how rude the children are, and how they think they can walk all over you. I am soooo sorry

It is clear they are trying to take advantage of such wonderful people like your family and i would tell them to ..... well.... get lost in nice words..... you could make your husband the bad guy. I always use my husband to do the dirty work. I'm like you, ever so giving.... to a point. My huband.... yikes. He'll tell anyone to get out.

Good luck with all of this!!!

 

[SpringChickens]

I know, in my area, that if the police get called enough that they will enforce fines on the landlord... might be something to look into (although it doesn't sound like it's the case where you are). Sorry you have to deal with these people

 

[JennsPeeps]

Didn't have time to read the entire story but in case nobody else has suggested this...

A registered letter to the owner of the property may go a long way. Pick an issue: the dogs, rats, or whatever, and send it to the owner.

Call the Health Department on the rats.
Call CPS on the kids.
Call Animal Control on the dogs.
Call the cops on the noise.

And I agree - bake a cake for that poor neighbor!

 

[SpottedCrow]

Dang!!!
You are entitled to "quiet enjoyment" of your property. You bought it, you deserve it...

I agree with what everyone else has said except noone's mentioned claymore's and IED's...



Just kidding...

 

[HobokenChickenEmergency]

Quote:
Yep. I laid it all on him now. I had a migraine last night, so I took a sleeping pill and went to bed early. I told him if there was ANY noise outside our window, and if he wanted to remain happily married (LOL), that he'd handle it. They usually annoy him more at night, anyway, since he's the one who has to work in the morning.

Apparently we got a reprieve last night, because he didn't wake up grumbling this morning.

I DID have one sort-of confrontation with the 13 yr old yesterday. I had the kids out in the yard while I was feeding the chickens, and he asked if he and his cousin could swim. 15 minutes later, he came to our gate and asked again, and added the plea that they had nothing to do. I said, "I'm not your babysitter. This is not the neighborhood pool. If you're bored, go tell your dad."

I guess I kinda snapped at him, but come on....I have my own kids to entertain all day. If I want more, I can pick up my step-kids from their grandma's house with 10 minutes' warning. The neighbors don't even make the list.

 

[HobokenChickenEmergency]

Quote:
Well I HAVE thought of pelting them with eggs...But I don't want my chickens to be accused of being deadly weapons.

I'm starting to look at it that way too. We DID buy our house and we SHOULD be able to enjoy it. I'm sick of worrying about hurting people's feelings, especially people who pretty much ignore us if they don't need anything from us.

Yesterday, my dd saw thier oldest dd outside and said hi. She was ignored, and it's not the first time. Normally I don't think too much of it, but now I wonder, "Why did I ever think these people were nice?" They ALL do it, except the youngest dd who won't go away.

Edited for spelling. Oops.

 

[valentinebaby]

You definitely need to check into your local curfew laws - we have pretty strict ones here in Texas - hope you do too in (is it?) Illinois. Parents can be fined, kids taken to juvenile jail, etc. Many children who are raised without rules and limitations usually pay attention to an older person who uses a strong (not yelling), no-nonsense speech. I would very clearly state to them that they are not to come onto your property at any time. I'd also prohibit the daughter from playing with her "friend".

I wouldn't be surprised if the parents leave at that hour to go to a local bar and make the kids "play" outside! If you weren't too tired from the daily bombardment, might be interesting to follow them sometime!

GOOD LUCK!

 

[horsejody]

Perhaps the police won't respond anymore because only poor Shirley was doing the calling. If everybody called, they would probably start responding again. If there are noise ordinances, you could become the squeaky wheel and insist that they be ticketed. Perhaps your law enforcement sees noise complaints as minor and let's them slide. It is your right to insist that they be enforced and people ticketed. The same could be said about the dog and rat problems. Call animal control and the health department and be insistant that something be done. BTW we learned the hard way that the easiest way to spread lice is by having an infested child in a swimming pool. When my kids were young they kept getting lice until we figured out that it was coming from the local swimming pool. The school and the one doctor's office in town finally put out a flier about it. Chlorine doesn't kill lice. Lice don't drown easily. The doctor told me that he read a study that said lice could sometimes live as long as 2 weeks floating in a pool. If one kid with lice gets in the pool, all of the kids can get it.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
This is great advice!! Especially about calling the landlord in the middle of the night . . .I would also call the State's Attorney and ask him/her what could be done legally about it . . .might have something new on the books that would do the trick. This sounds funny, like something out of Christmas Story, and the Clampett's that lived next door to them with the hounds and Xmas turkey . . .but we have had neighbors like that too, and my kids ended up getting blamed for having a bad attitude and a mean mother because I finally got enough and ran them home and told them to STAY there. I have fed half the neighborhood children (doesn't take long to become the Kool-aide house on the block) because their parents were gone, too busy, or plain didn't care and I finally realized that you can't save the world. It's a shame about the kids, because we all know in most of these type of cases, poverty breeds poverty and those kids sound like they may well be on their way. Good luck, and keep us posted. I know its not funny, but you wrote it so well that a chuckle did escape a little. The girl in the see through would have had her butt kicked out of my yard . . .cannot deal with the wannabe wantons.

 

[Emzyyy]

Quote:
Have all the neighbors call gang up on them and there is no way they can ignore you guys.