My cousin's kids count as "pests", right?

[bobbi-j]

they'reHISchickens :

My house, my rules, just like my mama raised me!
Best story: Last summer the 5 yr old grandson with mild autism ( which to his mom means he gets away with everything) starts walking along the edge of the pool- despite known rule that you don't go near it without a grownup.
I yelled.
Knowing he is "caught", boy turns reluctantly to return to us. His uncle, who was about to run to retrieve his nephew, goes the other way. "Why " asks his bride, "aren't you getting him?"
"Mom yelled. I'm getting out of here!" He is 27.

No excuses. Mom always wins. If you win it's because I allowed it. That's the rules.

Sounds like home. When my oldest DS turned 18, his younger cousin said, "You're lucky! Now you can do whatever you want!" DS looked at her and said, "Not as long as I'm living under Mom's roof." As for the 5 & 7 year olds, where were the adults at this gathering? Obviously not watching the children. If they've never been around chickens or other animals, you can't "assume" that they'll be "responsible". Even at the ripe old age of 7. They have not been taught how to treat animals, and apparently no one at the reunion was willing to teach them.​

 

[magicpigeon]

Like I said earlier, my cousin was all too happy to snoop into our financial lives. Also, he told me "They have never seen roosters before, so can they see them?" I, of course, let them SEE the boys but not touch but I suppose poking the roosters must have annoyed them too...

 

[Attack Chicken]

Sounds like the roos were having fun. I would of kept them out.

Never having kids here either! I have enough feathered ones.

AC

 

[SilkieChickenLover336]

Quote:

that was just to funny

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Wasn't intended to be funny, but I'm glad you were amused. The parents TRULY need to be held accountable for their children's misdeeds.

from the OP:

...before I can say, "leave the hen with chicks alone!", they have my rooster net and are chasing all the chicks. I let this go and lock up the roosters who understandably start to spur the girls....

HOW did they get ahold of the rooster net? And WHY did the parents not immediately haul the kids back when they were being spoken to--running off while being addressed is JUST PLAIN RUDE, and that is BEFORE they began traumatizong the animals. Quite frankly, I think letting it go was a HUGE mistake.

As for the ADULT poking into ones finances, that is beyond acceptable. A good answer is something like "EXCUSE ME?!!! I cannot believe you asked that! How is your sex life?"

(okay, you can laugh at THAT one, lol)​

 

[SilkieChickenLover336]

Quote:
HOW did they get ahold of the rooster net? And WHY did the parents not immediately haul the kids back when they were being spoken to--running off while being addressed is JUST PLAIN RUDE, and that is BEFORE they began traumatizong the animals. Quite frankly, I think letting it go was a HUGE mistake.

As for the ADULT poking into ones finances, that is beyond acceptable. A good answer is something like "EXCUSE ME?!!! I cannot believe you asked that! How is your sex life?"

(okay, you can laugh at THAT one, lol)

Oh welli still think it is funny and that one is funny too!!!(btw im easily amused by anything thats why i want chickens!!!1 silkies seem to be amusing and ur name has silkie in it so do you sell silkies?

 

[FMAFarms]

Quote:
Bravo! There are just too many undisciplined children these days. IMHO, it's because parents are so busy working at their careers that they tend to be indulgent and overlook their kids' behavior when they actually spend time with their kids. Bad parenting is no excuse, however. Next time anyone with kids comes to your farm, state the rules very clearly: they are allowed to roam on the grassy areas, but they are to stay away from the chickens. If you find them near your birds, then the children will immediately be brought inside and will have to sit still during the rest of the visit. And if the kids' parents don't like that, then they can cut the visit short. Your poor pigeon. We had a sweet little tree swallow who lost five eggs to a stupid house sparrow, then lost her re-nested four eggs and her own life to another predator. I didn't raise her, although her nest box is close to our house. I can only imagine how upset you must have been. Grrr.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I can so understand where U are coming from. I had a reunion 2 yrs. ago because of the same thing..more land, pond, etc...I said look at the baby chicks, do not go in the brooding house..well 15 minutes later they are showing up with baby chicks in their arms...I made them all put them back and the kids cried..(so what) then the moms said, ask D'Angelo if you can pick one up again if you be careful with it...UGHHHHH WHAT PART OF NO DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND. Needless to say, that was my last reunion.

 

[MissJenny]

I grew up in the country and now, thanks to Facebook, I have reconnected with a bunch of former classmates -- all of whom grew up in the country too. One of them is now an inner-city special ed. teacher. She has asked if I would bring my chicks to her class, "Pretty Please, the kids would LOVE it." My reply is that the chicks would not love it even a little bit. Is she nuts?

Jenny

 

[SuburbanFarmstress]

Quote:
That's how we run things at my house. Kids who follow the house rules get to play with my cool toys and run around largely unsupervised (within reason). Kids who show they cannot be trusted to follow the house rules will have to sit quietly near the adults and read.

Really, anyone who will not require their kids to follow your rules or will not follow them themselves is not someone you want to welcome into your home. Random example: My uncle does not like for anyone to wash their hands at the kitchen sink, despite there being hand soap sitting right next to it. I find this rather silly, personally. But it is his house, and I will show he and his household the respect of doing as he wishes.

Parents are sometimes surprised by how well their kids behave when they visit. But I make my expectations very clear to the kids, and I'm very consistent in enforcing the rules.